THE CITY’S FAVORITE WORD: TRIPLE
The Mexican-American Cultural Center was supposed to cost $5,750,000 but ended up costing $16,500,000, nearly triple. The Children’s Museum was supposed to cost $19,250,000 but ended up costing over $60,000,000,…
CITY CFO PROJECTS $205 MILLION IN BUDGET DEFICITS FOR FY 2027-2031
Robert Cortinas is the CFO of the City of El Paso and at the Council Work session this coming Monday he will report his budget projections for FY 2027-2031. Based…
$66M FOR STREETS, LEVERAGED WITH DEBT AND HIGHER TAXES
Don’t think for one second that the $66M comes from general operating revenue. It is borrowed against 30-year bond debt, so please be sure to thank your children for the…
Texas Attorney General Announces Investigation of El Paso and Other Texas Cities to “Stop Illegal Tax Increases”
Martin Paredes reports that yesterday Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he is investigating El Paso and other cities for “illegal tax increases.” The City sa ys it enacted its…
LOOK MOM, NO BOND MONEY!
The Sunset Amphitheater project is 100% privately financed although there are public tax incentives. The taxpayers will incur zero debt.
JUSTIN CHURCHMAN COMMENTS ON SALE OF HIS HISTORIC PROPERTY FOR DEMOLITION
According to the Oligarchy Gazette (dba El Paso Inc), the century-old brick tenement at 315 W. Overland was renovated by August 2024 and opened with 16 units. In anticipation of…
CITY STILL MUST ISSUE $460M IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, TAXES TO SHOOT UP
This is a screenshot from the City’s financial presentation from Monday’s Work session. The City must still issue $240M in debt from the 2019 Public Safety Bond and $220M from…
CITY COMMITS TO RESTORATION OF ABRAHAM CHAVEZ THEATRE
We feared that the City’s proposal to expand the Convention Center includes the construction of an Arena on the site of the Abraham Chavez Theatre. The planned acquisition and demolition…
REP. ALEJANDRA CHAVEZ RECEIVES $2,500 FROM MARGOS AND ORTEGA AFTER VOTING TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAX
According to her campaign webpage, Alejandra Chavez “is committed to exploring options for property tax relief.” However, during the recent budget discussions she did not make a single proposal that…
DEBT PLAZA OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE TO COST $6-7 MILLION
Yesterday, Mayor Renard Johnson gave a public presentation on the proposed Debt Plaza over Interstate 10 in downtown El Paso. In November 2022, Stantec Consulting Services was paid $1,321,785 to…