Government & Development
Expenses rising higher than expected revenue has city looking at challenging budget for fiscal 2026-27
City officials say specialized expenses—such as emergency vehicles, road materials and public-safety facilities—are increasing much faster than tax and fee collections Lubbock officials are preparing for a difficult 2026-27 budget process as modest revenue growth collides with rapidly increasing costs for vehicles, construction materials, employee compensation and other municipal needs. City Manager Jarrett Atkinson and members of the Lubbock City…
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Lubbock County game rooms fall from 45 to 23 as tougher rules reshape industry
Permit revocations, failed renewals and voluntary closures have reduced the number of operating locations, although a pending lawsuit has temporarily blocked parts of the county’s amended ordinance. The number of permitted game rooms operating in Lubbock County has fallen by nearly half since last summer as stricter regulations, permit actions…
Expo Center clears lease vote, but financing and bond approvals still stand between plans and construction
Lubbock County’s proposed $67 million venue has advanced, but organizers must secure private financing, complete operational agreements and obtain state approval before the county issues approximately $32 million in bonds. LUBBOCK, Texas — The long-planned Lubbock County Expo Center is moving forward, although several financial and legal requirements must be…
Lubbock data-center forum puts water, power and accountability at center of AI debate
Industry and civic leaders argued that data centers are important to America’s technological competitiveness, while residents questioned their effects on local resources, utility bills and public oversight. LUBBOCK, Texas — The debate over artificial-intelligence data centers in West Texas is no longer limited to jobs and economic development. It now…
Texas Supreme Court declines to remove Corley as Precinct 2 commissioner
The court denied Mark Meurer’s mandamus petition and lifted its temporary stay, leaving Jason Corley in office while the underlying dispute continues. Jason Corley remains Lubbock County’s Precinct 2 commissioner after the Texas Supreme Court declined to intervene in Mark Meurer’s effort to overturn the temporary order that restored Corley…
Lubbock rejects alley-paving plan that could have cost homeowners thousands
The proposal would have allowed neighbors to petition the city to pave an unpaved alley, but every adjoining property owner could have been charged—even those who opposed the project. Lubbock homeowners will not be able to use a proposed city-run petition process to have their alleys paved after the City…
Appeals court orders Lubbock to put Gary Boren on District 4 ballot
The court ruled that Lubbock’s home-rule charter—not Texas’ default six-month residency requirement—controlled Boren’s eligibility. He has since advanced to an Aug. 1 runoff against Tim Green. Gary Boren won his legal battle to appear on Lubbock’s District 4 City Council ballot after a state appeals court concluded that the city…