A reader sent in this link the other day: These Are the Top 20 Cities Americans Are Ditching.
It surprised even me to see that El Paso was ranked number one. That’s right, of the 100 most populous cities in the United States El Paso lost the largest percentage of its residents in the 2013-2014 time period.
The article explains:
El Paso, Texas, the city that residents fled from at the fastest pace, also saw a surprisingly small number of foreigners settling in given how close it is to Mexico.
“A lot of young, reasonably educated people are having a hard time finding work there,” Stoll said. “They’re not staying in town after they graduate,” leaving for the faster-growing economies of neighboring metro areas like Dallas and Austin, he said.
Business Friendly. It’s all Good.
Baloney!
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Sorta runs contrary to the claims of our so-called leaders, doesn’t it? I think that this is the true case for El Paso, and it has been the case for many, many years. What in the world have we got to attract young people, honestly? Personally, I can say that we raised four children here, and today, only one of them remains here as an adult, married and raising his own family. Most of our friends and family have the same situation.
LikeLike
Lack of decent jobs, the city image of hicks, corrupt and ineptness doesn’t help either.
A certain per centage will always leave simply because they want to experience life. The rest looking for something better.
Don’t blame El Paso, look in the mirror for the problem and solution.
LikeLike
I stopped voting in El Paso SEVERAL YEARS AGO and last year I voted with my feet and left. I still keep up with El Paso politics because its fun to be right. Watching all the blogs and comments out there brings joy to my heart. Where have all the cheerleaders for revitalization, ball park, and other so called public private partnerships gone?
I think the “crazies” will be able to say “We told you so” for years to come. Meanwhile the other side has a nice big plate of CROW to chew on. Enjoy the tax hikes and reduction in services.
LikeLike
Well, if you stopped voting, that means you were part of the problem. Good riddance to you. Now, since you no longer live here, and since you admit you did nothing to improve things here, I think you should butt out.
LikeLike
john, brownfield tried for years to point out problems on his blog. he has a right to comment. he would point out problems and people wouldnt listen. he would point out david and jaime’s bullshit all the time. he is a good guy. just got fed up with el paso politics. im about there too. i still vote, but ready to move my business to new mexico. property tax bullshit, stormwater bullshit, this new franchise fee bullshit, all of these could cause me to move and save around 100k a year in taxes. may still keep my home here though. its paid for and i like the area.
LikeLike
Nothing can be done. El Paso has proved time and again it is incapable of self rule. Voting huh, yeah like the choice between oscar and steveo? Maybe the thrilling race between Niland and some guy who was all for the same stuff that she was for…aka downtown…corporate welfare etc. Hell, even your new congressman is the same as the old one. How can BETO support the Trans Pacific Partnership when he has seen the results of Nafta in El Paso? Voting doesnt matter.
All we can do is either incite revolution or vote with our feet. Look at Mexico do you honestly think the corrupt government of Mexico today would be in power if all the people that left Mexico “seeking a better life” had remained in Mexico? They would have had a revolution by now and killed those “leaders” who sold them out and betrayed their oaths. The voters brought in Vincente Fox and Calderon of the PAN and nothing changed. You will continue to see voting numbers drop in Mexico as the truth becomes more apparent….voting changes nothing. To the average person what does it matter when its simply oligarchy vs oligarchy by proxy. Sorta like the vote ELP had about the ballpark…YOU ARE GETTING A BALLPARK…the choices are pay with the hotel motel tax or pay with general fund tax dollars. The point is that the DECISION to build a ballpark and pay for it with public money was done without any consent from the “voter”. It was decided in private.
LikeLike
I’m not so certain. 74% was pretty convincing.
Welcome back Brownfield!
LikeLike
yes, brutus. the 74 percent that voted for Leeser was because Stevo didnt let us vote on whether to have a ball park at all and whether to put it downtown or elsewhere. Leeser at least would have let us vote on that. brownfield is right that the only vote we had was how our taxes paid for it with either hotel or property. i call it the “extortion vote”. when it comes down to it, foster wanted it downtown, period, and he probably(allegedly) reminded those he gave campaign money that they better find a way to get it passed without voter approval(which is legal). i would bet(alledge) that wilson had a deal also like “you will never be without a job if some other town doesnt take you.”
again, legal, but not ethical imho. thus, when she didnt land jobs in other cities she gets hired here by a public entity that had many pro ballpark on its board imho . brownfield, you need to comment more and not go away. both you and rotten have made the most sense over the years. rotten was just much more ugly about it. welcome back brownfield.
LikeLike
During the 1950’s El Paso was about 60-70% Anglo.
1970’s the exodus was seen, and then about 40% Anglo.
1980’s 30% Anglo.
1990’s 20% Anglo.
2000’s Maybe 10% Anglo.
Leaving in droves as the majority of clerks and businesses carry on in Spanish. The Anglo children could not find jobs without having to speak Spanish.
So, they left. Their families followed, took their savings, with them.
Massive amounts of savings that buy investments and businesses.
Now gone.
Now mostly small businesses and huge corporate retail that does not leave their profits in El Paso.
The city is spending as if they are expecting the Rockafellers to move here.
Aint gonna happen. The Rockafellers kids could not get jobs here unless they spoke Spanish.
I dont know how the City can attract young or old as 90% of all regular jobs require Spanish.
Thank God my business is 99.999999999% Internet based, where the rest of the world does business in English.
Japan, China, Greece, Germans, French all do business with ME in English. The International language of business is English.
LikeLike
I feel for ya, but I beg to differ, homeowner. If you lived here in the 60’s, then you should have seen the writing on the wall, just as was visible in many other places across this country. El Paso is not the only place where the former minority has become the majority. FYI, my kids are bilingual, yet three out of four chose to move elsewhere, and the exodus has nothing to do with language. It has everything to do with job prospects, and building a future. El Paso cannot offer any real jobs, not because we are a Spanish only city, but because we have nothing to offer anybody. We are in the middle of nowhere, on the way to many other places that are bigger and better, and that, my friend, has nothing to do with language.
LikeLike
And yet EPWU has just spent $50 million to ensure that the city can meet the projected near 70 percent increase in water demand by 2060. Where will this demand come from? A 70 percent increase in population???
LikeLike
Remember those stupid TV commercials suggesting an unlimited supply of water? If they keep saying “no drought here” and promoting the wasteful use of water as they are currently doing, they will definitely see a big increase in demand. What they are doing now is totally irresponsible.
LikeLike