Judging by the amount of email and messages, through my website, that I get when I point out that your taxes are going up it seems that this little inconvenient fact is something the local politicians don’t want me to write about. I notice that commenting on the issue is not an option because those of you demanding that I stop writing about El Paso, or worse, yet, that I meet some unfortunate event in my life sooner than later betray yourselves by ignoring the facts that I point out. I have now decided that 2015 will be the year of taxes for El Paso.
I know, I’m sorry for my friends that live in El Paso but the facts are clear and unequivocal. The public policy agenda being driven by Veronica Escobar and cohorts will impose significant tax pressures upon all of you. It is basic economics, the politicians have been spending much more money than the city’s residents can afford. It has all been wrapped around the rosy notion that “it’s all good El Paso” that is nothing more than lipstick on the pig. The public policy agenda proponents are in full-mode public relations distraction mode in the continued attempt to distract you from the unfortunate reality that your taxes will significantly go up this year.
Did you really think the recent announcement by the horde that they will be raising $10 million for the children’s museum was to benefit your children? It is nothing more than a ploy to distract you from the trickling news about the impending taxes. Look closely at David Crowder’s article in the El Paso Inc. The title of the article insinuates that there is “$10M help for children’s museum.” However, the reality is that the cabal is only “raising $10 million for an El Paso children’s museum,” not giving $10 million towards the effort. There is a significant difference between giving $10 million and lending your name to ask people to donate $10 million. The whole announcement is nothing more than a con to distract you and the gullible news media of the impending doom of taxes.
Of course, I will be getting emails from those of you that wish I’d simply vanish but before you send it my way consider the following two most recent inconvenient truths.
The first is that the Public Service Board (PSB) also known as the water utility, but in reality just a city department, approved raising your storm water fees by 8%. True to form, the rhetoric is wrapped around the notion that “this is the first time the storm water district is raising their fees.” Of course, conveniently and as part of the distraction con the notion is that the storm water district is separate from your water bill. The other related inconvenient truth glossed over by the con artists is the fact that your water bill was also raised by 8% back in November.
I’m sure many of you look at your water bill each month and tell yourself, look, my water bill only went up 8% and my storm water bill only went up 8%. Not likely! As you write the check or you click on the “pay bill” button you are probably dreading the next city or county bill in the mailbox.
Unfortunately, that is not the only example of the impending tax doom I can point out. The second example is that those of you living in the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) area you better brace yourselves because as much as I decry the taxes coming out of the city and the county, the fact remains that the majority comes from the school districts. I can hear it now, “but it’s for the children” the politicians will collectively cry.
I’m sure many of you noticed that in order to close down schools, because of dwindling enrollments, the school district is looking at spending almost a billion dollars! First, notice how the politicians create the illusion that the dwindling enrollment is because students are moving out of the EPISD district, which is El Paso proper, but yet continue to insist that El Paso’s core, downtown, is attracting new growth and revitalization? On one hand, El Pasoans are leaving for the outskirts but on the other hand, El Pasoans are excited about the growing tax base in downtown. Ha, ha excuse me while I laugh at the idiocy of the whole thing! Here is an inconvenient question the politicians dare not ask. Are El Pasoans abandoning El Paso proper because of the tax burden on them? C’est pas possible, it’s impossible they wink-wink to each other!
More importantly, why is it that it takes money to close down schools because of the lack of money? Oh, my bad, I forgot that those making that decision today are a group of unelected people that have lived on the backs of the taxpayers for far too long. It is easy to say, well we have the problem of dwindling revenues because everyone is moving out so we need to spend a billion dollars to get rid of the extra assets we have when it’s just another way for them to get to your money.
As you digest that little nugget, as if a billion was a nugget, consider what entities stand to benefit the most from the billion dollars. Another little inconvenient truth is that the architectural firms, general contractors, insurance providers and lawyers are the ones that will be paid from that one billion.
Now who were the people arrested and jailed in the most recent public corruption scandal? Oh yea, that’s right, the contractors, the architects and the lawyers all pushing for public works. I’m sure by now you must be chocking on that one billion nugget. Unfortunately, I have more for you.
I know, I know why can’t you just leave El Paso along since you don’t live here anymore some of you are collectively groaning.
The problem is the cabal needs to be called on their swindle. That one billion is a little nugget, well maybe not so little, but it is only the beginning of the impending tax doom to come.
Some of you seem to believe that once the unelected board is replaced by the elected one the problem will magically fix itself and the one billion will go away. Not so fast. Consider another inconvenient fact. Susie Byrd is one of those elected official that will be taking her seat at EPISD. Byrd has yet to meet a tax she didn’t somehow figure out how to use to shore up her own bottom line. Just look at how she is milking the El Paso Children’s Hospital today while it lays off people and owes the taxpayers’ of El Paso money.
