This came in from Dan Wever:
Red are when Board of Managers was in charge but Trustees had been elected. I am sure they were taken out to dinner to make up for not being allowed to take office until May of 2015. Superintendent Cabrera arrived in Sept. of 2013. Of course the Superintendents contract says he will be paid for all food and other expenses. Guess he loves steaks!
| 5/3/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,241.27 | |
| 5/10/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $420.03 | |
| 5/17/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $519.40 | |
| 5/23/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $3,602.47 | |
| 6/7/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,433.85 | |
| 6/14/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $641.40 | |
| 6/20/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $542.10 | |
| 6/27/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $989.70 | |
| 7/11/2013 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $472.60 | |
| 4/4/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $270.00 | |
| 4/25/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $869.25 | |
| 5/2/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,954.00 | |
| 5/9/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $553.94 | |
| 5/16/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,718.75 | |
| 5/22/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,626.53 | |
| 6/6/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,090.15 | |
| 10/7/2014 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $510.00 | |
| 4/24/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $479.55 | |
| 5/1/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $673.46 | |
| 5/8/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $430.00 | |
| 5/15/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $3,502.10 | |
| 5/21/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $2,001.60 | |
| 5/29/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,697.31 | |
| 6/12/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $620.10 | |
| 6/17/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $895.50 | |
| 6/25/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $486.50 | |
| 6/25/2015 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $653.30 | |
| 4/22/2016 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,249.00 | |
| 5/20/2016 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,345.20 | |
| 6/3/2016 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,198.50 | |
| 6/10/2016 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $632.45 | |
| 6/17/2016 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $476.00 | |
| 6/30/2016 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $859.45 | |
| 3/31/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $303.45 | |
| 4/21/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $416.50 | |
| 4/28/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $704.45 | |
| 5/19/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $2,959.70 | |
| 5/25/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $579.00 | |
| 6/9/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $607.95 | |
| 6/15/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $694.80 | |
| 6/29/2017 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $447.75 | |
| 4/6/2018 | Indian Cliffs Ranch | $1,061.50 | |
| 4/13/2018 | Indian Cliffs Ranch |
$380.80
Total
|
$43,811.36
|
elpasospeak 
Were these Board expenses? Please clarify. Who attended and what was the purpose?
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I’d think it makes no difference whether or not these were “board expenses,” or who attended, or what was the purpose. I’d think that the point is that most of us only go to Cattleman’s once in a great while due to the expense and distance. There is simply no way in a real world that he can justify spending so much school money at such a place.
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I wonder how much of my taxes were spent on alcohol?
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I’ll bet they were also reimbursed with taxpayer money for the gas used to get there.
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I was told they were not Board expenses. They are expenses for field trips for students. No alcohol is involved according to the people explaining the costs.
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I was told they were not Board expenses. They are expenses for field trips for students. No alcohol is involved according to the people explaining the costs.
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By the way, if anyone would like an Excel database (2016 Office) of all checks written while Cabrera was in charge just send me an email address with subject DATABASE and I will send it to you. These are figures gleaned from the EPISD website financial page.
fwever1@att.net
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I think the question on alcohol is very relevant. You don’t normally see bills like this for food and non-alcoholic drinks alone. Given that these are expenses for a work-related event paid for by taxpayers there should be a prohibition on alcohol being served. Many private sector companies have policies on alcohol use at work-related meetings for both cost control and to avoid the liability that can occur if someone attending the meeting drives home impaired by alcohol and hits another vehicle. I would think a school district should be particularly concerned about cost and liability. It would be interesting to see headcounts and alcohol expenditures. Are folks leaving these meetings driving under the influence?
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Meanwhile, I’ve got students whom have been denied lunch because they haven’t paid into their accounts. The irony of this revelation should not be dismissed.
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And WE wonder why EPISD TAXES are so high. Now do all the people that vote FOR all those MULTI-MILLION$$$ Bonds realize that it’s just “Slush Funds”, piles of OUR money for Cabrera, EPISD minions to simply blow off? “It’s for the children”. $45,000 WASTED on high-dollar food for THEM? The F.B.I. needs to set up a PERMANENT Office at EPISD. Same for the Mayors Office, City Council, Commissioners. El Taxo, just one big criminal EMPIRE.
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No trips to Indian Cliffs between July 2013 and April 2014? Wonder why they stopped…was Dee “Hold the line on taxes” Margo in charge during the time in red?
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Helen, many times during testing (STAARS) the district has never been able to figure out what to do with the students that do not have to take the test. Most of the time they stick them in a very large room and told to be quiet and they twiddle their thumbs and learn to hate school. Sometimes they get to go on field tripes places and that is probably the reason for your date question.
