After an approximate one and a half hour executive session, city council voted unanimously to release the previously unreleased emails that were collected pursuant to Stephanie Townsend Allala’s open records request. They also voted to have the Public Information Officer formally request that those current, and immediate past city representatives that have not already given […]
Posted inPolitics
City Council Revisits the Emails and Here’s What Standard & Poor’s Thinks of the El Paso Ballpark Bonds
Today, city council is once again expected to revisit the continued saga of their refusal to release the emails requested by Stephanie Townsend Allala. As is normal for the city, who continues to ignore the will of the voters, the session will both be behind closed doors, in Executive Session, and it will cost the […]
Posted inPolitics
City Tells Investors It Needs to Offset HOT Tax and Team Payments Shortfalls
As you will recall, in a previous post I attempted to dissect the city’s bond documents called the “Preliminary Official Statement”. This document, basically, is a loan document explaining to the investors how they will be paid by the city. As you will also remember, the city had to go back to city council and […]
Posted inPolitics
Eloy Vallina versus the Diario: Translation of Letters
This is a translation of a letter by Eloy Vallina and the response from Osvaldo Rodríguez Borunda that was published in the Diario on August 17, 2013. Please note that I am not a professional translator and any mistakes are entirely my own. In addition, this is not a verbatim translation as I was taught […]
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Open Meetings; Bob Moore and Journalistic Ethics, and, oh yea Susie Byrd Did the Right Thing
Correction, August 18, 2013 at 9:00am: Yesterday it was brought to my attention that I had inadvertently removed some journalists from the discussion thread during my transcription. It was also pointed out to me that the executive session was called by Dee Margo based on “personnel matters”, which is a permissible use of the executive […]
Posted inPolitics
Stephanie Townsend Allala Email Update
As many of you already know the ongoing saga of the release of Steve Ortega’s and Cortney Niland’s emails continue to be delayed by the city. I have speculated in a previous post that the delay may have to do with the city floating the bonds to pay for the ballpark fiasco. Or, it could be […]
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City Council Ordinance is More Smoke and Mirrors
Correction: Yesterday’s city council action was a resolution, not an ordinance. I have changed the word ordinance to resolution. (August 14, 2013 08:38am) Oh, wow it’s been a busy week for political shenanigans. I have many issues to discuss and very little time to do it in. It’s amazing how the telenovela that is El […]
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Orlando’s Soccer Stadium, A Comparison to El Paso Baseball Stadium Fiasco
Last Friday, August 9, 2013; Orlando business owners’ email boxes received an email from Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer regarding a deal he had worked out with Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to fund a soccer stadium for Orlando. As a relative new resident to the Orlando area, having arrived about two years ago, I do […]
Posted inTechnology
Facebook Not a Good Way to Keep Up with El Paso News
I have been noticing lately that as Facebook continues to implement its revenue model the content that is generated by us, the bloggers is being pushed away from your news feeds. Although I try to keep you abreast of new posts, I notice that my posts do not usually show up on your feeds. In […]
Posted inPolitics
What Happens if the City is Unable to Pay the Stadium Bonds
As I wrote on my post on August 6, 2013 questions forced me to learn a little more about how the municipal bonds work. Although I am definitely a neophyte when it comes to the bond market, some would say on everything, I nonetheless wanted to share a little of what I learned. One of the […]