Unfriendly rail road

November 18, 2016

It seems that most of our city council would prefer that the new arena be built on a little used railway yard next to interstate 10.

The problem is that the city tells us that the  railroad wants a king’s ransom for the land, namely the closing of many railroad crossings in the city.

Whereas the city can use eminent domain to condemn and take the properties of individuals they cannot do so with the railroad.

The rail yard in question seems to be used very little if at all since the railroad built a 2,200 acre site in nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

We deserve better

Brutus

 

13 Comments | City government, Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Let me pay you to shine your shoes

November 16, 2016

Our city must be desperate.

It appears that we are going to give $5 million in tax incentives to a golf driving range company if the company will promise to invest $15.7 million and start construction this year.

The city wants them to build their driving range in the same development on the west side that our former city manager saw to it was given significant tax incentives.  Our former city chief financial officer then went to work for one of the owners of the development after the new city manager came in and saw the financial mess that the city was in.

That same former city chief financial is now over at EPISD.  You can ask many EPISD employees about her and you will find out a lot more than the newspaper has printed.

Take our money please

According to a recent article in the Times the golf company “said it was prepared to take a swing at El Paso’s market without any financial sweeteners”.

The company later retracted the statement, probably after the city asked them to cooperate.

We deserve better

Brutus

9 Comments | City government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Checking your work

November 14, 2016

If you would like to see what our bus service is up to, don’t bother.

On November 11, 2016 this is what came up when the “Mass Transit Board” link was clicked:

sunmetroagenda

We will keep you posted so that we can see when and if they fix it.

We deserve better

Brutus

1 Comment | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Different times

November 13, 2016

The Times seems to have suddenly developed a concern about government construction projects.

They recently printed a front page article that indicated that our new army hospital is two years behind schedule and $22 million over the original $648 million budget.

The Times did not seem to be so concerned  when the San Jacinto project came in $1.5 million over the original $4.5 million  budget.

San Jacinto was 33% over budget.  The new hospital is 3% over budget.

San Jacinto was a city park that was remodeled.  The new hospital is a multi-story six building medical campus with a lot of technology.

Maybe the army should have bought something from the Times.

We deserve better

Brutus

Leave a Comment » | City government, El Paso Times, Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

County judge and the Times editorial board

November 3, 2016

A concerned reader sent this in:

 

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/11/02/editorial-el-paso-threaten-small-towns/93143142/

Is there any doubt that Veronica Escobar is running the editorial board of the El Paso Times?
Hers is the uninhibited ego who tried to pull this coup d’etat at the MPO. Fortunately, our city leadership and Vince Perez had the wisdom to see that her ploy was unacceptable and disenfranchised 80% of the county’s residents … oh, and let’s not forget …  a violation of state law.
Noe and Acosta were giving the Judge and the small towns a simple message, “If you want to play with the rules, we can too.” Their response was Politics 101. As a city resident, I would be disappointed if they didn’t take this position.
The Times comes back and covers for Escobar. Have no doubt … Judge Escobar is in constant contact with Bob Moore. Positions like this one are a reflection of Moore’s unwavering allegiance to the Judge.
Gannett Co., Inc. (GCI), if you are reading this, please note … businesses threatened by emerging technologies do not survive when they are co-opted by B-caliber politicians.
Brutus, we deserve better.

3 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Times, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »