Expo Center Fiasco Poisons Real Need For Road Improvements

At some point, we have to spend some money to improve Lubbock County. The problem is a boneheaded move could cost us a real need.

Let's back up. Voters were pitched a 2% tax on hotel/motel stays to raise $50 million for an Expo Center (to host rodeos and whatnot). THEN, reality stuck and now we're being told that $25 million may be closer to the actual figure. Meanwhile, the Coliseum and Auditorium were given away leaving Lubbock high and dry for dirt type and other events.

Now, Lubbock County wants to call a vote on $99.4 million in road bonds. So this brings up the very real and very valid question; if you didn't get the former right, how can we trust you to get the later right? Seriously, the projections for the first project may have been off by 50% and that's just nuts. So what if the cost of the road stuff doubled?

I think we DO need improvements. Our roads around here take a real beating. We do have an obligation to pay it forward to our kids and grandkids. The need is there, the question is, have the Lubbock Country Commissioners done their homework on this one, or will it be as FUBAR as the Expo Center situation.