The local government press agency (AKA El Paso Times) floated a trial balloon the other day.
It seems that some of our county officials are thinking about railing against mother nature and using that as an excuse to raise taxes and increase the size of county government.
The article told us that some county people want to tax us with a stormwater fee. The immediate problem is that they have no authority to do so. Their solution is to ask the state legislature to allow the county to assess the fee.
As long as we have the mountain rain water runoff will be a problem. No amount of money can fix it.
Then again that’s not why they want the money.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Don’t we already pay that fee to the water utilities?
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Yes, this used to be included in our annual city budget, but the clever money-grubbers on city council have passed the buck over to the PSB, which naturally added that fee to our water bills. It is very disgusting to think that the county now believes that they need to charge a fee for the same damn thing. Granted, there is occasional flooding in low lying areas, after heavy rains, but there are also lots of ponding areas already created by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, and others, all over the county.
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Ya know, as an old country boy, I ain’t surprised a bit! Theys got to get the money for their obsene, unjustified pay raises that they voted themselves somwhere ! Where do they get the county’s money. Out of our pockets! Why do we need both a county and a city government anyway?
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When are we going to learn and start voting and placing some Republicans and Independents in our governments to balance the tax and spend Democrats here.
Vote Nov 8. Vote NO on EPISD bond. Vote against incumbents.
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Rodney, one more time, and this time, please read my lips: El Paso politics is not about Democrat vs. Republican, not now; not never! All we can do here is hope that candidates will stick to their campaign promises and try to do what is best for the community. That has not been the case here of late, and personally, I date that to the end of a strong Mayor form of government, and the creation of the position of City Manager.
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Of course we don’t know if the problems, corruption in El Taxo is about REPUBLICANS and DEMOCRATS. Who knows when the LAST Republican Mayor, City Council, County Commissioner were in office, elected in El Taxo?? Even the SHERIFF here is a Democrat, a politician. Not sure what being a politician has to do with enforcing the LAWS. Of course maybe that’s the reason we have so much inherent corruption with politicos, public officials here. They are all Democrats and “The Law” here don’t see nuthin, don’t hear nuthin, don’t know nuthin. EVERY incidence here has been discovered, investigated, indicted by the F.B.I. and the Assistant U.S. Attorney. The “Good ol boy” Democrats, who stay in power here, are experts, at “scratching backs”, “Friends and Family” concept. Have been here more than 25 years and nothing ever changes, nothing ever gets better for the PEOPLE of El Paso. It’s always DEMOCRATS and tax, waste, spend and tax some more. They have no idea how little money “The stupid, ignorant peons” have or make in some low-wage job, but the Democrats are going to take whatever THEY have. Wonder what would happen here if Republicans were elected to Mayor, City Council, County Commissioners, State Representatives?
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Read their lips: “New taxes!”
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Exactly right. Just like the “Rain-falling-off-the-roof-TAX” in El Paso. How many years have they been collecting this TAX and yet every time we have the big floods, homes are lost, people drown, property is damaged. Nothing ever has or will be fixed to prevent this. This TAX is just another local SCAM , where the politicians take as much from US as they can. As far as WE know, this TAX probably goes into some politicians, public officials “Retirement fund”. Corruption is inherent in El Taxo.
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Those who live in the City limits already pay a storm water fee. If the County wants to have their own storm water fee, they need to tax only those who live outside the city limits. We’re paying our “fair share.” Taxing us again for a flood that might happen outside the city limits, in Vinton, for example, would be wrong.
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Think this will ever happen in El Paso? And to think, this is New York! I have a home in Ulster county and I can honestly the taxes there are lower.
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2016/October/01/UC_budget-01oct16.html
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2016/October/01/OC_budget-01Oct16.html
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2016/October/01/RC_budget-01Oct16.html
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