This is a partial text of a public comment made by Steve Strumer to El Paso City Council on 18 October 2016.
A group of friends of mine has pleaded with me to speak concerning the next fiscal year budget of 2018. My good friend Bill Giraldez said to me, “Steve, please do something about these property taxes. What do I have, a sign on my back saying ‘Take my money, please?'” He lives near Artcraft Road. He has two young adult children and is General Manager of the DoubleTree Hotel. My friend Vanessa (she’s an outstanding florist) told me here at the tax office they actually froze her account until she paid off her taxes.
I want to talk about people’s complete lack of contentment with these things. About people moving in numbers now to Sunland Park New Mexico to avoid paying taxes according to accurate real estate records in Sunday El Paso Times.
Council, oh council, these things ought not to be.
My friends on Springwood on the east side are so upset it is beyond description. These two are longtime El Paso homeowners, over 50 years, in their 91,92 year mark. And I can tell you my church elder Thire is ripped shade over the demolition of City Hall and high property taxes.
These are not the opinions of itinerant cranks. These are good, solid El Pasoans who are distressed beyond the normal pale of conventional description. I shudder to think what may happen if this continues the same.
These things ought not to be.