Our tax and spend city council got some bad news at their Tuesday, December 19, 2017 meeting.
The city lowered their revenue projections for this year’s budget compared to last year’s actual receipts.
The actual results came in even lower:
We deserve better
Brutus
 | Anonymous on EPISD–“Partnership… |
 | Jaime Escuelante on EPISD–“Partnership… |
| Anonymouse on EPISD–“Partnership… |
| Anonymous on EPISD–“Partnership… |
| JerryK on Saturday is open comment … |
| JerryK on Saturday is open comment … |
| Anonymous on EPISD–“Partnership… |
| Anonymous on Saturday is open comment … |
| The Wizard on EPISD–“Partnership… |
| Anonymous on EPISD–“Partnership… |
 | ANONYMOUS ! ! ! on The city would like your input… |
| chico on Saturday is open comment … |
 | Dan Wever on Saturday is open comment … |
| JerryK on Saturday is open comment … |
| Fed Up on Saturday is open comment … |
Oracle, your comment is spot on. Sales tax is down because of three reasons, peso devaluation discourages border shoppers, traffic nightmares are driving folks who shop locally to online shopping and higher taxes are cutting disposable income. Traffic ticket revenue is down because a) we don’t have enough police and b)traffic is such a nightmare they aren’t further clogging it by pulling folks over. And, I’ve got to wonder if fines are down because of trouble collecting the money (although it could also be they don’t have the code enforcement folks to available).
And, John, those of us who aren’t retired have to consider what we say online. Employers and clients use social media to check out people they hire. Political opinions can be an issue so anonymity is often the best course of action.
LikeLike
TickedOff, a few years ago (doubtful it’s gotten any better), there were supposedly more than a 100,000 people on he Warrants lists for unpaid traffic tickets. The money total OWED to the City was OVER 200 MILLION$$$. At one time they hired a high-dollar Law Firm, collection agency to collect those MILLIONS. Apparently never worked out. Apparently if it’s not baseball season, there are NO Police available any where. Not in construction areas all over the city to help move traffic, not the race ways on highway 54 or Trans Mountain. Bikers, cars doing in excess of 100mph on highway 54. And it appears the only traffic, LAW enforcement is provided by Texas DPS Troopers doing the job of the El Paso Police. The city is so deep in debt, they can’t AFFORD Police? They can’t pay them, can’t pay the pensions, can’t buy, repair vehicles? Still paying that Ad Magazine to say that “El Paso is the safest city in the U.S., the world”?? Maybe they could scavage vehicle parts at a junk yard on Montana?? Politicians have done away with PREVENTION, THEY have turned the Police into a REACTIVE force. They can go out, when called in an emergency, AFTER the drunks, speeders have caused accidents, killed people.
LikeLike
Anonymous I’m very aware of that issue and agree 100%. Last year when my husband had a heart attack I was on hold with 911 for two minutes. But, hey, we’ve got street cars…
LikeLike
As has been said “We deserve better”. WE just never get any better. And the sad thing is the DEMOCRAT masses who vote blindly for the “D” word, will never let things get any better for all of US. My reference to “Stupid, ignorant peons”, is because that is how the POLITICIANS of El Taxo think of US. The tax INCREASES, the FABRICATED, INFLATED Property “Values”, the tax, waste, spend, tax some more, is what THEY do, all they know. Their idea of “Quality of Life” is how GOOD things are for THEM. Has nothing to do with US.
LikeLike
And, there it is yet again. Local politics are not as Democrat as you apparently believe. And, if you look at the national picture with an open mind, you will see that all of the progress that was made in this nation, mostly in the last century, came about because of Democratic agendas, ideas, and leaders.
LikeLike
You’re just as blind, partisan, and biased as the Dems you criticize. Our Mayor is a staunch Republican. The people like Hunt and Foster and others, who control local government and are picking taxpayers’ pockets for taxpayer-subsidized, for-profit projects, are also Republicans. These are the people driving downtown redevelopment and other expensive projects, which they hope will attract more businesses and help them sell more real estate.
