Let’s keep our independence

July 4, 2016

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness–

That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed,

that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

*****

Please vote.

We deserve better

Brutus

3 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District, Federal Government, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Climbing to the top

June 28, 2016

After seeing that El Paso had the third highest residential property tax rate of America’s 50 largest cities in 2015, we set off to find out what it would take to get to number two or even to number one, the highest.

Milwaukee Wisconsin had the second highest rate in 2015 at 2.675%.  El Paso was third at 2.640%.

That means that our tax rate only needs to go up three and one-half hundredths of a percent to tie with Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s rate went down in 2015 from it’s 2014 rate.  El Paso’s went up.

The Ysleta school district is in the process of selling $430 million that their voters authorized.

It appears that the El Paso school district is going to ask for permission to sell around $400 million of bonds.

The city is selling certificates of obligation and bonds.

Second place

Don’t be surprised if the 2016 numbers put El Paso in second place with the second highest residential property tax rate among America’s 50 largest cities.

Can we be first?

We would have to beat Detroit at 3.809%.

Who knows?  Our politicians are talented that way.

We deserve better

Brutus

10 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Underwhelming

June 26, 2016

As our county hospital’s search for a new hospital administrator comes to an end it makes sense to point out that the online effort to extend our current administrator’s contract is now up to 68 signatures after several months of being available to his supporters.

http://www.vivavalenti.com

Weren’t we supposed to have a new administrator by the first or second week of June?

We deserve better

Brutus

5 Comments | County Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Impossible barrier to recruitment

June 24, 2016

The 2015 property tax comparison study is out from the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence.

For the 2013 year the group placed us as having the 7th highest residential property tax rate of the 50 largest American cities.

The 2014 report put us as the 5th highest.

Hard work will get you to the top

The 2015 report shows us steadily deteriorating with a ranking of having the 3rd highest property tax rates for homestead  homeowners among America’s largest cities.

2015taxrate

In 2014 we wrote Hidden taxes and showed that the city was billing us another $116 million or so in “fees”, some of which used to be paid for with property taxes.  Our real tax rate is even higher than what the report shows.

Continuing with the awful news, the 2015 report indicates that El Paso has the second highest industrial property tax rate for small facilities and the third highest for large ones.

How can we expect businesses to move here with a situation like this?

We deserve better

Brutus

6 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Another trip to the well?

June 15, 2016

The board of our county hospital has an item on their Tuesday, June 14, 2016 agenda to discuss the appointment of a new chief executive officer.

The discussion will be held in executive session and no action is planned.

The item before the discussion allows them to discuss the 2016 performance goals of the hospital and the current hospital administrator.  When they come out of executive session they can take action since they have posted an item for the public session.

Will we see a goodbye bonus?

We deserve better

Brutus

2 Comments | County Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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