by Rich Wright The world is getting smaller. Okay, not really, but it seems like it. Computer algorithms keep pushing
Category: Economic Development
Is El Paso Cool?
I remember when I lived in Austin, back before the invention of the automobile, there were Phds flipping burgers at
Corruption and the Decline of El Paso
Some people would have you believe that El Paso’s apogee was 1950, and we’ve been in steady decline ever since.
The “Future of El Paso” Debacle
If you only get your news from El Chuqueño, you missed this piece of news. From ElPasoMatters.com: The National Science
The Arena Saga
I am tired of writing about the ongoing swindle that local governments keep trying to pull on us. I’m talking
Revisiting the 2012 Quality of Life Bond Promotion
Debbie Nathan was a local hero. She’s still a hero, but she’s not local anymore. Ms. Nathan is an accomplished
Another Reason We’re Doomed
Leila Martinez has it figured it out, according to this ElPasoTimes.com article: Upskilling. That’s what El Paso’s workforce needs to
Inflation, Chucostyle
Did you get a gas bill this month? Was it about twice as high as last month’s? Ouch. Have you
Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back in the Water
From the dead tree edition of the El Paso Inc.: Two years after it was rezoned from farm/ranch land to
Community First Coalition’s TIRZ Panel Discussion
Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones are a dubiously effective economic development tool. In El Paso, TIRZs are used to deprive the
HOME Nuestra Señora Apartments Shaping Up
by Rich Wright HOME (the Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises, nee the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso) is
Retrovision: The City’s War on Small Business
This post originally appeared on 7 December 2016. God bless those nice people in city government. They are completely clueless.
Retrovision: The Road to Economic Development
This post originally appeared on 06 June 2013. This post has been slightly edited. As an El Pasoan, I appreciate
Rightsizing El Paso’s Government
by Rich Wright When you’re in a hole, stop digging. It’s time to acknowledge that the Borderplex Alliance’s plan for
You Are Still Paying for the Great Wolf Lodge Fiasco
by Rick Bonart While Council investigates trivial gas card infractions, millions of public dollars are being wasted. Left unchecked, these
Arrogance
If you look at the Census Bureau estimates for El Paso’s population, the inflection point was 2012. It didn’t turn
DRAINING THE SWAMP: FOAC COMMITTEE TO AUDIT CITY 380 AGREEMENTS AND NO-BID CONTRACTS
by Max Grossman According to the Texas Comptroller, “Chapter 380 of the Local Government Code authorizes municipalities to offer incentives
Retrovision — Economic Impact
This article originally appeared on 17 January 2017. What do you think has more effect on the El Paso economy.
“Lots of Empty Spaces”
Here’s a story from the El Paso Times headlined Downtown El Paso’s vacant buildings await next wave of redevelopment: Lots
Why Tommy Gonzalez Got Fired
It happened. El Paso City Manager Tommy Gonzalez got canned Tuesday after 7 or 8 years on the job. By