by Max Grossman Tomorrow under agenda item 17 our City Council will decide the fate of our insolvent streetcars, which are
Category: Taxes
Our Forecast Budget Shortfall
Look up at that graph there. I lifted it from the budget presentation that the City gave to City Council
More Blood From a Turnip
You probably got a letter from El Paso Water last week. The letter announced a new fee that our municipally-owned
The City’s “Slush Fund”
by Max Grossman If you pay a monthly water bill like I do, you will notice a tax levied by
Economic Development?
Everybody’s talking about all the Economic Development taking place downtown. Here, for instance, is that nice lady who has taken
The Problem With TIRZs
Part of the reason that property taxes are so high in the City of El Paso is because not everyone
Economic Development for the Few
Some of those arena advocates act like it’s our patriotic duty to support downtown development. “Economic development,” they say. “Fortune
Retrovision: “How Quickly They Forget”
This article originally appeared on 2022 August 31. I stumbled across this gem the other day. From the El Paso
The City’s ED Policy is a Mess
No, not Erectile Dysfunction. That’s a separate discussion all together. Economic Development. The City’s Economic Development policies are designed to
Taxes & Tax Incentives
Taxes are killing the local economy. Taxes hurt small businesses two ways. First, our punitive tax rates take a big
El Paso is Unique
El Paso is as culturally unique as New Orleans, or San Francisco, or Key West. There is no place in
The City’s New Plan
Here’s an interesting story from KVIA.com: This week the city has come out with a plan to clear up some
Questions Relocation Experts Ask Our City Manager
Getting back to this KFOX interview with City Manager Tommy Gonzalez: “We’ve been successful in bringing different types of big-name
What You’ll Get From the Arena
Best case scenario: Collateral development. Maybe other businesses will spring up around the arena. Like what? When they were promoting
Tommy Gonzalez Doesn’t Share Our Values
The City can’t stop spending your money. Here’s a story from KFOXtv.com titled ‘We haven’t given up on Great Wolf
How Quickly They Forget
I stumbled across this gem the other day. From the El Paso Chamber of Commerce: Recommended Action [regarding the 2012
How Did It Get So Bad So Quick?
In 2012, our property tax rates was 66 cents per $100 of valuation. For FY2023, the property tax rate is
Big Fibbers at City Hall Redux
Somehow I missed the point of City Manager Tommy Gonzalez’ press release about the new budget. When Tommy Gonzalez was
Big Fibbers at City Hall
In a recent guest column at ElPasoTimes.com, Representatives Hernandez, Salcido, and Rodriguez wrote the following: The city of El Paso
Why Your Taxes Are So High
Because the City won’t stop spending money. While we’re catching our breath (this is, after all, an election year) the