The December 16, 2013 Times editorial urged the approval of a transportation plan. Again the Times advocates higher local taxes instead of more effective representation at the state and feral levels.
El Pasoans are being taxed to pay for facilities that should be paid for by the state and the Times recognizes the situation. From the Times editorial:
No one likes to pay additional taxes or fees. And in this case, it can be justifiably argued that El Paso County vehicle owners are getting stuck with a tab that should be picked up by other governments.
But El Paso has serious traffic congestion issues that are getting worse by the day. That leaves local leadership with two choices — complaining about the failure of others, or taking control of our own destiny.
Whining is not much of a strategy. The results of the bold but controversial choice made by Commissioners Court will become evident today, as the 16 mobility projects are outlined at the Commissioners Court meeting.
Border administration
This year El Paso’s city council voted to create a fund with our local money to pay overtime for U. S. government employees in an effort to improve bridge crossing times. Many parts of our country suffer from river flooding and hurricanes regularly and get extraordinary assistance from the feds, yet somehow immigration has become a feral issue but needs to be paid for by local citizens.
Even university systems
The separately funded Texas Tech system leased our train station for one dollar a year from the benevolent citizens of El Paso. That was in addition to the Albert Fall mansion that we rebuilt with city funds and then gave to the university for another dollar a year.
Go local
If we have to raise taxes, can’t we at least spend the money on something that we are clearly responsible for — like local roads?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
It would be interesting to see a list of all the “deals” that have been created between the city and the private sector that taxpayers have to pay for, like the Fall Mansion. A list of all tax abatements. A list of all sweetheart deals that allow companies to not pay taxes or get big tax breaks for a number of years.
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Good question.
Right off these are the ones I can think of. Maybe others can add to the list.
1. Double Tree Hotel downtown
2. Union Station
3. Fall Mansion
4. Outlet Mall (county)
5. New hotel near airport
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The Fountains…
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Aren’t there special “zones” set up in the city to encourage business to locate within them? How many of those are we operating?
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Some of those businesses probably go broke or leave town before the tax break ends and the taxes are supposed to kick in. With turnover of staff and officials through the years, do they really keep track? The 30 year or so deal with the ballpark financing is a nightmare-in-waiting. Who knows what will happen in just a handful of years. Most of us only have one pocketbook and no matter how many things they can think of to “tap” into it, there is a limit. So Mr Moore is editor of the year for the school stories, but I could certainly think of more fitting titles for all the stories like this for which he’s so eagerly sold out his integrity and professionalism.
BTW what’s all this “feral” business… or are you just making reference to a “wild and untamed” federal government?
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Yes, I am referring to our central government. I don’t see much federalism at this point.
Brutus
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But given a city government whose workers are able to carry out construction at San Jacinto Plaza, without making a sound, while being invisible, how can we possibly criticize what this magical team chooses to do?
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Regarding the border administration, I understand why O’Rourke et al were so anxious to clear the border tie-ups. But this is absolutely wrong – even if it does help the local economy for a while. It sends a signal to the Feds that they can ignore west Texas. What else will we be paying for in the future that should be supported by the taxes paid to the federal government??
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