LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Editor:
I appreciate the council’s efforts concerning San Angelo’s sustainability economically. But I would like to address the issues of compromising the state’s most inconsistent resource, water.
This is an environmental issue when the claims of the developers and the businesses wanting into San Angelo is lacking in evidence when they tell us, “it isn’t much” or “this is what we use,” when the state is just now asking for them to provide actual water usage. I would be remiss if I did not ask for at least a moratorium on moving forward considering the lack of evidence of cause and effect these data centers have.
We know that other communities have started, and we know that they have been taken advantage of by rushing things through without properly looking into future consequences. We all should be reminded that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.
Requesting for a pause to ensure studies are done and the consequences are minimized and controllable is not an unreasonable ask.
It was stated in the library town hall that we are, “barely making it as it is” monetarily as a city. I would like to examine why that is when we are one of the highest taxed cities in the state of Texas.
Could it be partly because of tax incentives and abatements that weren’t thought through?
For example, Shannon Hospital’s tax deal that puts the burden of taxes on the citizens. The hospital also receives indigent funding for added relief. Many don’t see how the citizens benefited from that deal.
The intentions may have been there to help, but ultimately, the deal has caused an issue with revenue. The council should avoid putting the city in another situation similar to Shannon regarding the 380 agreements.
I think the public should know and be able to vote on cash incentives if any are given and other outlines that are made within that agreement.
Further, I would like to say that while some see it as a positive for San Angelo, it should not come at the expense of part of our community.
Not one neighborhood, nor any citizen, should have to suffer for the benefit of San Angelo. We, the citizens, have paid our taxes faithfully, have chosen San Angelo to live, raise families, retire, and enjoy life.
We simply ask for the loyalty and humane consideration of the council we voted for. We ask for the long-term consequences of decisions to be acknowledged and understood.
We ask that the community, as a whole, benefits without the inconvenience and disturbance of any neighborhood or community that faithfully resides in San Angelo.
— Steph Baca, San Angelo
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