The City of Sandy Oaks, Texas, is less than a year old and has only had a city government for less than half a year, but the city is already in debt and won’t say how much.
Before the election in August 2014 for the first City Council, many of the candidates stated they wanted a “pay as you go” style government. The first to use the phrase was Earnest Gay, who was quoted in the Sandy Oaks Chronicle as saying “We must be a pay as you go government so that we do not burden the future of the city with debt.”
The City Council started spending money at the very first City Council Meeting on August 16, 2014.
Texas Local Government Code 52.004 states that the governing body must contract with a local newspaper “As soon as practicable after the beginning of each municipal year.”
The City Council approved a contract with LaPrensa. At this time, the city already owes over $1,000 to the newspaper.
In the same inaugural meeting, the Council voted to have an election on 3 different sales taxes. On September 11, 2014, the Council agreed to a contract with Bexar County Elections Department for $1511.20 to pay for the election, with the payment deferred for 1 year.
Again in the first meeting, the Council hired Art Martinez de Vara, Mayor of Von Ormy, to be the City Attorney for 60 days. They had to first create the position before they could hire him. Council members also refuse to say what the city is paying Martinez de Vara, a city employee.
Martinez de Vara’s 60 days ended in October, but he is still treated as the City Attorney.
The exact amount of debt for the City of Sandy Oaks is not known. Cities usually review their budgets on a quarterly basis in order to pass audits, but the Sandy Oaks City Council didn’t review the city budget in December and doesn’t have plans to do so in January.
Can’t say where I got my information, but it is estimated by the Mayor that we are $24000 to $25000 in debt.