LikeLike
Of course that is only your one-sided opinion. “Republicans”??? Really and how did THEY get into office? Who would have voted for them? Have never seen Republicans anywhere that try as hard as these Democrats in El Taxo to bankrupt the city, put it MILLIONS, BILLIONS$$$ in debt and continue to waste, tax, spend and tax some more. The most recent John Cook, Suzy Byrd, Noe, Ortega all the others who LIED, DECEIVED the people and then FORCED US to buy the baseball field for the rich political donors who stuff their pockets, buy their offices and next campaigns. For the over 25 years that I have been in El Taxo the politicians have been to stupid to understand that the ONLY “Tax base” in El Taxo is homeowners. So they give tax cuts, rebates to the out of town carpetbagger who give the “Donations” for the next campaigns. If it were not for Retirees, Ft Bliss and Federal Agencies, El Taxo would be nothing but con artists, blowing sand an tumbleweeds
LikeLike
I am having more and more trouble understanding all of these pseudonyms used by readers of this blog! Why are so many afraid to identify themselves? Worse, some of their comments are so far removed from the blog post upon which they are commenting, as to make me scratch my head in wonder! For instance, what is this “Oracle” person trying to prophesize when, instead of addressing the blog post, he/she talks about property taxes, and the break extended to senior citizens? The unknown “Anonymous” also goes way out in left field and whines about tax cuts, pay increases, and puts some of us (all of us?) in inappropriate quotation marks!? I’m sorry, folks, but if you want people to take your comments seriously, at least have the courage of your convictions, and stop hiding behind your phony, made up names!
LikeLike
John, John, John. If you have problems with some of what is said, fine. I agree with part of your comment, but you’re wrong to attack all people who post anonymously. You’re retired, so you’re not risking your job or other financial consequences when you post. Stop with the self-righteous indignation. Judge people on the content of their comments, not on the name they use.
LikeLike
The reason revenue sucks is because they keep giving tax breaks to corporations and developers.
LikeLike
Looks like tax revenues from mixed beverages is up though. Maybe more people are drowning their sorrows and add to City revenue at the same time. And revenue from traffic tickets is down??? I’m guessing the police will try to turn that around next year, especially if we all drink more mixed beverages.
LikeLike
Just a thought. Shopping over the internet, sitting at my computer, I can find a larger selection of goods (and mostly cheaper) than what I can find in El Paso! Look, City Fathers, see Jose. See Jose buying from Amazon.
LikeLike
The President, U.S. House, Senates Tax Reform Plan will do nothing to help the people, us “Stupid, ignorant peons” in El Taxo. What ever this new Tax, Income Tax cuts gives to US, will be taken away by the local politicians. So Mayor Margo, City Council, Commissioners will be standing right next to US GRABBING our pay INCREASES, taking away OUR tax CUTS. Central Appraisal will be doing NEW Property “Value” INCREASES, so that the POLITICIANS can INCREASE TAXES. THEY need a new office building, a new hotel, a new arena, a new Sports complex, a new Park for the local or carpetbagger BILLIONAIRES passing through, to fleece US “stupid, ignorant peons”. Tax, waste, spend, tax some more. El Taxo a BILLION$$$$ in DEBT and counting.
LikeLike
You put quotation marks around “stupid, ignorant peons.” Who are you quoting?
LikeLike
Dumb-asses.
The “Assume” there will be no wars, no peso devaluations, property values that are lower, more retired people entering the “Discount” phase of their Property Taxes, more people putting their property into their grandparents name so, THAT Property, will get the Senior Property Tax Discount, plus their Spending . . . WAY out. . .into the future with massive interest payments on things that were not really important items.
Unlimited Credit Cards is what we gave them.
What could go wrong ?
LikeLike