Friends and Media,
Rich Wright has repeatedly informed the public about El Paso’s stagnant population because our local media will not.
“Between 2012 and 2017, Houston’s population grew by 156,559 people, or 7.3%. San Antonio grew by 127,801, or 9.2 percent. Dallas grew by 100,743, or 8.1%. Austin grew by 96,909 people, or 11.3%. Fort Worth grew by 94,397, or 12.0%. Between 2012 and 2017, El Paso’s population, meanwhile, grew by 7,733 people, or 1.1%.”
Meanwhile the Mayor claims that “between 2012 to 2017, among the major cities in Texas, the top six, El Paso and one other had the highest population growth.” You can see him repeat this lie, for example, in this video shot by Ben Carnevale.
The fact is that any member of the public can look up the City’s population growth from 2010 through 2018 on the US census data webpage. If you click the drop-down menu after the word “Product:…” you can click each ACS 1-year estimate. Here are the precise figures:
YEARPOP.POP. CHANGE
2010 652,113
2011 665,577 +13,464
2012 672,534 +6,597
2013 674,438 +1,904
2014 679,024 +4,586
2015 681,136 +2,112
2016 683,088 +1,952
2017 683,583 +495
2018 682,686 -897
When Wright wrote his report on the 2017-2018 figures a few months ago, it was estimated that the population of El Paso had declined by 269 people in 2017-2018. That figure has now been revised by the federal government to a loss of 897 people.
Meanwhile, El Paso has the highest property tax rates among the 20 largest cities in Texas. You can check the tax rates on this chart against a list of the largest cities in our state and verify for yourselves. In 2017, our city had an average rate of 2.96%. That figure is now approximately 3.05%.
Meanwhile, Sunland Park and Santa Theresa, New Mexico are enjoying robust population growth, as El Pasoans, especially retirees, flee our city in droves to escape from the highest property tax in Texas among the state’s 20 largest cities and the 2nd highest property tax in America among the nation’s 50 largest cities.
Mayor Dee Margo and this City Council are sending our City into an economic death spiral.
At a certain point, even the most talented pilot cannot pull a jet out of a steep nosedive if the angle is too steep. The good news for the passengers is that they have the option of bailing out over New Mexico…
Enjoy your evening,
Max