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Yep, let’s not mistreat these poor kids by having them sit in the library and read a book or listen to motivational speakers on campus. That would be unacceptable.
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Don’t be so hard on my good friend Juan.
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Juan Cabrera is just as bad as Lorenzo Garcia. Except that Garcia got CAUGHT by the F.B.I and sent to PRISON. Cabrera is a leech on the TAXPAYERS of El Paso. A BILLION$$$ Bond, SLUSH FUND? No end to the FREE lunch. When does he and his criminal empire get “Caught”??
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He’s also a fool, who doesn’t have the first clue how to run a classroom, let alone a school district. We’ve been taken for a ride on this one.
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but Cattleman’s isn’t even located in the EPISD district. If that’s right, Juan & Friends choose to spend our money at establishments that aren’t even owned by people who pay the bills.
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According to the GSA, the per diem rate for El Paso, TX, is $59 for meals and expenses (not including hotel). That’s breakfast, lunch and dinner. Who doesn’t love Cattleman’s? But to use tax dollars is F#$%@ING irresponsible and totally out of touch. I want to know how may people attended these events and did we pay for their booze?
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The food is good at Cattleman’s and way out in the desert there is less chance of EPISD constituents eavesdropping on their conversations.
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So who ANSWERS for this WASTE of TAXPAYER money? With Lorenzo Garcia’s criminal actions, the Assistants, the School Board simply LIED, DENIED that they knew what HE was doing. Maybe the idle RICH, POLITICIANS of El Taxo can afford these $45,000 lunch Bills. As a TAXPAYER, homeowner who GIVES these people too much, to WASTE, as far as I am concerned Cabrera and cohorts can take a brown bag and a baloney sandwich for lunch. Just like many PARENTS can AFFORD for their kids. MAYBE I, WE owe HIM, THEM a pay check, but not the “Life styles of the RICH and useless. THEY, HE should be required to repay US all of that money. El Taxo, EPISD can’t afford HIM and his life-style.
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Maybe Cattleman’s is serving more than beef?
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These were for field trips for students. Indian Cliffs offers package deals you can get for groups. They offer curriculum guides to help teachers plan lessons and activities. Students and teachers get a lunch (hot dogs, lemonade, and popcorn) they do not allow outside food to be brought in. The students get a hayride around the ranch. Many opportunities for Soc. Studies, science , art and history. It helps enrich their learning beyond their neighborhoods, text books and lpads. As a former teacher (34 years) it’s a lot of work to accomplish this trip but worth it for the student learning opportunities.
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A total WASTE, misuse, misappropriation of TAXPAYER money. But when Cabrera, the schools have MILLIONS, BILLIONS$$$ in Bonds to use as a “Slush fund”, without any controls, over-sight, this is what WE get.
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Sorry, not Arnold. Meant to put anonymous
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Come on. Over $43,000 for hotdogs, lemonade and popcorn. Maybe you’re kidding and I missed the humor.
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I find spending close to $70,000 on Bundt cakes for teacher birthdays more of a problem than taking students on a field trip to learn about their environment and expand their horizons. Apparently you do not have a grasp of what it’s like to teach students who have never gone beyond their neighborhoods. Whenever I’ve traveled I’ve seen school groups visiting aquarium, monuments, etc. You would rather have them sit in a classroom every day. We do take trips to other sites where the cafeteria packs lunches for us and the teachers have to bring their own coolers and carry them into the site. But Indian Cliffs does not allow outside food to be brought in. Get off your righteous add and volunteer at your local school to go help on a field trip.
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If these students were going to one of our many local museums, I don’t think anyone would complain about the field trip. The issue is busing them across town to a restaurant and trying to categorize it as an educational experience. And I agree the bundt cakes are a waste of money too. Cut out both of these activities and over $100K of expenses goes away. I know, it is just $7 per student (or as Niland used to say a couple of Cokes), but the reality is that is a lot of money to spend on feel good activities that really don’t have much educational value. I wonder if we added up all the feel good activities EPSID spends money on, what that total number would be. I also wonder how good the teachers who spend money out of their own pockets to buy school supplies would feel about that total number.
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This is all typical of the TAX, WASTE, SPEND, TAX some more at EPISD. WE, TAXPAYERS, homeowners blow off an exorbitant HALF-MILLION$$$ a year for Cabrera’s pay check. If he wants to “TREAT” guest, students Teachers, friends to 2-3,000$$$$ in hot dogs, lemonade, then let HIM pay for it. The “Volunteer” apparently lives in an apartment and is not faced with constant Property “Value”, evaluations, re-evaluations, followed by MORE tax INCREASES by EPISD, Community College, UMC and every other entity, politician, Public Official with their hands out, demanding more and more. El Taxo has the HIGHEST TAXES in the State, many other states, cities. And yet the Political, Public minions here continue to WASTE more and more without any consideration of the PEOPLE. How many families in El Taxo cannot even afford to take families out for dinner one night a week? WE, the “Stupid, ignorant peons” of El Taxo cannot afford the RICH ELITIST life-style of Cabrera, HIS “Wants, demands, needs”. El Taxo is upwards of 4 BILLION$$$ in DEBT and no way to pay it. Where is the F.B.I. in all this inherent corruption???
