Resident urges commissioners to present two budget scenarios, accuses political gamesmanship
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Summary
Joshua Murray told the Commissioner's Court he believes one commissioner plays politics with the budget and urged the court to adopt a requirement for two proposed budgets — one with no new revenue and one with the proposed rate — so voters and commissioners can see trade-offs.
Joshua Murray used his public-comment time at the Collin County Commissioner's Court to criticize the county's budget process and to ask the court to require two proposed budgets during adoption: one assuming no new revenue and one with the proposed revenue rate.
"What I come before you y'all and ask is because it's clear that he just doesn't understand operations," Murray said, addressing elected officials and expressing frustration that a commissioner supports expenditures but then opposes funding them at adoption. Murray urged the court to "adopt a court order that forces y'all to present, to propose 2 budgets. 1 in no new revenue rate, the other, whatever rate you wanna adopt."
Murray said he has attended multiple budget workshops and faulted the pace of change in pay and hiring, arguing that staffing and retention take years to accomplish. He urged commissioners to force a clear vote on cuts and priorities by requiring a no-new-revenue option alongside the proposed budget.
The court did not take formal action on Murray's suggestion during the meeting. His comments were recorded during the public-comment portion and were presented to the court for consideration.