County hospital being managed

January 11, 2019

This came from the October 2018 county hospital financial statement:

For those who don’t know the term, “FTE” stands for full time equivalent, or the number of hours paid divided by 40.

The statement indicates that they have 208 fewer FTE’s getting paid.

It seems that our new administrator is looking out for us.

This is better.

Brutus

6 Comments | County Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

UTEP reaches top tier research designation

January 10, 2019

Its great to be able to post some good news:

DATE: January 9, 2018
TO: All Faculty, Staff and Students
FROM: Diana Natalicio, UTEP President
SUBJECT: Top Tier National Research Designation

In 30 years as UTEP’s President, I have had the great pleasure to share good news with the UTEP family on many occasions. Today I am very pleased to announce a milestone that ranks among the most important and exciting of my tenure: UTEP has been elevated to the R1 level in the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education Institutions – the top tier of national research universities! We are among only 130 (4.5%) of the 2,883 four-year higher education institutions in the United States to earn this designation.

This achievement validates UTEP’s success in delivering on our access and excellence mission and speaks to our impact on the educational opportunities, quality of life and economic development across this region. It could not have happened without our outstanding faculty and staff members, the quality of their innovative work, and their success in securing funding to support it.

UTEP’s students and our alumni and friends have also played key roles in moving UTEP’s access and excellence mission forward. To all of you, we express our most sincere appreciation.

The press release below with additional details will be posted on utep.edu today. Please join me in celebrating this exciting news and sharing it with your friends and colleagues.

Go Miners!

2 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

You asked for the job

January 9, 2019

Mr. Max Higgs sent this in as a response to our post New year’s resolutions.

We asked what resolutions we would like our local government officials to make and keep.

1. Remember you asked for the job.
2. Remember all your employers.
3. Do your job.

We deserve better

Brutus

Leave a Comment » | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
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Attracting industry

January 8, 2019

Following up on the note about commercial property tax rates, let’s imagine that an industrial company wanted to move to El Paso and manufacture something.  Maybe they would like to make a component that one of the many plants in Mexico needs.

Or maybe the economic development people would like to attract a big manufacturer to town.

This might get in the way:

El Paso has the highest property tax rate for industrial concerns of the largest 50 cities in the United States.

Looking at the average rates we are close to twice as high.

We deserve better

Brutus

 

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

A little help here, please

January 7, 2019

Can any of the readers tell us what the ramifications of this city council agenda item are:

A Resolution that 1) the City Council hereby supports the introduction and passage of legislation during the current Texas legislative session creating a municipal management district (“District”) encompassing the City-owned approximately 2,313 acres situated in the northeast part of the City of El Paso (“NE Parcel”) and exchanged with FSW Investments, LP (“FSW”) for approximately 44 acres situated in the northwest part of the City on November 13, 2018 through Ordinance No. 018871 provided that such legislation does not substantially differ from the legislation attached hereto as Exhibit A, which is incorporated hereby by reference and for all purposes; 2) the City Council hereby directs the City Manager to publish notice of intent to introduce legislation creating a municipal management district encompassing the NE Parcel as soon as possible, without waiting for closing on the land exchange transaction; and further directs the City Manager to submit legislation for the creation of said district following the required thirty (30) day waiting period following notice of intent publication; and 3) the City and FSW are currently negotiating a variety of issues regarding development of the NE Parcel and the District, which include without limitation, issues related to public improvements to be constructed, the method of financing of those improvements, and numerous other issues, which will require time to conclude. Therefore, this resolution in support of the legislation creating the District and directing the City Manager to initiate the District creation process does not constitute consent to the creation of this District as required by Section 59, Article XVI of the Texas Constitution, and the City specifically reserves the right to consent to the District.

We deserve better

Brutus

10 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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