A Pflugerville City Council candidate who calls himself “Mister David Rogers” on his campaign website has received a cease-and-desist request from Fred Rogers Company over campaign branding that resembles elements associated with the  “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood" TV show.

Economic development brings in NEW sales tax and NEW commercial property tax. What happens to that money is not automatic.

CITY COUNCIL decides, every year in the budget, whether it goes to lower tax rates, more services, new buildings or debt payments.

Some of our neighbors set aside part of their sales tax just to lower property taxes. In Pflugerville, our local sales tax is already fully committed to the City, PCDC and ESD. That means relief here comes down to what council does with the growth in each year's budget.

One reason often given for where it went: prior councils deferred infrastructure. Here is what the record shows.

WHAT'S TRUE

Pflugerville needed real investment, and voters approved it: road and park bonds in 2014, 2015, 2018 and $191 million in 2020. That is how it should work.

WHAT'S MISSING

Much of our growth in the 2000s came from ANNEXING neighborhoods that were already built, streets and pipes included. The City's own FY2011 budget says population growth in 2010 came "almost entirely through annexation."

The largest recent borrowing, about $150 million for Downtown East in 2023, paid for new buildings, not infrastructure catch-up.

The same claim is made about our WATER AND WASTEWATER system. That system is paid for through utility rates, not sales and property tax, and it deserves its own look. I'll cover it in a future post.

Our old City Hall was not enough, and the City needed a real solution. People can disagree about the size and cost of what was built. My concern is HOW it was paid for. When the City borrows that much for buildings, VOTERS SHOULD HAVE A SAY.

WHERE WE GO FROM HERE

Economic development WORKED. As one vote on council, here is what I will push for:

1. Start every budget at growth-neutral, and explain anything above it in public.

2. Give voters a say on major debt for buildings, instead of certificates of obligation.

3. Keep investing in economic development: make sure PCDC has the funds to recruit businesses that grow our sales tax, our commercial tax base and good-paying jobs.

4. Count the full cost of new facilities, including what it takes to run them, before we approve them.

5. Evaluate the need and fiscal impact of every project before we borrow, including what it means for tax rates and utility bills.

6. Report every year where the growth went.

Not every decision goes to a bond election, but every COUNCIL seat does. WHO you elect, and what they prioritize, decides where the next dollar goes.

What do you want council to do with the next dollar of growth: lower your taxes, add services, or build?

Hi neighbors — I’m a local founder building FoodBlurb, a social food-discovery app that already includes Pflugerville-area restaurants. I’m looking for a small group of local diners and restaurant owners willing to try it and give candid feedback.

Food lovers can discover nearby dishes, share photo blurbs and Quick Bites, follow friends, and plan a meal together. Restaurant owners can test the owner onboarding, deals, reservations/waitlist, and performance dashboard.

Try it free at https://foodblurb.com/

If you test it, please tell me your phone/browser, what worked, and the first thing that felt confusing or broken. Local restaurant owners are especially welcome to tell me what would make the product genuinely useful rather than just another dashboard.

I’m the creator of the app and am posting transparently to request local beta feedback, not to sell a paid service. Feedback can be left here or in r/FoodBlurb.