If you liked the way the ballpark deal went down, you’re going to love the deck park.
From CBS4Local.com:
On Monday, El Paso County Commissioners approved an agreement with the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), for it to apply for a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the county will match $1 million for the project.
If you’re not familiar with the Downtown Deck Plaza, the project aims to add green space and public areas by creating a deck on top of the I-10, where it cuts through downtown El Paso, near the West Star Tower and the Artspace Lofts where it cuts through downtown
“In other words, the county would become the owner of the project, and with that ownership, some responsibility to it come,” said Eduardo Galvan from El Paso MPO. “There was a lot of discussion on that, and I believe that the ownership questions will merit more discussions between commissioners’ court.
Funny, innit, that the Commissioners’ Court, which has been trying to convince the voters that the county is fiscally responsible in light of the impending bond election, would not only promise a million dollar donation to the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization, but also take ownership of a white elephant?
Is the lack of a deck park the most pressing issue for El Paso County? Is it more important than sidewalks and street lighting in the Lower Valley? Maintaining the jail and its annexes? Early childhood education, and feeding the hungry?
Who does the Commissioners’ Court represent?
Commissioners’ Court used to be the good guys.
$1,000,000 – My County tax for over 1,400 years.
If you could pay that in advance we’d all appreciate it.
Did you miss the part where the County took “ownership” of the deck park?
Fiscal management by imagination right there. It simply boggles the mind that they come up with this straight-outta-left-field concept. How is this the County’s business? How would such a thing benefit the people who live in Fabens or Tornillo or Canutillo or anydamnwhere else within the confines of El Paso County?! To top this off, the local “news” is already talking about this deck as if it is a done deal by the wording of their headlines. Has anyone asked how emergency equipment and personnel can quickly access the scene of a potentially deadly accident that could happen under that deck in future? Does anybody care?
A couple of days ago there were three jackknifed trucks blocking the lanes of Interstate 10. How would you like to be stuck in that tunnel when it turns into a parking lot?