It happened on D-Day and slipped past all our local media without a single report.
On June 6 our City Council voted 8-0 to eliminate Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #10A (TIRZ 10A).
TIRZ 10 had been created on December 19, 2017, when City Council was dominated by Oligarchy surrogates and guided by Mayor Dee Margo. It is a 48-acre parcel incorporating the area that was destined for the Great Wolf Lodge rip-off. The TIRZ contributes 100% of City property tax to improvements within it, even though it consists entirely of open space.
You see, TIRZs are an instrument for encouraging redevelopment in blighted urban neighborhoods, but in El Paso developers convinced our City Council to establish them in open spaces to increase their profit margins.
Make no mistake about it. TIRZs are the worst form of corporate welfare in El Paso.
To add insult to injury, on May 29, 2018 our City Council created TIRZ 10A, a 3,874-acre expansion of TIRZ 10, extending the incentive into a gigantic tract of empty desert at taxpayer expense.
Reps. Gassandra Hernandez and Henry Rivera were among the seven who supported TIRZ 10A. Only Rep. Annello voted no.
Under agenda item 27 this past June 6, since the obligations of TIRZ 10A have been paid and no bonds have been issued, City Council voted to kill TIRZ 10A altogether!
The motion was made by Rep. Alexsandra Annello and seconded by Rep. Art Fierro, and the vote was unanimous.
This is another victory for the taxpayers!
Will our current City Council also have the courage to eliminate TIRZ 13, the most disgusting corporate handout in the history of West Texas?
We thank God we are Libertarians.