According to this story in the El Paso Times, Mayor Oscar Leeser had this to say about El Paso’s economic development:
Leeser compared the progress El Paso is making to planting a fruit tree. His comparison began with purchasing the tree from a nursery, then driving it home — in a Hyundai. Leeser is president of Hyundai of El Paso. The audience was quick to catch on to the business plug.
“You have to keep watering the tree before it bears fruit,” he said as he continued the analogy.
I guess now we’re still digging the hole. We’ll get the tree later.
What would you say if you were mayor of the U.S. city that lost the greatest share of locals last year?
El Paso is unique. We should build on and honor our unique qualities. It’s not for everybody. Nor should it be. We’re stuck in a low wage, low education, low expectation economy that worked well until globalization took hold. Now we have to make a decision. We need to invest in the future. Not ballparks or goofy trolleys or a dozen other projects that make us look like the Beverly Hillbillies on the border to the rest of the world. Solar makes sense. High speed internet makes sense. I did a lot of business with customers from the south during the rust belt days. Here’s one success story. http://www.cnet.com/news/how-blazing-internet-speeds-helped-chattanooga-shed-its-smokestack-past/