The budget passes
And Jesus Garza steals the show.
Yesterday I asked a City Council aide what time the budget would pass.
"3 p.m. sharp," she replied.
Ultimately it was approved on a 10-1 vote at 2:58. Again, in sharp contrast to his predecessor, Kirk Watson gets meetings done on time.
The lone vote against was of course Mackenzie Kelly, the only Republican on the dais, whose Twitter theme even celebrates her no vote from a previous year.
But the real budget battle didn't take place on the dais as much as behind-the-scenes, in negotiations between Council members and Interim City Manager Jesús Garza.
Garza branded his proposed budget "Back to Basics," a not-so-subtle rebuke to what some perceive as the progressive excesses Council has supported in recent years. "Back to Basics" also happens to align with the closing message of Mayor Kirk Watson's mayoral campaign, which Garza supported as treasurer of a pro-Watson PAC that raised $1 million.
