Aug 26, 2024 Commissioners Court Regular

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OH OH.

OH OH. GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. TODAY IS MONDAY, AUGUST 26TH, 2024. COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS MEETING IN REGULAR OPEN SESSION. TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY ASL INTERPRETERS. DANIEL GARCIA AND

[1. OPEN MEETING]

[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

[3. INVOCATION]

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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A NATION UNDER ONE FLAG THAT REPRESENTS A VERY DIVERSE PEOPLE, WITH THE YET TO BE REALIZED PROMISE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE DO NOT NEED TO KNOW A PERSON'S RELIGION IN ORDER TO RESPECT THEM. WE SIMPLY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE TRUSTWORTHY, TRUE TO THEIR WORD, RESPECTFUL OF DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. THE PROMISE OF AMERICA IS THE ABILITY TO LIVE OUR LIVES UNENCUMBERED BY DOCTRINE, AND THE FREE AND THE FREE AND THE FEAR OF PRACTICING OUR FAITH IN THIS SHARED MOMENT, WE EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE AND THE LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES IT PRESENTS. MAY WE BE OPEN TO THE WONDER AND BEAUTY THAT SURROUND US. FINDING INSPIRATION IN THE SIMPLEST OF THINGS WITH A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE. LET US GO FORTH INTO THE WORLD, RADIATING POSITIVITY, COMPASSION, AND LOVE. MAY OUR COLLECTIVE ENERGY CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT, TOUCHING THE LIVES OF MANY AND INSPIRING A BRIGHTER, MORE HARMONIOUS FUTURE. LET US WORK TOGETHER TO PUSH OUT HATE AND DIVISION DURING THESE DIFFICULT DAYS AND SUPPLANT IT WITH LOVE, HONESTY, JUSTICE AND PEACE. ENJOY YOUR WEEK. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK. THANK YOU. JUDGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY OPENING COMMENTS BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THE AGENDA? YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK ALL OF YOU HERE FOR BEING A COMMISSIONERS COURT ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OUR COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE ALWAYS VERY GLAD WE HAVE SOME GREAT TOPICS, A GREAT RESOLUTION TODAY AND SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL ENJOY. SO ONCE AGAIN, HAVE JUST AN AMAZING DAY AND A WONDERFUL WEEK. THANK YOU ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, COMPOSED OF ITEMS FOUR A THROUGH FOUR A. OH, WE DO HAVE A CORRECTION TO READ IN FOR ITEM FOUR B ITEM FOUR B SHOULD BE APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO SIGN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN EL PASO COUNTY AND THE CITY OF EL PASO, TEXAS FOR ANIMAL SERVICES NECESSARY FOR THE MUTUAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE HEALTH AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS OF ALL JURISDICTIONS. FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2024 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2025. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN GENERAL FUND, ANIMAL CONTROL, ANIMAL IMPOUND FEE CONTRACT NUMBER 2024 0122. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS MEMBERS OF THE COURT OR PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. I'M UNABLE TO ACCESS THE VOTING SOFTWARE, BUT I VOTE BY AND COMMISSIONER ON MINE. THE ITEM THAT'S UP ON MY SCREEN IS THE RESOLUTION, NOT THE CONSENT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO STATE YOUR VOTE, COMMISSIONER? I ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ITEM FIVE, RESOLUTION FIVE A

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[5. RESOLUTIONS]

[A. Approve and adopt a resolution designating September 6 - 8, 2024, as SoldierCon Days in El Paso County, Texas. Carlos Leon, Commissioner, Precinct 1, 915-546-2014]

JERRY. OH I APOLOGIZE, MR. MOLINA WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT. HE'S IN TRAFFIC. FIGHTING TRAFFIC. RIGHT NOW, BUT. YEAH. SO, APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING YOUR TIME TO RECOGNIZE SOLDIER CON. SOLDIER CON IS A. WELL, LET ME DO THIS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SIR? JERRY JACOBS. JERRY. JERRY, LET ME DO THIS. LET ME READ THE RESOLUTION AND THEN WE VOTE ON IT. AND THEN THE MIC IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHEREAS SOLDIER CON, AN ANNUAL EVENT DEDICATED TO HONORING SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, WILL BE HELD FROM SEPTEMBER SIX TO SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2024, AT THE STARLIGHT EVENT CENTER IN EL PASO. WHEN WERE ASKED, SOLDIER CON WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2015 TO ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON MILITARY FAMILIES SEEKING TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL COMIC CONVENTIONS, AND HAS SINCE GROWN TO INCORPORATE A WIDE RANGE OF ATTRACTIONS, INCLUDING A CAR SHOW, COSPLAY CONTEST, DRIFTING EXHIBITIONS. GOT TO FIND OUT ABOUT DRIFTING EXHIBITIONS AND STUNT MOTORCYCLE PERFORMANCES. AND WHEREAS THE EVENT, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN HELD ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST, IS NOW MOVING TO EL PASO AS A RESULT OF ITS EXPANDING POPULARITY AND SIZE, MAKING NECESSARY TO UTILIZE UTILIZE A LARGER VENUE.