How is it that the El Paso Children’s Hospital can afford to pay Susie Byrd but not pay its other bills?
Hmmm, you all know I like to connect dots. So here is one. Veronica Escobar and cohorts need to ram taxes down your throats to keep the public agenda in play and to keep themselves at the taxpayers’ trough. What better way than to wrap a tax increase under the guise of “it’s for the children” when the need to save the children’s hospital is finally revealed to the public.
The lack of facts about how to save the children’s hospital is about waiting for the best time to sneak in the issue under the taxpayers’ radar so that no one notices that it will be the taxpayers that will pay for saving the children’s hospital. If you do not believe that Veronica Escobar had any influence over Byrd’s current job then you would believe me if I told you that I was going into space soon. Oh wait, some of you might actually start a collection to buy me a one-way ticket on the next commercial experimentation flight into space. On second thought, nix that comment!
As for the EPISD unelected board, some of them are obviously part of the team that rammed the ballpark down your throats while the rest are just salivating at the opportunity to make money from the issuance of more public debt. They may not be playing on the same team but they all know that they have to wink-wink and look the other way so that they also get a chance at the taxpayer trough.
It is all related, the Quality of Life Bonds, the UMC fiasco, the El Paso Children’s Hospital, the water utility and the school districts are the tools being used by the horde to keep the scam in place. Sadly, what you are seeing today is only the beginning.
Martin, perhaps it took you to move out of El Paso to see the truth. The majority of residents have been raked over the coals so long, they believe it’s good for them.
What is happening in El Paso is we have a crime commission that has sit downs and decide who gets what territory. Everyone is happy especially the Boss, he’s getting his cut. Of course when you stop thossing some money upstairs, there goes your re-election or contract.
El Paso still doesn’t get it. The earners keep taking your money for the Boss and what do we have ? School system is still in chaos, except now it’s loaded with pedophiles. The infrastructure hasnt been repaired and looks terrible. Only fast food or call center jobs. Still referring to the city as Juarez’s sister, a city that continues to maintain its status as a dangerous place. Maybe the earners want the 1920s Chicago to return.
Think I’m exaggerating? Doesn’t the Plaza contract appear to be managed by the mob. Budget overruns, poor work, work delays and you gotta pay extra if you wanna toilet. Look at the number of historical building being condemned over night as being un-repairable. They have maintenance crews but somehow nothin gets repaired. We have people that have connections, being charged and never prosecuted or in some cases the enforcers make sure there is no record of the crime.
Gotta git back to the job, the Boss wants his cut (taxes) by tomorrow. Hey Paulie, let’s go. Fuddgedboutit.
Not only is Susie Byrd partaking at the Children’sHospital, she sits on that steering committee that is behind the school closures. All that proposed spending has her greasy hands all over it. It’s not about the children. It’s about Veronica Escobar’s masters’ plans for El Paso. Let them put up who ever puppets AG thd school board to run their show but vote NO on any bonds. Stop enabling corruption.
Oh my goodness Martin…you’re maliciously disparaging the reputations of so many “up-standing” citizens in one article. Here come the David K empty lawsuit threats in 10, 9, 8….
The scams and the amount attributed to the scams and extortion deals (bonds, propositions, boards and authorities, ordinances, and “law”) that comes from all levels of government are far too numerous in El Paso than the scams you get from any individual. Thanks, Martin, for pointing out that El Pasoans will continue to pay enormous amount of taxes for the luxury spending (sometimes in the form of color of necessity) these progressives and irresponsible managers, lawyers and judges. What we are seeing in El Paso is theft of the public through Fascist means. Just, recently, I heard that Socorro ISD will find the money to take instant background checks on visitors and cameras for buses to check for “violators” who drive by when the bus sign supposedly pops out…it may sound good that is about the security of children, but it’s also great means for revenue for SISD for the “need’ to build more schools (possibly with low turnout like EPISD) that can threaten property owners for taxes and ownership. The buses loaded with the cameras will be considered a form of police, like the unlawful red light cameras, by filming people and allowing a fine of $300.00 to any “violators”. Now, if you don’t pay a fine, would it mean your child can’t go to school?
Extortion and scams galore happen in the El Paso, and apparently the majority of taxpayers and “voters” think its fine.
So right…
But remember what happened to the one that stood for “NO NEW TAXES”.
The Boss forced him (Tony) to plea guilty to something that he could not even had committed. Afterwards, Mrs. Pleaters just took over and everything was back to “normal”.
Even the syndicate FSWF is now in full swing.
Que Gacho!