Lubbock manager outlines 4 budget scenarios, council debates multi‑year police and fire deals

City Manager Atkinson briefed the Lubbock City Council on updated fiscal materials and four tax-rate options during a work session Aug. 25. He told the council that June sales-tax receipts came in at $10.2 million compared with $8.7 million the previous year, and recommended increasing the city's sales-tax revenue budget by $1,001,999 to reflect the stronger receipts.

“Atkinson said the increase would reduce the percent over budget the city would need to achieve,” Atkinson told council, listing four scenarios that combine the base budget with various meet‑and‑confer agreements. He showed the effect on the total tax rate under each scenario and translated the impact into annual cost per average homeowner — numbers he said ranged from about $80 to $107 depending on the option.

Council members focused most of their discussion on two pending meet‑and‑confer packages from city police and firefighters. Councilmember Green criticized the police department’s one‑year proposal — which he said would cost roughly $4.8 million in the first year — and proposed an alternative five‑year plan to phase compensation increases and add officers gradually. Green told the council his plan would increase pay approximately 23% over five years and add about 30 officers over the coming years, offering what he described as more predictable budgeting and improved recruitment planning.

Other council members said they supported multi‑year planning in principle but raised implementation questions. Councilmember Collins and Dr. Wilson urged careful review of operational impacts, pointing to equipment and vehicle cost estimates and the timing of hiring. Mayor and staff reminded the public that the council had about a week to refine the budget and that a first vote on the budget would occur at the next regular meeting.