AND WHEREAS RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOLDIER CON AND ITS MISSION TO SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY, ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS FROM ALL BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY WILL BE GRANTED COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION TO THE EVENT, REFLECTING THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO HONORING THOSE WHO SERVE AND WHEREAS THIS MOVE TO EL PASO REPRESENTS A NEW CHAPTER IN SOLDIER CON'S HISTORY AND SHOWCASES THE COUNTY'S DEDICATION TO PROVIDING MEANINGFUL AND ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCES FOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WHEREAS THE COUNTY OF EL PASO WELCOMES SOLDIER CON WITH OPEN ARMS AND SUPPORTS HIS CONTINUED SUCCESS IN CELEBRATING AND APPRECIATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EL PASO JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT SEPTEMBER 6TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2024, BE DESIGNATED AS SOLDIER CON DAYS IN EL PASO COUNTY AND WE ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN AND SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT EVENT. SOLDIER CON DAYS IN EL PASO, TEXAS, SIGNED THIS 26TH DAY OF AUGUST 2024. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LEON, SECOND BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. JERRY. COMMISSIONER STOUT, YEAH, WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE COMMISSIONER STOUT. YES, YES, I VOTE I I'M GOING TO VOTE AYE AS WELL. BUT THE BUBBLE ISN'T POPPING UP TO VOTE, SO MOTION CARRIES. THE PODIUM IS YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YES, JUDGE. THANK YOU JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS AGAIN APPRECIATE YOU ALL ALLOWING US TO BE HERE AND TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THIS UNIQUE EVENT THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO HOLD, NOT THIS WEEK, BUT THE NEXT WEEKEND, THE 6TH TO THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EVENT. I WAS APPROACHED BY MR. MOLINA ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THIS NEW EVENT, WHICH I HADN'T HEARD OF BEFORE, BUT HIS KIND OF SIMPLE EXPLANATION TO ME WAS IF A SOLDIER IN THEIR FAMILY GOES TO COMIC CON, THEY HAVE TO PAY $35 A TICKET. AND IF YOU HAVE FOUR PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY, YOU DO THE MATH. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR A YOUNG SOLDIER IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, OR A SERVICE MEMBER OUT THERE AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO HE'S BEEN DOING THIS EVENT SINCE 2015. HE'S DONE IT IN DIFFERENT PLACES. I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE ANNUAL LOCATION FOR THIS EVENT IN THE FUTURE. BUT IF YOU KNOW WHAT A COMIC CON IS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE COMIC CON, BUT WE CALL IT SOLDIER CON. IT'S THE SAME THING PEOPLE DRESS UP, THEY GET TO MEET FAMOUS ACTORS, THEY HAVE A CAR SHOW, THEY DO THE DRIFTING. I DON'T I DON'T DRIFT EITHER, COMMISSIONER. SO, THAT'S WHAT IS DRIFTING. IT'S WHEN THEY TURN THE WHEN THE VEHICLES TURN THE CORNER SO FAST, THEY JUST KIND OF THEY DON'T ACTUALLY TURN. THEY DRIFT AROUND, THE RACETRACK. SO THAT'S A THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF IT. IT'S GOING TO BE HELD AT THE STARLIGHT CONVENTION CENTER. THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THE AREA SET UP BEHIND THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHERE THEY'LL DO THE DRIFTING AND THE CAR SHOW AND STUFF OF THAT NATURE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A FANTASTIC EVENT, AND IT'S JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FOR THE SOLDIERS OUT THERE, IT'S ALSO ANOTHER REASON WHY WE ARE

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I THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO. YEAH. NO ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENT. WE DO HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. FIRST, WE HAVE EL PASO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. CINDY JUDG. BEFORE WE. YEAH. BEFORE WE STAR,

[6. PUBLIC COMMENT]

