Spot the Liar

From last week’s El Paso Inc.:

[B]uilding the arena within 1,000 feet of the El Paso Convention Center would allow the city to recover about $25 million in sales tax paid to the state, city Rep. Cortney Niland said Friday.

. . .

Niland said an additional $25 million is an important reason for sticking with the Union Plaza site immediately south of the convention center.

“We would lose it if we picked the other site,” she said.

And now, from today’s El Paso Times:

The city is also looking into whether it may qualify for about $25 million in additional funds from state tax credits. The additional funding may allow the city build an arena with more seating.

That piece of the article appeared between two quotes from City Attorney Sylvia Borunda Firth, though it’s not directly attributed to her. That’s either pretty sloppy or pretty slick reporting.

So, $25 million in tax rebates: Do they have them, or don’t they have them, or don’t they know?

Likewise, we’re still waiting to see those emails documenting the discussion between the City and Union Pacific regarding the rail yard site: From a November 15 piece from KVIA:

[District 8 Representative Cortney Niland] made the accusation after the Railroad claimed, in a recent article in the El Paso Times, it has not had any discussions with the city on the sale of a rail yard for a potential arena site.

Niland said the city has recorded calls and emails proving the city did reach out to Union Pacific.

And from that same previously mentioned story in the El Paso Inc.:

“It’s not true that city did not engage,” [City Attorney Sylvia Borunda Firth] said. “For all those reasons, the railroad site was set aside by City Council.

“I hope that clears it up, because we did not lie to you.”

Maybe by “we,” she means not all of us, or some other slippery legal disclaimer. And “engage” is a big enough word that you could hide the Russian army under it.

I reckon you can’t spit in City Hall without hitting a liar. Not that I’m suggesting you do.