Our city officials want to attend South by Southwest again this year.
They tell us that when they went last year they saw between 700 and 900 people at their booth. That’s out of 75,000 people that attended.
This week’s city council agenda includes an item to authorize an inter-local government agreement between the city and the county where the county agrees to reimburse 50% of the actual expenses us to $50,000. Anything over that the city will have to pay alone.
Why?
The stated purpose is “to promote the cultural, film, tourism, convention and hotel industry, and economic opportunities available in the El Paso Region”.
The agreement specifies that airfare, transportation, lodging, and meals are separate and are not included in the agreement.
It sounds like a party to me.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
l’m willing to spend the money for them to go….if they promise not to come back.
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Yeah, it would be cheaper for taxpayers if we just sent them on vacation for the remainder of their terms.
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this is a ridiculous thing to spend taxpayer money on. nothing but a virtue-signaling, look at me trip commissioned by people who don’t have to actually work for a living. if they ever had a real job they wouldn’t be so wasteful with taxpayer dollars.
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Wow…..they are bound to encounter so many businesses and people who will want to take advantage of our offer “to promote the cultural, film, tourism, convention and hotel industry, and economic opportunities available in the El Paso Region.” (I lack a sarcasm font, unfortunately). Come on, El Paso! SXSW is all about music and giving unknown acts the chance for exposure! Maybe this is yet another symptom of why El Paso fails – over and over – to break out of what we really are. We have elected representatives who keep trying to make us into something that we are not!
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For $50k economic development could exhibit at 3-4 real conferences that targeted executives looking for relocation or expansion options for their companies. But instead our city leaders want to just party in Austin.
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And one other thing. Can they point to a single piece of business (film, conference, tourist group) that came to EP over the last year as a result of the conversations they had at this junket the last time?
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Boondoggle. SXSW is one big party for music, media, entertainment and technology people. The District 1 rep wants to promote himself.
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Needless to say the decision on this, like 99.99999% of all City decisions, does not depend on the views of the citizens, however informed and or cynical they may be. Am sure they’ve already signed up.
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Can we have the names of those who want to go on our dime?
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lsn’t this the same town that spent $300,000 on the “El Paso. lt’s All Good” promotion? Using El Paso “logic,” l should receive at least $400,000 for the upgrade, “El Paso, We’re Now Even Gooder!!!” Well, maybe $410k. l’m only going to charge 5k for each additional exclamation point.
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Actually I think the new slogan is El Paso Moving Forward. In spite of seeing several commercials (not sure why we advertise to our own residents), I can’t actually remember the tag line . It’s that good—-fellow taxpayers.
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So what EXACTLY did the $50,000 PLUS last year get El Taxo?? We will wait for a list with MONEY totals of exactly what the CITY, TAXPAYERS gained. 🙂 Sounds like WE are just being screwed for another DRUNK party for these corrupt politicians. Paying for booze, expensive food, expensive hotels, sex, a good time for THEM. Why should WE??
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If only we could afford to send an independent contingent to follow these clowns around and video how our “public servants” spend their time in SXSW.
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Drunk and disorderly, passing out OUR money. “Do you know who I am, HONEY??
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