When we voted it was called a “Heritage Cultural Center” then it was the “Hispanic Cultural Center” and now it is the “Mexican American Cultural Center”.
We wrote about much of the confusion in Bait and switch, incompetence, or fraud?
What is not confusing however are the financial shenanigans related to the center.
We voted to spend $5.7 million as part of the sometime in the future quality of life bonds. A group got together and decided that more money is needed.
Last week the city announced that they would allocate another $10 million to the project (relax, that is less than twice what we were told it would cost).
The Times recently wrote that our city manager said “No city services will be affected”.
Baloney!
We evidently have so much mismanaged debt that city staff can find $10 million for a project just by refinancing debt. The Times article did not tell us whether the refinancing is going to save money because of lower interest rates or because of extended payment terms.
The simple fact is that the $10 million could be used for many other things. We could pay down debt. We could pave a few roads. We could … (reader suggestions are welcome).
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Well, first (for free) call it what it originally named “Heritage Cultural Center”
H
LikeLike
Keep in mind, there is another $20 million that is supposed to be raised to complete the project. That hasn’t even started yet. It will be interesting to see if taxpayers have to ante up part of that as well. Guess folks can ride the trolley to nowhere to visit it. I just avoid downtown. Between the construction and the improvements that I have zero interest in, there is no reason to go there.
LikeLike
Brutus
Before it’s all said and done they will get the money. They will play the shell game with the bond money. Steal it from here and there and then when they use that up will come back and make the tax payers some way, some how, pony up the money they spent wrongly again. Seen this happen over and over in El Paso. The City likes to have the tax payers pay for same things at least twice.
Brutus that Jaime Esparza wing of the Mexican American Cultural is going to cost and it can’t be done cheaply.
Brutus then in the name of diversity there will be the need for money for the El Paso Black and Asian cultural centers since these to cultures have given so much to El Paso.
Oh and cannot forget the El Paso Native American cultural center will need money for that since these cultures own El Paso before all the other cultures got here.
Would say an El Paso White or Anglo cultural center but that would be called being racist.
LikeLike
I agree with Haiduc! Call it The Heritage Cultural Center and celebrate ALL ethnic groups who have contributed to the growth of our city.
LikeLike
The eastside of EP needs another Regional Command Center for the Police Department. This RC CENTER will provide public safety for people (regardless of culture, race, and origin) that live and travel in the eastside. Ten million taxpayers’ dollars will go a long way to build this CENTER.
LikeLike
Welcome to the next Detroit.
LikeLike
Hell, the entire city of El Paso is a Mexican-American cultural center! Que huevos…
LikeLike
And yet they couldn’t find $200,000 to help Insights Science Museum move…
LikeLike