Lubbock City Councilman Victor Hernandez Proposes Conference Committees on LP&L Budget

A Lubbock City Councilman is calling for new solutions to differences in certain budget proposals.

District 1 Councilman Victor Hernandez has announced that he is suggesting two possible solutions to the differences between the two Lubbock Power and Light budget proposals.

One budget proposal for the utility was prepared by the LP&L staff and another by the City of Lubbock staff.

The Council will consider the two proposals at Thursday evening’s special City Council meeting.

Hernandez suggests that a joint meeting of the LP&L board and City management could be a way of resolving any disagreements, or, in a second suggestion, three members of each body meet to hash out their differences.

“It is time that the governing bodies of each entity, City Council and LP&L, step in and find a solution which enables the citizens of Lubbock to feel comfortable with their City government as well as with their locally owned utility,” Hernandez said. “Working together, I believe this goal can be achieved.”

The Council will vote on the first reading of the budget adoption ordinance on Thursday, August 30^th. The second public hearing for the proposed tax rate, as well as the first public hearing on the budget, will take place at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

The Council will have around two weeks following the first vote on the budget to come to an agreement on the two LP&L budgets.

Final consideration of the ordinances will be carried out at the regular City Council meeting on September 13^th, and the last day to adopt the 2012 tax rate is September 15^th.

More information on the budget and tax rate is available here.

A link to their agenda for Thursday's meeting is available here as well.