CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Utility rates in the City of Odem are going up and every officer at the police department with the exception of the chief, is losing their jobs by Oct. 1.
This comes after budget cuts had to be made in an attempt to keep the city afloat.
Odem resident Norma Pena said that due to a stroke she suffered, her medical condition has her collecting government disability. She said her monthly check is $914, and after her bills, she has only $20 left to her name.
"At the end of the month. I don't have much left. $20 dollars to spend on my own. So, I'm hardly making it and I don't think it's right," she said.
Everyone in Odem is having to pay the price for the city's financial difficulties. Odem City Mayor David Maldonado said they had $400,000 in monthly in expenses but were only bringing in $200,000. That's why he and City Council voted to raise the utility rates and cut $350,000 out of the police departments budget, leaving it with only its chief to patrol the streets.
"In order for us to be able to keep the lights on. We had to make some big cuts and we had to come up with at least half $1 million," he said.
Maldonado said that it could be five years before the city turns the situation around. But as for as police protection, he and San Patricio County Sheriff Oscar Rivera said all calls for service will be handled.
"We will respond to Odem calls and we will continue doing so and they have been shorthanded for sometime and we answer calls for them after 10 o'clock when they have no one available," he said.
In the meantime, Norma doesn't know how she's going to be able to pay her bills with the city hiking prices, as she is on a fixed income and barely making ends meet as it is.
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