$30.6 Million of 2016 Street Bond Never Spent On Advertised Projects

In 2016, Amarillo went to the polls to vote on 7 capital improvement bond proposals put forth by city leadership; only two passed – Streets and Public Safety.

The Public Safety approval was for $20.1 million which was to provide police and fire department vehicles and construction. Streets received $89.5 million to be invested in things like maintenance and reconstruction, street widening and expansion projects and some historic brick-paved rehabilitation among a list of other needs.

During Tuesday’s City Council meeting it was revealed that of the $89.5 million, only $57.2 has been spent, leaving roughly $30.6 million. 

Those bonds were issued in 2017 ($13.1 million), 2018 ($19.4 million), and the remaining $57.2 million in 2021, of which only $26.6 million was spent on projects.

Interim City Manager Floyd Hartman told the council the error was discovered by staff recently, going as far as suggesting the city hire a third party to conduct a full-scale audit to determine why this $30.6 million was not used for the projects it was intended for and what of those projects?

Of the original Prop 1 Projects put to the voters in 2016, more than a half dozen are listed as TBD (to be determined), which Hartman admits will most likely go untouched, at least, there will be no money available from the original approved funding.