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April May June, April May June, April May June, April May June…looks like field trips. Did Mr. Wever ask what the money was used for, or did he just assume the Superintendent was eating a lot of steak? Could these also be something like banquets for winning sports teams?
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From the APRIL 19, 2016 A Board of Trustees Meeting:
Award of Rental Space for Meetings, Conferences, Events, Banquets, Field Trips and End of the Year Graduation Celebrations RFP #16-015 (Administration Recommendation: Bob-O’s Family Fun Center, Bowl El Paso/ADDM LLC, QSR Burgers LLC [DBA: Burger King], Indian Cliffs Ranch, Inc. [DBA: Cattleman’s Steakhouse], El Paso Stadium Operations Company, Pizza Properties, Inc. [DBA: Peter Piper Pizza], Upper Valley Grace Gardens, LLC, and Western Playland Amusement Park) (Various Budgeted Funds – Not to Exceed $500,000.00)
(To provide the District with Rental Space for Meetings, Conferences, Events, Banquets, Field Trips and End of the Year Graduation Celebrations)
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And this is another complaint I have. The above agenda item was probably passed on the consent agenda. What this means is that any of the above companies can be used for these activities, however, none of them have to be used or money spent and one can be used more than the others thus setting up a possibility of favoring certain businesses and possible payola.
I have found in my short life that if there is the opportunity for graft it more than likely will take place. No accusations just possibilities that should be addressed.
.
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Whining but no action. Who is filing complaint with tx ag office. Paxton hates leftists.
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I am a voluteer and have accompanied students from Bowie to an event at Cattlemans. Believe me, the food and drink for the kids is not over the top. We’ve had lots of kids on the trip. They’d won the right to go for their attendance and grade improvement. I wish you wouldn’t try to make a scandal out of something that most likely is not. I hope you’re all embarassed.
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Why wouldn’t the district or even Bowie let the public know about these trips and the expense? I doubt nearly $45,000 was spent on kids appreciation meals.
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Mountains out of molehills. It is the theme of this blog.
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When you are looking at rising taxes due to debt like this:
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, it isn’t unreasonable to question every large expenditure. We’ve got museums, splash parks and all sorts of other crap from the bond issue sitting near the district. Zero need to drive kids to a restaurant on the other end of town and spend tax dollars feeding them junk food that contributes to the obesity problem. Right now everyone who owns a house in EPISD is economically disadvantaged by tax increases. Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.
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Good to hear from Deputy Dawg. Keep defending Cabrera. You’ll go down with the ship.
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A few dollars here and a few dollars there add up to real money. Lots of molehills might not make a mountain, but they make for a really screwed up yard. The moles deserve to be whacked.
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I’m sorry, but when I was in school, the rewards for grade improvement the incentives for attendance came from home. The taxpayers shouldn’t be picking up the tab for this. I’ve got band kids and athletes from EPSID showing up at the door as part of fund raisers for their activities, yet we have money for this? No, I’m not embarrassed about criticizing. This just illustrates how screwed priorities are over there. And btw, growing up, we held awards ceremonies in the auditorium and banquets in the cafeteria because back then school administrators stretched dollars. Field trips involved museums and cost a lot less.
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Volunteer,
Thank you for the clarification.
The Cattlemen’s field trips are posted on the EPISD calendar for each school.
Between 2013 through 2017 EPISD had and about 60,000 students of which 65% are economically disadvantaged.
For the 5 year period from 2013 through 2017 the district spent about $8475 per year or $7.00 per student.
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Dear self-rightious volunteer. Do not try to shame people for asking how their tax dollars are used. The money may or may not be put to its best use for field trips. That is another discussion. It is our right to ask what the expenditures were for and I am glad that someone questions these expenditures.
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Yes, I am embarrassed. How terrible of me to think the EPISD was spending money in any other way than to benefit the children. Here are the expenses for 2018 so far. I bet they had buses lined up back to the freeway on a couple of these bills for field trips. 🙂
4/6/2018 Indian Cliffs Ranch $1,061.50
4/13/2018 Indian Cliffs Ranch $380.80
5/4/2018 >> Indian Cliffs Ranch $6,997.32
5/11/2018 >> Indian Cliffs Ranch $487.90
5/18/2018 >> Indian Cliffs Ranch $4,765.66
6/8/2018 Indian Cliffs Ranch $779.45
6/14/2018 Indian Cliffs Ranch $380.80
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And the boss slaps the alligator’s hand reaching for the bill and says don’t worry it is on me and he becomes more popular with the masses.
