Its open line Saturday.
What would you like to share?
Brutus
Thoughts about the blog
January 25, 2019A loyal and helpful reader sent this in:
[P] Last Texas Legislative Session — there was a bill to reduce the property tax increase rollback trigger from the current level of 8-percent — down to the range of 4-percent. Of course all the local governments used our local legislative delegation and lobbyists to oppose the legislation. I always felt the local blogs like your’s — were good vehicles to let readers’ and posters know — they could provide ‘citizen’s input’ directly to governmental leaders outside El Paso. That direct ‘citizen’s input’ lets those legislative leaders outside El Paso know — that unlike what our local legislative delegation says — people want controls over tax increases — and resent some of these costly transportation projects like the street cars, BRIO bus routes, and little used bike lanes — while they must put up daily with shitty, uneven, potholed streets with badly faded roadway stripping.
[P] The blogs like your’s — have taken the place of the old local call in talk radio shows which are no longer on the air. The Times is a shell of its former self — plus the INC is a once a week newspaper — which like the Times pushes and agrees with what the city and county, to include UMC and Children’s Hospital — always does. Even though the TV stations from time to time do good reports — their reporting is uneven as they jump from story to story — and daily give emphasis to auto wrecks and local people-on-people violence Other than the blogs — today there is no vehicle for ‘citizen’s concern and input.’
[P] Finally, the blogs can be used — to let concerned citizens know about voter driven initiatives — like that Westside Lost Dog Trail petition — etc. By simply providing a link to a website those petition supporters may have — you provide a powerful vehicle for information dissemination. And if those petition supporters — would post a copy of their petition — that readers can download and send in — they vastly can increase their petition success rate.
[P] Hope these thoughts help. In addition, City Councilman Rivera and Councilwoman Hernandez — send out informative e-mail newsletter each week. Ask them to put you are their e-mailing list as It can give you a ‘heads up’ alert on some of the city’s issues.
7 Comments | 
Uncategorized | 
Permalink
Posted by Brutus
Kiwanis wine tasting benefit gala
January 24, 2019The Kiwanis Club of El Paso Charitable Foundation is a big supporter of BASE Play RBI which we wrote about the other day.
I am told that this event will feature mostly Texas grown wines.
For more information or to buy tickets contact Marko Kato at mkato54321@gmail.com.
Brutus
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
EPISD sells bonds and doesn’t need voter approval
January 23, 2019A loyal reader sent this to our attention:
EPISD previously created a public facility corporation under Texas law.
They did this to pay for the new central office facilities.
The way it works is that the public facility corporation can authorize and sell bonds without voter approval. They simply place notices in the local newspaper (how many people subscribe to the newspaper, and of those who do how many ever even look at the classifieds?). If a voter petition that objects to the issuance does not get filed within 60 days they can issue the bonds. The petition must bear the signature of 5 percent of the registered voters in the district.
After all you didn’t complain did you?
From there the public facility corporation builds the building and leases it to the school district.
Nifty huh?
We deserve better
Brutus
5 Comments | El Paso Independent School District, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
BASE Play RBI
January 22, 2019BASE Play RBI is a program offered by the Border Youth Athletic Association.
This program combines athletic development with academic improvement for kids in our economically distressed communities.
I invite you to look them up at http://www.BorderYouth.org.
This is better
Brutus
6 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
elpasospeak 
You must be logged in to post a comment.