In 2012 our city council committed $210 million for street repairs. They tell us that the money will fund a seven year program. They completed projects that they paid $3.3 million for in the first year and $7.8 million in the second year. That brings us to a total of $11.1 million.
A week or so ago council committed to spend $8 million for this, the third year. With spending having been $19.1 million in these three years, it will take 33 years to finish the programs.
The west side city representative was quoted in the Times as having decided that we did not need $3 million of the money that has been allocated to her district.
Huh? Who is she to decide all by herself how the money is to be spent?
The Times pointed out that some of the funding this year will come from “funds that went unused in the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years, though the specific amount leftover was unknown Monday, officials said.”
Unknown
Huh? The money was not spent or committed in 2013 or 2014. The money is evidently still sitting at the city. City officials cannot tell us how much money is involved after two years?
How could the reporter not ask this basic question?
What kind of operation are they running over there where they cannot give us a balance after two years?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
If $210 million has been allocated for a period of 7 years, they should be spending about $30 million per year. If some years are skipped, that serves to extend the period or the amount that can be spent in the years remaining. I would ask “why are they spending so little each year?” and “why are years being skipped?” and “what is happening with the rest of the money?” and “whose head(s) should be demanded on a silver platter?” among other questions.
LikeLike
guess its time to call in kfox and have them badger those idiots until they scream uncle. larry medina must think that copia is not in his district because its a bumpy ride to the freeway. and robinson from scenic to stanton sucks balls
LikeLike
The primary streets in my area have pavement condition index (pci) ratings in the low 50’s. Brutus previously previously posted a link to the to index map, which allows you to look at the condition of your street, the resurfacing cost today, and the total resurfacing allotment necessary before your street will be resurfaced. When you take a close look at the numbers, it becomes clear that streets are going to get a lot worse before they get better, assuming they ever do get better anywhere other than downtown and the country club area. The pci website is still showing the 2014 resurfacing budget, which was only $8.5 million. For my streets to get resurfaced, that number has to be in excess of $70 million.
http://gis.elpasotexas.gov/pci/index.html
LikeLike
I missed this story (some days I can’t stand to read the EPT) – can you provide the title or a link?
LikeLike
http://www.elpasotimes.com/News/ci_27495929/Council-allocates-8-million-for-street-resurfacing-citywide-specific-streets-not-yet-chosen
Brutus
LikeLike
Good post. Glad you brought up something that has been bugging me for years. They spend a lot of frivilous things, but not enough money (supposedly) on fixing the streets. It’s all Agenda 21, and this government loves to control us using the tactics of Agenda 21, like you described a little above.
LikeLike
I have been crying over the condition of streets all over the city since I returned to El Paso in 2012 (we lived here from 1970-204, then lived in Dallas and Costa Rica until 2012). I still do not understand why so many streets are in such bad condition, why the funds have supposedly been allocated, yet nothing is being done to resurface all these streets! Was that “allocated” money somehow misplaced? Did it go for downtown renewal? What is going on?
LikeLike
I think when it comes down to it, the city prioritizes its projects. Stuff like the ballpark and San Jacinto get top billing for the majority of resources, manpower, PR, out of town consultants,fuzzy math calculations, back-door deals, “creative” financing, etc. and then the commensurate “pats on the back,” and “medal of honors” ceremonies go to those involved when something gets completed…then finally it’s “let’s see if we have any peanuts left over for the crazies.”
LikeLike