Look, when they hired him, they told him that we were sitting on a half a billion dollars of Quality of Life bond projects, and we needed someone to manage it.
Don’t you think that was a turn on for Tommy G?
Then he hired some cracker jack department managers. Those department managers don’t have an idea that doesn’t cost a million dollars, at least.
And Tommy G is focused on winning management trophies. I haven’t been able to find the criteria for that Baldridge Award, but it’s a truism in business that what you measure is what improves. So obviously the Baldridge Award doesn’t take into account Economic Development, or citizens’ tax burden.
And City Staff can go back to telling us that the bond measures passed, even if the bond promoters lied to us from Day One.
It all goes back to Joyce. And Joyce had her own agenda, which didn’t have a lot to do with what was good for El Pasoans.
Remember, when they pitched the City Manager position to us, they said a City Manager would provide “continuity” as elected officials came and went.
I guess that’s great, if we’re headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, we left that path a long time ago.
But elected officials aren’t the only things that change. Circumstances change, too.
And if we’re not getting the results that were promised to us, we need to change course.
Unfortunately, our elected officials aren’t strong enough or smart enough to push back against the City Manager and his cracker jack staff. Our elected officials just try to justify City Staff’s arbitrary, ham-handed, decisions.
We’re in a ditch, and our elected officials aren’t interested in or capable of fixing it.
Tommy is about Tommy and nothing else.
Lily is about Lily and nothing else. Anyone who knows her knows she is a blood sucking terror. Happy she didn’t get re-elected.
I said it before, and here I go again: We really need to dump this ridiculous City Manager idea, and return to a Strong Mayoral form of local government, but with real Mayors, not John Cook wannabe’s, you know? We have been screwed by our elected representatives, who only represent the few rich, and by their hires.
If only, even past council had a spine.. makes you wonder.
You are absolutely correct, Rich. Joyce and Tommy are bringing us to our knees. I actually think we have passed the point of no return and that the City will end up in receivership within 5 years.
I remember a time very very long ago, that I was trying to do my part in becoming an educated voter. It was when there was no City Manager that I met one of the Assistant Managers. Things seemed to go well on our first meeting, unfortunately, it would be our first and last meeting because Tommy brought on his OWN people, people LOYAL to him! But it’s our fault, “we the people” believing in our elected officials. Oh well. Don’t get me started on Great Wolf Lodge, and how the tax paying person is gonna benefit from this? Why are we investing so much money into the City Water Parks? Is El Paso not supposed to be about bringing revenue generator businesses here? Not give them tax break over hand & fist!
We need signatures. We need to have a special election to get rid of the City Manager position.
El Pasoans complain a lot, but they fail to show up to vote! If El Pasoans really want our City Government to change, the only power we have is to vote.
Your 1 smart individual Max, thanks for sharing. And yes i knew for years it was all about el paso, most riches peoples self interest and political gains to further their agenda.
I remember doing background research on this guy when the Larry Romero shenanigans were going on. Not good. Squeezing vendors. Having sports tickets left under his doormat at his house. There was a reason he was fired by the city of Irving, but El Paso politicos being what they are, thought they had struck gold. What they found was fool’s gold. Romero’s brother John, did his income tax for $100. Really? A guy with multiple revenue streams, including what he was getting paid to get out of Dallas; and he went to John Romero who is just a bookkeeper. NOT a CPA. NOT an attorney. Makes one wonder.
I hate to say it, but El Paso continues the massive brain drain. The only people who make money are the guys who’ve always made it. Although it is interesting how Foster was able to squeeze in. Now you have guys like Tommy Gonzalez and Juan Cabrera who are getting paid thousands for basically doing the bidding of the Powers that Be.
I attended an east side community meeting with business owners about three years ago, and this clown of a city manager was the main speaker. He was late to the meeting, and quickly said he took a pay cut when he was selected El Paso’s city manager. He was wrong because his current job was the only one available. In the fact, the city council that selected this clown were bigger clowns then Tommy G.