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YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL SUPPORTERS OF OUR EL PASO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS HOSPITAL WAS ENVISIONED, MANY YEARS AGO, BEFORE IT EVEN OPENED, THE PHYSICIANS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY DEMANDED A SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL. AND IT TOOK THAT LONG TO GET IT BUILT, BUT IT GOT BUILT WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER AND ALL THAT, THEY DO, THE SOUTHWEST UNIVERSITY PEDIATRIC BLOOD AND CANCER CENTER. AS COMMISSIONER, STOUT TALKED ABOUT, IS NOT JUST AN INFUSION CENTER, BUT IT'S ALSO AN INPATIENT UNIT. AND SO WE HAVE 24 BEDS WITH A SPECIALIZED STAFF WHO ARE TRAINED TO TREAT MANY TYPES OF CANCERS THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT PLAN. AND AS YOU HEARD COMMISSIONER STOUT TALK ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY GROUP THAT GIVES THE CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE SAME PROTOCOLS AS YOU WOULD SEE MANY OTHER LARGE HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THE NATION SO THAT THE CHILDREN CAN BE TREATED RIGHT HERE AT HOME. AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN THEY THRIVE. IN TOTAL, WE HAVE TREATED OVER 800 NEW CHILDREN RIGHT HERE AT HOME SINCE 2012. THUS KEEPING THEM HOME WITH THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR FRIENDS TO BE ABLE TO RECOVER.

OUR NUMBER ONE FORM OF CANCER IS ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA. AND I'M VERY FORTUNATE BECAUSE I'M STANDING AMONGST THE TEAM WHO TAKES CARE OF ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, SPECIFICALLY LED BY DOCTOR BENJAMIN CARCAMO, WHO HAS BEEN A PILLAR WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS FOR ONCOLOGIC CARE AND OUR NEW SPECIALTY CENTER THAT WE RECENTLY OPENED UP IS CONTINUING TO HELP US TO GROW OUR SUBSPECIALISTS COMING UP, WE'RE GETTING READY TO OPEN OUR EIGHTH FLOOR OF THE HOSPITAL WHERE ALL OF YOU ALL WILL BE INVITED. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT, AGAIN, WILL ALLOW US THE EXPANSION THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE PATIENTS AND ALSO TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURES ON THE ONCOLOGIC FOUR AS WELL. SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD, FIRST OF ALL AND INTRODUCE THIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL RIGHT HERE. THIS IS MIA VASQUEZ, AND THIS IS HER FATHER, DANNY, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM HERE WITH US. AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEE THAT THE TEAM HERE, STANDING HERE, OUR NURSE PRACTITIONERS, OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, EVERYBODY HAS A HAND IN TAKING CARE OF THE CHILDREN WHO GO THROUGH THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME ALONGSIDE THEIR FAMILIES. SO, DANNY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? THERE. COME ON. DANNY YOU CAN DO IT. WE GET TO SEE MIA. MIA WAS HERE LAST WEEK WITH US. HI, MIA.

HI. HI. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING DANNY. THANK YOU EVERYONE, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR HAVING US HERE. AND WE'VE BEEN REALLY BLESSED WITH THIS WHOLE TEAM AND HOW THEY'VE BEEN SUPPORTING US THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE JOURNEY. AND, JUST AS LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE FOR ALL THE CHILDREN THAT THEY TAKE CARE OF, IT'S JUST AMAZING. AND WE'RE REALLY BLESSED AND THANK YOU. THANK YO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MIA AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO ASK DOCTOR CARCAMO, WHO LEADS THE ONCOLOGIC TEAM TO STEP UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE AS COMMISSIONERS. I HOLGUIN AND LEON SAMANIEGO, STOUT AND CORONADO. I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST 27 YEARS NOW, AND IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO BE WORKING WITH OUR CHILDREN, IT'S BEEN AMAZING HOW PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY HAS EVOLVED IN THESE YEARS. AND WE HAVE SEEN, THAT THE PROGRESS GOING FROM BASICALLY NOTHING TO, TO A PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU CAN BE PROUD OF. OKAY. NOT ONLY WE ARE A GOOD PROGRAM, BUT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD STANDING IN THE TEXAS, PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY COMMUNITY. AND WE HAVE A GOOD STANDING WITH CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY GROUP. WE JUST HAD AN AUDIT FROM CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY, AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH OUR WORK. OKAY. THEY ARE ACTUALLY VERY IMPRESSED OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AND I ALSO VERY PROUD. IT IS AMAZING TO WORK WITH A HOSPITAL THAT, SUPPORTS A IMPORTANT PROGRAM LIKE PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY IS AND AMAZING TO WORK WITH. THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE AROUND, OUR NURSE PRACTITIONERS ARE AMAZING AND

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COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE SAMANIEGO. MY NAME IS DANIEL VEAL. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AS WELL AS JOHN GONZALEZ TAKING PICTURES OVER HERE IS ONE OF OUR COORDINATORS WHO HE IS, SIR. HE IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GET A GROUP PICTURE WITH YOU ALL. IS THAT OKAY? OF COURSE. WE'D LOVE TO. THANK YOU GUYS. OF COURSE. ANYBODY ELSE WE GOT EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. FOR BEING. HERE YEAH. OKAY GOOD MEETING. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK

