While city council is dealing with the annual budget process we have this item on the Tuesday, July 11, 2017 city council agenda.
Should they really be spending time on the Paris Climate Accord?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak
City of El Paso debt=$2,670,400,000, county and school district debt=$1,600,000,000. Total $4.27 billion. Your share $19,350
elpasospeak 
So far, the last two cycles of city and county government have been really, really good at meetings. They don’t get much accomplished, if anything. The meetings aren’t always in accordance with the law on govt meetings. But, they do meet! (Trying to find the positives here, folks)
LikeLike
Of course they should address global warming. They might decrease the temperature of the Earth by 0.0000000001 degree F over the next 100 years by only spending double what they spend now. Plus they will have a new reason to discriminate against local business.
LikeLike
Of course, there is Global Warming, but this happens every few/ 100 -1000-1,000,000 years. Hot – Cold – Ice Age – Warm – Hot.
Yes, it keeps changing.
Now, the CAUSE of it, I dont KNOW for sure, but, I suspect it is the Earth itself, with volcanoes, earthquakes, forest fires and solar flares . . and for a smaller part “man.”
At some point in the future. . . there WILL BE another Ice Age.
Then, who you gonna blame ?
Will “Man” have to Fix that also ?
LikeLike
Given that the US government, alone among the major countries, refuses to act, why not states and cities? We all are affected by what is happening and will happen..I don’t have any children, but I would like to think that my niece’s generation will not witness massive destruction of the environment – including the water supply – from global climate change. Cities will face overwhelming problems if we do not confront the problem NOW.
LikeLike
Sorry, but whatever you believe is the cause of temperature change, it is not the place of the City to focus on that. We elect representatives to advocate for us during the budget process, to fix streets and attend to the other maintenance issues. Maybe these things are boring to some, but that’s what the City is supposed to do — not argue about how many angels dance on the head of a pin.
LikeLike
So, whose responsibility is it? We – and we are the city – should take responsibility for the space we occupy. And in the case of the environment, what we do might also affect those outside our space. Case in point is the noxious smoke that crosses into El Paso from Juarez during the winter. Would people be concerned about this possible action if the City were considering adopting similar standards without the reference to “Paris Climate Accord.”
LikeLike
The fact that the some think everything else is more important than balancing a budge is insane. Whether you own or rent, tax increases will affect you much more than the few days we have smoke from Juarez. Just try getting Mexico to decrease the smoke.
LikeLike
This post is delusional. The Paris Climate Accords are not going to affect pollution from Juarez. The Paris Climate Accords don’t even have teeth to put consequences on violations. Rep. S needs to focus on the budget.
From what I’ve heard, the council has gone through departmental budgets very quickly … likely due to new reps and others who are unprepared to ask good questions. Tommy is making fools of y’all.
LikeLike
What this is is a weak attempt to waste maximum time with a subject that Council and Mayor and the rest can have any effect on no matter what they decide. 10 to one that it will be tabled after much hemming and hawing and time wasting. They want to be able to use enough time so they won’t have sufficient left to act on Item 17.1 (employee longevity pay) which has already been tabled twice.
LikeLike
The reason the rest of country laughs at us is because we consistently act like a bunch of retards.
LikeLike
Council Member Peter needs to focus on his district and the city, He is always dancing off in directions not relevant to city government. His streetcar project is a disaster…so many businesses harmed and so many drivers inconvenienced for a streetcar that goes no where. Hopefully a good candidate will come forward so we can kiss him goodbye.
LikeLike
Some major streets in his district are also among the worst in the city.
LikeLike
This is another feel good, waste taxpayer money gesture. Worse, it sends a signal to businesses that might be able to employ our population that we are focused on things that drive costly regulations. As long as Juarez has limited pollution controls we will have poor air quality. The Paris Accords demand ridiculous steps for countries already limiting pollution while letting the big polluters label themselves emerging economies and continue to pollute. Given the over spendings that is going on the City Council should instead be focusing on portraying El Paso as business friendly and easy to do business with. Getting on the climate change bandwagon might bring more retail white collar jobs for a few, but it won’t attract manufacturers looking for skilled workers.
LikeLike