[Marshall, Texas, May 19, 2020]
[Marshall, Texas] It is essential to note that the Marshall Public Library has been open and available for curbside service since May 1, 2020. We encourage patrons to avail themselves to access the library’s services through these means. Please contact info@marshallpubliclibrary.org or (903) 935-4465 to make arrangements for reading materials through this service.
When the city announced furloughs back in April, city leaders were careful to point out that they made such a decision concerning our response to protecting the pandemic for our citizens and budgetary considerations. The focus for the furloughs was mainly in areas that are destination-based, as opposed to safety services and utility operations based on our current circumstances. We are in a recession, which will be announced formally at the end of the month, after the second quarter. We have seen estimates in the drop of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for this second quarter ranging from 35-53%. This drop in the GDP will impact on our sales tax revenues, one of the city’s primary sources of income for providing services on almost every level. We won’t know how severe an impact it will have until we receive our latest sales tax report, which we anticipate in the next few weeks. Keep in mind; there is an approximate two-month delay between what happens at the cash registers in Marshall and when it shows up at City Hall. Although there has been a lot of rhetoric in the nation’s capital about aid to states and cities for lost revenue, there are no formal plans for providing that assistance. Assuming our citizens didn’t want the shortfall passed onto them via tax increases, city leaders have done the responsible thing and made adjustments as early as possible to mitigate the impact of the sales tax lost revenue. Whether we have to cut more, will be based on the subsequent reports.
When deciding on when to reopen city services to their normal state, the City of Marshall will use a combination of things, including a city advisory committee comprised of management personnel, the Governor’s Orders, local COVID-19 statistics, and budgetary considerations. The committee will continue to meet periodically to evaluate reopening the full complement of city services. A prompt announcement will be made by the city on decisions to change the status of building openings or city services.
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