What makes for a good quality of life?
I may be shallow, but my Quality of Life is improved when I have a little more money in my pocket, and my bank account.
Way back in May, 2018, El Chuqueño reviewed some of things that make El Paso a great place to live. More recently, El Paso has received some third-party accolades that reinforce the general opinion that life is good in El Paso.
Yeah, my quality of life would be better with a little more money in my pocket. My quality of life would be better if I had a city government that didn’t stick its hands in my pocket for increased property tax, and rising fees for city services, to pay for vanity projects that contribute nothing to my personal quality of life, and for which, in all honesty, we didn’t vote for.
Like that arena that nobody wants and no one can justify.
Last yeat the city of El Paso doubled the fees to use public pools. Now it costs $3 to swim in a public pool. Three bucks isn’t a lot if you’re making $100,000 a year, or $200,000, or close to $1,000 a day, like our City Manager. But if your household is making less than $42,000 a year, like half the households in El Paso, three bucks a day adds up. And if you bring the kids, and the neighbor’s kids, that three bucks a day turns to $20, and then it’s bologna sandwiches and tap water for the rest of the week.
And remember, El Paso is fat and diabetic, and good health is perhaps the ultimate determinant of quality of life, and exercise, like swimming, is good for your health.
The reason for the rising fees, and rising taxes, is the rising costs from the so-called Quality of Life projects. Sure, there’s some rising budget pressure from the increased costs of public safety, mostly due to the rising pension burden. There’s nothing the City can do about that. Nonetheless, our public servants continue to spend money on discretionary projects. Last year’s budget was financed with $86.8 million in Certificates of Obligation. That was money that City Council was under no obligation to spend, but they spent anyway.
No wonder our taxes keep going up.
Meanwhile, the streets I drive on continue to deteriorate, and we have absolutely no traffic cops to help keep traffic moving smoothly and safely. One local businessman I recently spoke with did tell me that he has noticed an overall improvement in his downtown brewery and tavern since the opening of the baseball park. He is the first one I have heard actually say this, and I do continue to wonder how all business downtown is doing. And, how is their business during the off season? We are very poorly served by our elected representatives.
Deadbeach is a really nice brewpub. It’s only a few blocks from the ballpark. Of course they’ll reap the benefits. But I’m too old to drink more than a couple of real beers. After two, I need to switch to spirits.
Drugs and alcohol are cheap as shit in EPTX. Quit yer bitchin’
My biggest bitch is that you have to go to Juarez for cheap booze. We need some of those bars over here.
I was thinking Deadbeach, too. Love that place!