On the City’s web site they tell us that relocating City Hall will cost about $33 million. According to the site that includes acquiring different buildings and parking, Relocation Costs and Land Renovation (the cost to tear down the old city hall I presume).
You can see that here: http://home.elpasotexas.gov/relocation/
Today’s Times tells us that they are spending:
$11.8 million for 801 Texas Street
$13.7 million for the Luther Building (that is for renovation–Mr. Foster donated the building)
$11.5 million for the El Paso Times Building and parking lots
My adding machine totals those numbers to $37 million. We still will need to pay for the Relocation Costs and Land Renovation.
It also appears that the emergency responder radio system is old and needs to be upgraded and expanded since we bought it way back in 2008. The radio system is in City Hall and needs to be moved. The purchase order for that item is $20,063,362.00. Of course it was not bid out but was essentially sole sourced through a buy-board. I seriously doubt that the 2008 system would be upgraded now if it did not need to be moved.
Those facts are here: www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/10-23-12/10231210B.pdf
The radio system will not show up in their capital figures since the City is leasing it over a 10 year period, but the cost of the lease will certainly show up in our taxes.
So now we are at $37 million plus $20 million and still have not paid relocation or tear down costs.
We are at $57 million and counting when they told us it would be $33 million.
This is not a complaint about the new ball park. That to me is a separate issue and I am grateful for what the Fosters and Hunts are doing.
It seems to me that the staff at the City is either lying or is not competent to figure out what this will cost. Either way we deserve better.
elpasospeak 
[…] I also note that the Times continues to report the cost of the move at 30 million dollars, when the spending already totals 37 million dollars. See City Hall Relocation. […]
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