Please be careful today and tonight.
We deserve better
Brutus
Government pensions
December 30, 2019JerryK wrote this in a comment a couple of weeks ago:
Stop payments into City retirement funds (that are underfunded anyway) and convert employees’ equity into annuities. Subsequently make annual contributions into employees’ IRA accounts so they are on a level playing field with the private sector that has largely abandoned pensions. Contribute what we can afford, like the private sector.
I agree.
If any of us have to participate in the social security system then I believe that all of us should have to.
The pay that our government employees receive should compensate them fairly while they are working. Pension plans should be eliminated.
We deserve better
Brutus
14 Comments | 
City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District, Federal Government | 
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Posted by Brutus
A changing industry
December 29, 2019As many of us know Verizon is having quality problems in large areas of El Paso.
The word on the street is that a cellular operation in Mexico is interfering with Verizon’s local signals.
Verizon recently sent out this message:
Wi-Fi calling may improve your voice calling experience. Please ensure that Wi-Fi Calling is enabled and that you have Wi-Fi activated on your device.
The future
As Wi-Fi becomes more prevalent will we see reduced reliance on cellular carriers? Will we be able to buy less capacity from our cellular carrier and thus save money?
We deserve better
Brutus
10 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
Open line Saturday
December 28, 2019It’s Saturday.
What’s on your mind?
We deserve better
Brutus
23 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
City tax tricks
December 27, 2019The city of El Paso charges a franchise fee to two of it’s own departments.
Both El Paso Water and the Environmental Services department (garbage) are assessed a fee.
The water and garbage customers see the fee getting passed on to them in the form of a bill.
The city powers maintain that the franchise fees are imposed to compensate the city for the use of city streets.
These are streets that we have paid for and are also paying to maintain.
The fees are not franchise fees, they are taxes.
The city has a few other departments that generate revenue.
Will we see them getting charged franchise fees?
Sun Metro buses travel more on city streets than any other entity.
El Paso Fire Department ambulances travel on city streets and generate revenue for the city. How are they different than the water and trash departments?
All of these charges are wrong, they are simply taxes that the city would not normally be allowed to charge because of caps on their rate of tax increase.
The charges should be challenged in court.
We deserve better
Brutus
24 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus
elpasospeak 
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