Fat chance

April 26, 2014
An astute reader pointed out that Texas house bill 343 will require all of our school board members to disclose their financial statements in January.
Since the El Paso Independent School District has a state appointed board of managers acting with the powers and responsibilities of our elected school board will the members of the board of managers be required to disclose their financial statements also?
It does not take much imagination to think that the members of the board of managers will refuse to disclose their financial statements based upon the fact that they are not members of the school board and that the new law does not specifically include members of a board of managers.
On the other hand the board of managers assumes all of the responsibilities of the school board.  Is reporting your personal financial situation a responsibility?
My prediction is that we will not see the financial statements of the members of the board of managers.  After all, they think that they are special.
We deserve better
Brutus

5 Comments | El Paso Independent School District, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Let’s get real

April 25, 2014

The folks at our city airport have taken over half of the short term parking we used to have and are now using it for the benefit of the rental car companies and the limousines.  Some reports indicate that this will last for two years.

Many airports that I have been to shuttle rental car customers to off-site facilities.  I guess in El Paso business and money interests are more important to our governments than are the citizens.

Declining business

The city has decided to build a new garage and service facility for the rental car companies.  The facility is supposed to be paid for by a levy against rental car customers.  The city projects that there will be a one percent increase in business each year.

The first quarter numbers for 2014 show a decline in business.  Passenger counts at the airport are down 4.4% from the same quarter last year.  Freight traffic is down 8.1%.

This is before the Wright amendment expires later this year and Southwest Airlines will no longer have to stop in El Paso before going on to more western cities.

Financial Awfulsir

We are experiencing shortfalls in many revenue categories that the city has forecast.  Hotel occupancy taxes, sales taxes, airport business, franchise fees, revenue from fines and forfeitures, and residential building permit fees are all short of the budgets that our chief financial officer presented at the start of the fiscal year.

Now one rumor has it that she is in the running to be the new city manager.

We deserve better

Brutus

6 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Another city hall move/ball park expense

April 24, 2014

Item 10.1 on the April 8, 2014 city council agenda contemplated spending $1.3 million to finish the move of the city’s traffic management center out of our demolished city hall building into new facilities.

The video shows city employees explaining that the management center is used to manage special events downtown like baseball games.

A city representative questioned what other city hall destruction and move projects need to be completed.  Our city manager actually laughed when she explained that some city employees were now located in a recreation center and that once they move out the center can be returned to its original purpose.

It reminded me of Cruella Deville.

We deserve better

Brutus

6 Comments | Ball park, City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

The little guy loses again

April 23, 2014

When city council approved $45 million to build a parking garage at the airport for the rental car companies they did not bother to tell us what would happen to local residents who need to pick someone up from the airport.

As Fedup pointed out in a recent comment, the western part (just over half) of the short term parking at the airport has been cordoned off for the use of the rental car companies and limousine services while the parking garage is being built.

As we know, the baggage claim area is on the western end of the airport.  Now if you want to go into the airport to greet someone you will either be lucky and find a spot in the small short term parking area that remains or you will have to park in the long term lot.

Any luggage that is picked up will have to be moved much further than you had to before city council decided to authorize this project.

It’s all good El Paso.

We deserve better

Brutus

Leave a Comment » | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

A good thing

April 22, 2014

Things can get better.

The city’s new agenda software now ties the agenda item to the portion of the video of the city council meeting.  EPISD has been doing this for some time now.

This is a great convenience to members of the public who want to see the discussion relating to the item.

Something got better

Brutus

 

1 Comment | City government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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