At least two of our local blogs have been addressing the topic of economic development recently. The restaurant/bar situation in downtown has been a big part of the lively discussion. What economic impact will the ball park have on the downtown area in the short and long runs?
Not being trained in economics, it is probably better that I stay out of the discussion.
We do know one thing for certain and that is that taxpayers are paying for a part of the construction costs (contrary to what we were told) and a lot of the operating costs.
And while Top of the list showed us that in 2012 El Paso had the fourth most expensive property taxes of the top 50 cities in the United States, our property taxes went up again this year and will continue to go up because of capital spending that we have committed to already.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
And, what our deluded City Fathers (and mothers) have forgotten in their rush to push us deeper and deeper in debt is that we, as a city, rank very low in terms of income! We cannot afford to stay on the current path, and it is a crime what a burden we are leaving for those who come after us. Maybe that has something to do with root causes for our long term brain drain. Maybe our best and brightest would rather seek their lives elsewhere than assume the burden of the debt this city leaves for them.
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A. . . LOT of El Pasoans are retired, so increases in property taxes does not attract retirees, who are old enough to NOT be a drain on the school system (no kids).
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You disappoint me. You think your lack of formal training in economics somehow makes you less qualified than members of city council and city staff, none of whom are economists?
Buck up, big guy. The only qualifications of our local self-proclaimed economic experts are their abilities to make up $%#! in an Excel spreadsheet and write fairy tales.
At least you seem to have common sense, basic logic skills, and integrity, traits you will find in most respected economists. That’s more than I can say for our reps and city management, who start with the end result they want and then make up the rest.
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Don’t be surprise if we become #1 in the list of most expensive property taxes in the nation. Mountain Star now wants a soccer field. Doesn’t the City KNOW that they need to balance the budget first before our city council members start spending money we don’t have? Greed has taken over our city government and nobody has the power to stop them.
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It’s called Chapter 9.
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I’m sure the Barefoot Contessa would assure you that the stadium has a 10:1 return. Soccer, too.
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Yeah, in the news again today., . . . . MountainStar wants the CITY to build them a soccer field so they can screw us again.
No F’n way !
And Mountainstar says that they must HURRY so they can get a team. . . real fast before something. . . shuts off. . . .
Mountainstar, BUILD your own field on your own land.
The CITY should no longer consider anything from the rotten people at Mountainstar.
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