Our Budget Deficit

By now you’ve heard that El Paso is facing a $3.5 million deficit, and City Council will probably raise property tax rates to make it up.

I’m probably not as smart as the average taxpayer, so I’ve got some questions maybe y’all can answer for me.

Seems like for the last couple of years we’ve incurred some expenses related to the destruction of City Hall, and the relocation of city offices. Where did that money come from? Did we borrow money that we’re now repaying? Is that part of our current cash flow problem?

Or did we have a little money left in the kitty, and we decided to put that into our grand experiment in downtown revitalization?

Is this $3.5 million a one time expense? Or is it part of a recurring cash flow problem that can only be alleviated by squeezing regular donations from the taxpayer?

Are we going to have a tax rate increase every year now? Are we trying to dig our way out of a hole? Are we trying to spend our way to prosperity?

It seems like these are questions that ought to be answered. If anyone knows the answers.

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