Just in time for the May elections a task force formed by our city manager will finish four billboards designed to make El Pasoans feel better about their city according to an article on the front page of The El Paso Times. The message is a teaser, currently it reads “so, it’s good”.
I have a few suggestions that might be more helpful in making us feel better about our city:
Fix our roads
Build more parks and make the existing ones better
Replace the children’s science museum that was recently torn down
Let the voters vote on large financial matters that are discretionary in nature
Have elected officials that are honest and responsible to the citizens
Remind government employees that they work for the public, not vice versa
See to it that we do not have the 5th highest tax rate of America’s largest 100 cities.
I trust that the readers could add many more items to the list of things that would make us feel better about our city.
Billboards?
Actions speak louder than words. Maybe those people of influence that are on the task force should work toward improving the quality of the citizen’s lives instead of those of their power group.
The group is spending $14,000. I do not know whose money this is but would not be surprised if it turns out to be taxpayer’s.
Front page?
The El Paso Times saw fit to print an article on their front page about this facade. Meanwhile the important issue at county commissioner’s court (Opening government) was relegated to the end of an article that was printed on page 3b and was barely discussed at that.
Muckraker
elpasospeak 
Trying to use billboards to instill pride is like trying to legislate morality or ethics. I would feel a lot better about our city if it were not so dirty. The amount of litter and trash, even on key streets like Mesa, is embarrassing. The new city flag should be a plastic bag. Our leaders wants to do the big grandiose stuff, but no one wants to be bothered with the basics.
I, too, was noticing over the weekend the dismal condition of many streets from the central district all the way to the west side. If you drive down Copia, between Memorial Park and I-10, you’ll likely need to re-balance your tires afterwards.
I’m willing to bet, however, that there will be no shortage of city-paid workers continually cleaning up around the new ballpark once its built.
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Well, don’t drive down Montwood. You have to drive less than the speed limit just to keep from bouncing around. I pay $4,500 in property taxes a year and where does the money go? The East side is so embarrassingly dirty, I have to change the subject when family/visitors ask about the filth.
The city paid over $300,000 for this advertising campaign. I wonder how much my house payment is going to go up…..
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This group of people has been known about for 2 years – don’t know where you have been – but it’s been around. CVB has money for advertising – must be where it came from. I marvel at the collective level of amensia the citizens of El Paso have. Their reading comprehension or ability to remember a 30 second news spot is non existent. They survive on gossip and innuendo – no wonder they vote the way they do.
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Right on! People who post — here or on the EP Times site or other related blogs — they do totally survive on gossip and negativity. It’s hard to read anything positive because of the mindset of those who comment the most.
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“Mysterious” sounds a little like hype on the part of the El Past Times. If we’re playing Wheel of Fortune, the billboards will eventually spell out: El Paso. It’s So Good.
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