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Two absolute truths: I have never been to Cattleman’s in my entire life. I have never allowed Dr. Cabrera to buy my lunch.
My little sister (15 years younger) and my parents did go to Cattleman’s because the area was rich with activities for children. Many of those activities are similar to the activities at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum in Las Cruces.
A field trip to Cattleman’s would be appropriate for any student from Kindergarten to 12th grade. There is a per student charge for activities, hosts, and a lunch. I hope we continue these experiences for our children.
The EPISD CFO has clarified that these expenditures were for students on a field trip. EPISD teachers must have a lesson plan before their principal will approve the field trip and reserve the bus.
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And so you “Trustee’s”, Cabrera, the CFO think it’s okay to rip off the TAXPAYERS for these field trips, lunches, 50 miles out of town? Anybody consider having the lunch rooms make sandwiches and take the kids to the Zoo, Wet and Wild in EL PASO?? SOME voters were scammed into voting for an almost BILLION$$$ Bond for “Education”. Voting ALL of US another tax INCREASE.. The Superintendent SCAMS US for a HALF-MILLION$$$ “Salary”. HE makes more money than the President. And what do we get? The $45,000 Bills for hot dogs and Juan and susie. still can’t read, write or do math. What exactly is it that “Trustee’s”, the School Board does? Tax, waste, spend, tax some more.
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Ms Dye,
Here is of list of justifiable field trips for enrichment, education, and reward. All but the last 2 taxpayers have generously funded as Quality of Life amenities for the children.
The Zoo
Museum of Archaeology
Museum of Art
Museum of History
El Paso Holocaust Museum
El Paso Symphony
Here is a list of places that are NOT appropriate much less justifiable field trips for enrichment, education, and reward that most certainly should never be funded in any way with taxpayer dollars.
Bob-O’s Family Fun Center,
Bowl El Paso,
Burger King,
Indian Cliffs Ranch/Cattleman’s Steakhouse,
El Paso Stadium Operations Company,
Peter Piper Pizza,
Upper Valley Grace Gardens and
Western Playland Amusement Park
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And here is a little economic lesson. Our taxpayer paid for amenities normally don’t fully cover their operating expenses. If school kids visit that is an additional revenue stream that helps offset the operating cost deficit. Granted that revenue is still paid by the taxpayers, but at least the kids get an educational experience out of it. Our “community” “overwhelmingly” voted for these amenities “for the children” so our school district ought to prioritize using them for field trips.
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Exactly Anonymous!!!
Circulate taxpayer funds to support taxpayer funded amenities.
All of the current “field trips” combined cannot even come close to the amazing experience the Zoo and Archaeology Museum can provide the students.
The people in charge of programming at the Zoo and AM are great and they would welcome the chance to become a regular partner with the teachers and district for field trips.
And to any and all EPISD School “trustees”:
SUPPORT THE BOWIE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM!!!!!
Work with the program director and have the Bowie students CATER ALL the district and school events.
What the Bowie students have created is outstanding!
Utilizing the program would not only expand the program and experience for the students, it will fund the program, as well as allow the profits made by that program go to University scholarships for the kids as planned!
Here is a story from March in case you missed the celebration.
kfoxtv.com/news/local/food-truck-dreams-come-true-for-bowie-high-students-03-23-2018
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Who is Dr. Cabrera?
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Does it bother anyone else that these EPISD taxpayer dollars are being spent in the Fabens ISD area? Cattleman’s now pays additional taxes to Fabens ISD, or a pass through of EPISD tax dollars to Fabens ISD. (BTW – not Cattleman’s fault).
Are there no worthy venues in the entire EPISD footprint? How many businesses located in the EPISD footprint, who pay tremendous amount of tax dollars to EPISD, would appreciate these tax dollars being spent at their place of business? How many times would those tax dollars being spent turnover in the area?
Is there no one with ANY business sense on the Board of Trustees? Anyone even care about the optics here?
But maybe the EPISD Trustees might consider that a “conflict of interest…”
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The ISD’s are dependent on property tax so I am not sure how this would benefit Fabens ISD.
However the City loses out on the sales tax as well as revenue to businesses in the EPISD as you pointed out.
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It’s not a matter of which specific taxes go to the schools. It’s the principle of support your own community and putting educational dollars, which were paid by people in the district, back into circulation within the community.
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Yes. I understand. That was the meaning intended in the second sentence in the post regarding loss of both City sales tax and revenue to EPISD businesses.
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