by Rick Bonart While Council investigates trivial gas card infractions, millions of public dollars are being wasted. Left unchecked, these
Category: Taxes
CITY POPULATION DECLINES ANOTHER 1,000 INHABITANTS SINCE LAST YEAR
by Max Grossman The American Community Survey (ACS) of the Census Bureau has revealed that as of July 2022, the
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
Our Taxing Politicians
You read here that email that Max Grossman sent out, decrying the proposed $10 increase for cars registered El Paso
Buried in Debt
I lifted this image from the FY2023 City of El Paso Budget Book: You’ll notice that this year we payed
My Take: About the City’s New Bond Rating
by Rich Wright I get it. If you can believe everything the City is telling us (always a dubious proposition),
Max Grossman: About a New Bond Rating for the City
by Max Grossman Luisa Barrios of KTSM 9 News broke the “news” on Thursday that the Kroll Bond Rating Agency
“Adios, Amigos”
El Paso’s population growth continues to stagnate, according to this report in ElPasoMatters.org: El Paso County’s population grew by fewer
CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON FATE OF STREETCARS, WHICH LOSE $2.9M PER YEAR, COSTING TAXPAYERS $44.61 PER RIDE!
by Max Grossman Tomorrow under agenda item 17 our City Council will decide the fate of our insolvent streetcars, which are
Our Forecast Budget Shortfall
Look up at that graph there. I lifted it from the budget presentation that the City gave to City Council
More Blood From a Turnip
You probably got a letter from El Paso Water last week. The letter announced a new fee that our municipally-owned
The City’s “Slush Fund”
by Max Grossman If you pay a monthly water bill like I do, you will notice a tax levied by
Economic Development?
Everybody’s talking about all the Economic Development taking place downtown. Here, for instance, is that nice lady who has taken
The Problem With TIRZs
Part of the reason that property taxes are so high in the City of El Paso is because not everyone
Economic Development for the Few
Some of those arena advocates act like it’s our patriotic duty to support downtown development. “Economic development,” they say. “Fortune
Retrovision: “How Quickly They Forget”
This article originally appeared on 2022 August 31. I stumbled across this gem the other day. From the El Paso
The City’s ED Policy is a Mess
No, not Erectile Dysfunction. That’s a separate discussion all together. Economic Development. The City’s Economic Development policies are designed to
Taxes & Tax Incentives
Taxes are killing the local economy. Taxes hurt small businesses two ways. First, our punitive tax rates take a big
El Paso is Unique
El Paso is as culturally unique as New Orleans, or San Francisco, or Key West. There is no place in
The City’s New Plan
Here’s an interesting story from KVIA.com: This week the city has come out with a plan to clear up some