The rest of Commissioners Court, not so much.
Today Precinct 2 Commissioner David Stout asked Commissioners Court to consider a resolution asking them to oppose putting the downtown arena is Duranguito. From the El Paso Times:
El Paso County Commissioner David Stout wants the county to take a stand against the selection of the Duranguito neighborhood in Union Plaza as the site of a new $180 million arena.
Stout will seek the support of the rest of the Commissioners Court on Monday. He wants to pass a resolution opposing the City Council’s latest decision that returned to an original plan which would make the controversial Duranguito neighborhood the preferred site for the new multipurpose arena.
“I think that we should make our voices heard,” Stout said. “I’m not sure if my colleagues on the Commissioners Court are going to agree with me or not, but I have not taken this step as of yet because I thought that the city was going to do the right thing.”
Obviously Commissioner Stout has a much higher opinion of the politicians at the City than I do.
But, alas! The other members of the County Commissioners Court felt that the County should not step on the City’s turf.
Update: The El Paso County Commissioners voted 4-1 against Commissioner David Stout’s resolution to take a stand against Duranguito being the location of the future Downtown arena.
Stout argued that “The county is entitled to represent the residents, we are their voice.” The other four commissioners felt it was not the county’s place to oppose the arena.
It makes me wonder why we have County Commissioners Court at all. Only Precinct 3 Commissioner Vince Perez represents the parts of the county that aren’t in city limits. Why are we paying Commissioners Carlos Leon and Andrew Haggerty $90,000 a year when they feel like they’ve got no business representing their constituents inside the city?
What the hell are they doing?
Are they just figureheads, like the Queen of England?
The difference between Commissioner Stout and the rest of the Commissioners Court is the difference between principles and politics.
Once you start compromising your principles, pretty soon all you’re left with is compromise and no principles.
Can’t wait to see the Commissioners Court backpedaling doubletalk in tomorrow’s press.
Great move by him, and excellent question from elrichiboy. Why the hell have representatives to CCC from the City itself, if they are afraid to buck City Hall, or the sorry CC?
My feelings exactly.
We have a commissioners’ court because the city is not (yet) the size of the county.
The County Judge and the County Commission are required by law. Cities aren’t. It’s amazing that Escobar would use the idea of a battle of motions between city hall and the county as a reason. It wasn’t that long ago when Perez stuck his nose in city business with a letter to the DA. And it was just last year when Escobar wrote a letter demanding that the city do something about Chief Allen’s “black lives” comment. She claims now that she did it as a private citizen but wasn’t it on county letterhead? http://www.kvia.com/news/el-paso-leaders-pen-letter-in-response-to-police-chiefs-comments-about-black-lives-matter/89154363
It’s time to rethink our representative structure.
Why are we paying redundant salaries and not getting better results? If County commissioners are required by law and city representatives aren’t, why do we need overlapping representation… especially when they aren’t representing US?