This is from a 1921 city directory:
We deserve better
Brutus
EPISD–absenteeism
February 9, 2018Our school districts get paid money by the state when a child is in school. When one is absent the district does not get paid.
Before EPISD was a district of innovation the students were required to attend class 90% of the time in order to pass the class.
The chart below shows the attendance percentages:
Looking at the financial impact we can see:
Those numbers are for less than half of a school year.
It looks like the kids have figured out the new rules.
We deserve better
Brutus
29 Comments | 
El Paso Independent School District | 
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Posted by Brutus
Drive as fast as you want
February 8, 2018Does anyone know why the police department is issuing fewer tickets this year?
We can see why issuing tickets on the freeway would be very dangerous right now, but we are seeing a lot more aggressive driving on our local roads.
We deserve better
Brutus
9 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
Another reason bond costs will go up.
February 7, 2018The lowering of the 35% corporate tax rate down to 21% will cause our local government borrowing costs to go up.
Why?
Investors tend to favor making loans where they make the most money and have the greatest assurance that they will get their original money back.
Before the change in corporate rates investors chose between government bonds where the interest rates were lower than commercial bonds but where the government bonds generated tax free income.
Now with a 21% corporate tax rate investors will understand that lending to companies will be safer because the companies will be paying less tax and thus make more money.
Local governments will have to offer higher interest rates to investors if they want to compete for money.
Remember that between the city and the school districts we have over $1.5 billion of bonds that have been authorized but not sold yet.
Continuing down the path of going into debt is going to cost us more now.
We deserve better
Brutus
1 Comment | City government, El Paso Independent School District, Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
Jefferson on government
February 6, 2018“I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
Thomas Jefferson
7 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
elpasospeak 
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