Editing Odessa, Texas (section)

==Government==
===Local government===
Odessa has a [[council–manager government]], with a city council of five councillors (elected from geographic districts) and a mayor (elected at-large). The council appoints and directs other city officials, including the [[city manager]], and sets the city's budget, taxes, and other policies.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CITY COUNCIL|website=City of Odessa|url=http://www.odessa-tx.gov/index.aspx?page=44|access-date=26 May 2015}}</ref>

In the 2014 fiscal year, the Odessa government had $179.1 million in revenues, $146.3 million in expenditures, $454 million in total assets, and $203 million in total liabilities. The city's major sources of public revenues were fees for services (such as [[public utilities]]), [[sales tax]]es, and [[property tax]]es, and its major expenses were for public safety and for water and sewer service.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Popular Annual Financial Report For Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2014|website=City of Odessa|url=https://www.odessa-tx.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=2422|access-date=26 May 2015}}</ref>

On December 14, 2022, the Odessa City Council voted to make Odessa a "sanctuary city for the unborn." In a 6–1 vote, Mayor Javier Joven and council members Denise Swanner, Mark Matta, Gilbert Vasquez, Chris Hanie, and Greg Connell established Odessa as the 62nd city to "outlaw" abortion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Incorporated Cities |url=https://sanctuarycitiesfortheunborn.org/incorporated-cities |website=Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn |access-date=December 18, 2022}}</ref> The new city ordinance makes a person civilly liable if any person aids, abets, or assists anybody in an abortion operation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Kin |title=Council votes to raise first responder pay |url=https://www.oaoa.com/local-news/council-votes-to-raise-first-responder-pay/ |access-date=December 18, 2022 |work=Odessa American}}</ref>

In October 2024, the city gained national attention after voting 5–2 to implement a transgender bathroom ban, in which any transgender person found using a publicly owned bathroom not matching their assigned gender at birth could be charged with trespassing. The ban was particularly notable for creating a private right to sue, under which any cisgender individual may seek damages from the transgender person of at minimum $10,000 in addition to attorney and court fees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-24 |title=West Texas city bans transgender people from using restrooms that don’t match sex assigned at birth |url=https://apnews.com/us-news/texas-government-programs-lgbtq-general-news-fc1fb0ef003010fa961e64663a57b11d |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Carlos Nogueras |date=2024-10-23 |title=Odessa bans transgender people from using restrooms that don’t match sex assigned at birth |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/23/odessa-texas-transgender-bathroom-ban/ |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=The Texas Tribune |language=en}}</ref> A month later, they expanded the law to cover all restrooms public or private, and allow anyone to sue regardless of if they're an Odessa or even Texas resident.<ref>{{Cite news |title=City that placed $10,000 bounty on trans people who use public restrooms makes law even worse |url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/11/city-that-placed-10000-bounty-on-trans-people-who-use-public-restrooms-makes-law-even-worse/ |work=LGBTQ Nation}}</ref>

===State and federal facilities===
The [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] operates the Odessa District Parole Office in Odessa.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/parole/parole-directory/paroledir-rgnldisparoff5.htm DIRECTORY - REGIONAL AND DISTRICT PAROLE OFFICES REGION V] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926122729/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/parole/parole-directory/paroledir-rgnldisparoff5.htm |date=September 26, 2011 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on July 28, 2010.</ref>

The [[United States Postal Service]] operates three post offices in Odessa: Odessa,<ref>"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/odessa-200-n-texas-ave-odessa-tx-1375905 Post Office Location - ODESSA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621055854/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/odessa-200-n-texas-ave-odessa-tx-1375905 |date=2010-06-21 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on July 28, 2010.</ref> Northeast Odessa,<ref>"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/northeast-odessa-4551-e-52nd-st-odessa-tx-1375507 Post Office Location - NORTHEAST ODESSA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619065144/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/northeast-odessa-4551-e-52nd-st-odessa-tx-1375507 |date=2010-06-19 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on July 28, 2010.</ref> and West Odessa.<ref>"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/west-odessa-5200-w-university-blvd-odessa-tx-1387124 Post Office Location - WEST ODESSA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101117181048/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/west-odessa-5200-w-university-blvd-odessa-tx-1387124 |date=2010-11-17 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on July 28, 2010.</ref>