People also vote with their feet.

According to this estimate provided by the City of El Paso, El Paso County population was 833,487 in 2014. For 2015, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 835,593. That an increase of only 2,106, or a quarter of one percent.

The estimates are based on the population in July of each year, and published in September. The latest estimates should be out next month.

I’m sure that there are more than 2,106 babies born in El Paso County every year.

People are leaving. They’re going where there’s work. Higher taxes aren’t going to attract business.

When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

10 comments

  1. I have made more than one effort to bring this interesting fact to the attention of people. Why do they think that the population within the boundaries of EPISD is dwindling? We need to stop thinking about growth, concentrate on fixing what we’ve got, and work on stability.

  2. Interesting theory…but here’s mine: work, jobs, business growth and development in a city is tied to quality of life in that city. El Paso was once the size of Austin, San Antonio and San Diego and probably at some point bigger but now El Pasoans can’t wait to move there. Although we can debate the reality or perception of what the the true meaning of quality of life is, my theory is that our city has suffered from arrested development due to the longstanding sway of naysayers, NIMNS and shortsighted denizens that stand on the sidelines and crow about the futility of building ballparks downtown, investing in public art and generally smearing anyone that dares to work towards a “better” El Paso and maybe might make a profit.

    1. But you’re missing a step. How is business growth tied to quality of life? If you’re a business looking to relocate, aren’t profits and the cost of doing business key elements in your analysis? Or do you say, “Hey, they’ve got Triple A ball, it’s cool if I lose a little money”?

      Personally, I like people making profits. If we had more of that, we’d probably wouldn’t have to raise taxes every year.

      1. I’m a businessman in El Paso. I moved here over 30 years ago because of the weather, the natural beauty, the people and the culture. Baseball was nowhere on my radar. I did well. But things have changed. Nobody in their right mind would locate in El Paso with the tax situation that we have right now. I’m moving my business outside of the county. I’ll probably sell my house and move to New Mexico. I’m not alone.

      2. Missing a step? Yes we’re all missing a step or two. But how is business tied to Quality of Life? C’mon Rich, that’s an easy one. Do you think that Company’s, corporations and Entrepreneurs relocate their factories/headquarters to a city that has nothing to offer in terms of Quality of Life for themselves and their staff, simply because of a friendly tax base? Cheap land and labor? How has that worked out for us when we compete against aggressive quality of life environs like Austin, San Diego and even Albuquerque? Am I saying we don’t need to create a fiscally sound and business friendly El Paso and only focus on quality of life? Of course not. We need both.

        1. Uh, I’m pretty sure you never mentioned fiscally sound till those last few sentences.

          Our new swimming pools won’t compete with San Diego’s beaches, and we’ll likely never have the college market that Austin had when they went into orbit, or Albuquerque’s access to mountains and winter sports, or their proximity to the military scientific bases.

          That glittery gewgaw doesn’t overcome the burden of high property tax rates. El Pasoans got sold a bill of goods.

          1. Uh, no, I didn’t mention anything fiscal or anything else either because I was referencing “Quality of Life”. Funny how that works, huh?
            And no we don’t have those fabulous beaches, or all of those what-evers so what, we just give up? Don’t ever try? Save our money? Cut down all our trees? What do we need those for anyway! We’re a desert! let’s not pretend we’re something else right? I guess I’m a reverse anarchist. I say let’s pay a little more in taxes. Let’s shoot the moon. Let’s encourage the El Paso millionaires to invest in El Paso instead of taking their money to Vegas or Palm Springs or La Jolla like they have for decades. And let’s throw money at them in the form of tax incentives. You want to see an example of what happens when the wealthy make their money in their city and spend it elsewhere? Juarez.

          2. Well, Henry, that’s part of the problem. You can’t really talk about Quality of Life projects without talking about fiscal responsibility. With your attitude, you may qualify for a life in public office.

            And I’m not talking about the millionaires, or tax incentives. I’m talking about taxpayers and taxes. What are you talking about?

            And I think a reverse anarchist might be fascist.

            And I happen to like Juarez. Have you been lately? We’re lucky to have a foreign country right next door. And I’m probably lucky that I don’t have to live there, but like most people who grew up in El Paso, I’ve considered it. If the wealth and income distribution keeps getting worse on this side of the bridge, El Paso may well end up looking a lot like Juarez anyway.

            Now take a breath and fix yourself a drink. Relax. It’s Friday.

  3. No drinks till I set you straight! Just kidding Rich. I hope you enjoy discussing El Paso as much as I do. I like to go hard and truthful so I hope you don’t take my BS personally.
    Now, about that fascist, public office shit…
    Taxpayers and taxes is what we’re both talking about. I believe your position is: Taxpayers should not and can not throw money at quality of life projects. My position is that your position is regressive and untenable if we are to progress as a great city. Yes I said Great. We can continue to be mediocre and wring our hands and save tax money but we can’t attract great capital and business here by failing to do what other successful cities have done. I’ve lived in Austin, San Diego, Las Vegas and San Francisco for many of their formative years (San Francisco is the exception) and I visit all of them every year since and I have stories to tell. Does it make me an expert. No. Maybe. I was involved in each one as a Marketing/Advertising Agency principal. Also as a Rich Wright character that sought out all that there was to do in the city including hiking, dining, dive bars, entertainment venues and such.
    As for Juarez, I limit my visits to the Kentucky Club and an assortment of restaurants/bars in the Campastre areas. My work used to take me to every city in mexico and I really miss the adventure and discovery there.
    And… you and I are probably in lockstep when it comes to railing against the wealth and income distribution that is ruining America.
    Shots!

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