Starting to look like Commissioners Court will have a lot of questions to answer today.
For years, taxpayers have been warned about wasteful county spending—especially at the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office. Every department submits a budget request this time of year. Once that money is approved, departments are given considerable freedom to spend it. In the jail’s case, that can mean burning through a reported $2 million overtime budget in only six months—and then coming back for more.
Any department money left at the end of the fiscal year must be spent by the deadline or returned to the general fund as surplus. So, who gets the new equipment, office furniture, renovations and other last-minute purchases? Somehow, the people at the top—with the biggest salaries and the most perks—always seem to do just fine.
Now comes the exciting part: finding out which lieutenant or captain gets the next county-funded vehicle. Those vehicles reportedly are not limited to the drive between home and work. They are also used to travel to off-duty security jobs paying anywhere from $60 to $150 an hour. Taxpayers cover the vehicle and its wear and tear while a six-figure employee uses it to earn even more money on the side.
And what kind of raise did management request for itself this year?
If anybody is taking bets, put 6% on the board.
