Questions about Port Arthur’s financial future are raising concerns among some residents who say the city needs to be more transparent about how taxpayer dollars are spent — and whether leaders are doing enough to prevent long-term budget problems.
Police and parks are among the many areas funded by city tax dollars, and some residents say they are watching how the money is managed. David Jones, a Port Arthur resident who described himself as a longtime watchdog over city expenses and revenue, said, “Port Arthur, we have not been transparent. That’s one of the starting issues.”
Jones said the city should have more public discussion about spending before asking taxpayers for more money.
Harold Doucet, a Port Arthur resident and former City Council member, said the city’s discussions have focused on bringing in more money rather than cutting costs. “The discussions we’re having so far has been increasing fees, raising this,” Doucet said. He added, “You’re talking about getting more revenue, but you’re not talking about what we’ve been doing we don’t need to do, or we need to cut back on.”
Those concerns were raised with Port Arthur Finance Director Dr. Lynda Boswell, including whether the city is spending more money than it brings in. Boswell did not directly answer yes or no, but said flat or reduced revenues, inflation, property values and state caps on tax revenue are putting a “severe strain” on city resources. Boswell said the budget is currently balanced, while acknowledging those financial stresses have made balancing it more difficult.
Jones said the city’s financial pressures should be a warning sign for taxpayers. “This is definitely a warning… we can’t continue to go at this rate,” he said.
City officials also said a significant portion of Port Arthur’s budget depends on industrial property values, and that available revenue directly affects services including police, fire, health and safety.
Beyond whether the city can balance its budget, Jones and Doucet said the issue is whether taxpayers are being shown clearly and publicly what it takes to get there.
Asked when Port Arthur could run into a serious financial problem if current trends continue, Boswell said it depends on the funds and that city leaders will have to make “increasingly hard decisions” as state legislative action affects available revenue.
