In El Paso we have the third highest property tax rates of the 50 largest cities in the United States. That puts us higher than any city in Texas.
We have the highest hotel-motel occupancy tax in the state. In fact the state passed legislation to put a cap on hotel-motel occupancy taxes when El Paso boosted ours. You might argue that local residents don’t pay this tax but the higher the tax is the more it discourages conventions from coming to El Paso and spending money.
Our sales tax rate is the highest allowed by the state. The state allows local areas to charge up to 2%. In our case one half of a percent goes to the county and one and one half percent goes to the city and its bus system.
Now it seems that some of the people down at city hall want to get permission to go over the 2% maximum.
This came from a KFOX news report the other day:
“But, how can (we) come up with going about a creative idea pushing something at the state Legislature to try and get an increase at the overall sales tax? That’s something we’ve talked about to the council over the last two years now,” said Robert Cortinas, interim director of municipal finance.
They published this quote from the mayor:
“Well, given that, the only alternative would be to go back to the governor and say, ‘Fine. Give another half cent on our sales tax revenue because in 1987, we determined it to go to the county,” Margo said.
Didn’t he promise to hold the line on tax increases?
Is there no end to their money grab?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Same kind of thinking we used to hear from the previous Council, isn’t it? Remember a certain hoity-toity, condescending female Council member who talked about “finding new revenue streams?” One more time, here is a message to City Council: Stop spending money for fancy gewgaws, shiny baubles, and toys! Fix the damn streets!
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There is only one citizen posture toward any level of government that is consistent with maintaining a free society and that is to starve the goddam thing. Keep it on a lean diet that forces attention to basics. If it gets fat it just gives more away to politically favored interests.
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A word of caution to those in power: Pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered.
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If you own a home then you know that the CAD is evaluating property values greatly increased to help raise revenue. This has to STOP!
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