My argument isn't necessarily with the Sweet Greens bullshit, it's the fact that the one who's running the city has no problem spending our money like its his. You want to be a leader, LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Say what you want about Cronk, but he was a much better leader by comparison. He turned out to be the scapegoat for the winter storm that Austin Energy completely mishandled.
And the APD and Fire issues go beyond pay. We may pay well, but the risk with working for APD doesn't match the pay. Would you want to work for shitty leadership and a DA's office that is targeting you like a minor in a Penn State locker room? Same with AFD, there's a lack of confidence in leadership, staffing issues that don't match vehicle count, and the city is not interested in helping out their own, they'd rather find a way to cut costs on the NECESSITIES of public safety and piss it into the Homelessness coffers, public artwork in the airport, countless studies by NGOs, and new logos.
So, yes, I agree, the spending account is pennies compared to the bigger picture, but it's indicative of a culture problem from the top. Again, LEAD BY EXAMPLE.