Sun Metro’s performance numbers are out for the period ending May, 2019 (their third fiscal quarter):
Notice that ridership is down another 6.7% for the year.
2018 had a 5% decrease from 2017.
2017 had a 9.3% decrease from 2016.
2016 had a 9.2% decrease from 2015.
For the month of May 2019 the cost per trip was $5.22 compared to $3.73 for the same month in 2018.
Its time for a change.
We deserve better
Brutus
7 Comments | 
City government | 
Permalink
Posted by Brutus
Our recent posts about residential, commercial, industrial, and apartment property tax rates showed that we have tax rates higher than virtually every other city among the 50 largest cities in the United States.
Remember that the voters have authorized funding a $180 million multi-purpose performing arts center and hundreds of millions in school district bonds that have not been sold yet and thus have not been added to our tax burden yet.
We deserve better
Brutus
26 Comments | City government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
If a commercial or industrial firm was considering opening a facility in El Paso and the managers/owners did not want to move to El Paso they would probably rent apartments.
El Paso had the second highest property tax rate applied to apartments of the 50 largest cities in the United States during 2018.
Those property taxes get passed through to the renters.
For those who cannot afford to buy a house that means high taxes. For those that want to continue to live out of town but need a place to stay while they are here it means high taxes.
We deserve better
Brutus
14 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
We recently wrote about El Paso having the highest industrial property tax rate among the 50 largest cities in the United States during the 2018 tax year.
Next we talked about El Paso having the highest residential property tax rate for smaller homes and the second highest rate on larger homes in those same cities.
How did we compare on commercial properties (like call centers, transportation companies and others–as opposed to industrial facilities)?
El Paso had the third highest property tax rate on all sizes of commercial properties during that period.
People who own those kinds of commercial businesses will probably find it hard to justify moving to El Paso and facing the third highest property tax rates on their commercial businesses and the first or second highest rates on their homes.
We deserve better
Brutus
1 Comment | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
In How not to try to attract industry we pointed out that El Paso had the highest industrial tax rate among the 50 largest cities in the United States for the 2018 tax year.
According to the report we were citing El Paso also had the highest residential tax rate on homesteaded median value homes in areas where there were assessment limits.
Median value evidently meant less than $150,000. That means that we taxed the people living in lower value homes proportionately more than anyone else.
For homes valued between $150,000 and $300,000 El Paso’s tax rate was the second highest among the 50 largest cities.
People that manage businesses that are considering a move to El Paso probably fall into the higher home value range.
We offer them the opportunity to be like many El Pasoans and pay the second highest rate shown.
Is it any wonder that people are leaving town and that we don’t attract companies?
We deserve better
Brutus
3 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
You are currently browsing the archives for the City government category.
elpasospeak 
You must be logged in to post a comment.