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SQUEEZING A LITTLE BIT MORE TOGETHER, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. ARE YOU SURE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. SMILES OVER HERE. ONE. TWO THREE. OKAY. NEXT. YOU GUYS HOLD IT. READY? ONE, TWO THREE. FOUR. FIRST COMMISSIONER. STAFF. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL FOR. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE MISS ELIZABETH CRAWFORD. YES GOOD MORNING ELIZABETH. GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING. AS WE ALL KNOW, ABORTION IS FRONT AND CENTER ON THE POLITICAL STAGE. THERE HAVE BEEN CRAZY COMMENTS COMING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, BOTH DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN. RECENTLY WE'VE WATCHED THE DNC OUTSIDE OF THE DNC CONVENTION IN CHICAGO, FREE ABORTIONS BEING OFFERED BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

RECENTLY, A LEADER OF OUR NATION STATED THAT ABORTION GIVES FREEDOM TO MEN. THERE'S BEEN REACTION FROM THE PRO-LIFE COMMUNITY THAT NOW THE QUIET PART WAS SAID OUT LOUD ABORTION AS, QUOTE, FREEDOM TO MEN. ABORTION IS A COVER UP IN GOD'S WORD. WE HAVE ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF MURDER AS A COVER UP. SOME PSALM 23 THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD. I SHALL NOT WANT. DAVID, THE KING OF ISRAEL, BELOVED BY THE LORD. BUT IN SOME VERY DARK DAYS OF DAVID'S LIFE HE COMMITTED ADULTERY, THEN USED MURDER AS A COVER UP IN DIRECT MURDER, SENDING THE HUSBAND TO THE FRONT LINES OF A BATTLE TO BE KILLED BY THE ENEMY. DAVID WENT ON TO MARRY THE LADY BATHSHEBA. HE THOUGHT HE'D GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS SIN AND MERCY. GOD SENT THE PROPHET NATHAN TO CONFRONT DAVID. AS A RESULT OF GOD'S MERCY, WE HAVE IN SCRIPTURE PSALM 51. DAVID'S PRAYER OF REPENTANCE. PSALM 51 HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O GOD, ACCORDING TO THY LOVING KINDNESS, ACCORDING TO THE MULTITUDE OF THY TENDER MERCIES BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS. WASH ME THOROUGHLY FROM MY INIQUITY, AND CLEANSE ME FROM MY SIN. FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRANSGRESSIONS, AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME. IN MERCY THE LORD BROUGHT GOOD OUT OF EVIL, AND THE GENEALOGY THROUGH BATHSHEBA. THE LINE OF DESCENDANTS EVENTUALLY LEADS TO THE MESSIAH, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AS WE HEAR THE ABORTION ISSUE FRONT AND CENTER IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, AS WE SEE THE STAR OF DAVID ALL OVER THE NEWS. WITH THE WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WE'RE REMINDED OF THE AMAZING LESSON FROM THE LIFE OF DAVID. PROVERBS 2813 HE WHO COVERS HIS SINS SHALL NOT PROSPER. BUT WHOSO CONFESSES AND FORSAKES THEM SHALL HAVE MERCY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE DANIEL DE LA CRUZ. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. DANIEL I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS ON, OBVIOUSLY I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE IN EL PASO, BUT, SOME VERY CONCERNING THOUGHTS THAT COME TO MIND ARE, COMMISSIONER DAVID STOUT'S MOST RECENT COLUMN, CLAIMING THAT WE TAXPAYERS WERE POISED FOR THAT $884 MILLION GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND COS. AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS ME AS A TAXPAYER, I DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHAT SOME OF YOU ARE LIVING UNDER, BUT WE ARE NOT MAKING IT WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, WHETHER YOU'RE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. AND I FEEL AND I SEE AND I WITNESSED THAT YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON HERE AND THERE AND THIS AND THAT, BUT WHO'S REALLY INVESTING ON THESE BONDS THAT YOU GUYS ARE PASSING OR THAT YOU

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IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HANDLE THAT, I GOT ANOTHER ANOTHER AGENDA YOU CAN TACKLE. WE NEED TO FUND OUR EL PASO POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH DRUNK DRIVING HERE IN EL PASO, AND IT'S GOTTEN RIDICULOUS WHERE ONE CANNOT EVEN DRIVE OUT, GO TO THE STORE, GO TO THE MOVIES IN FEAR OF POSSIBLY EVEN GETTING KILLED. AND IT'S GETTING IGNORED. BUT YET LET'S LET'S PASS BONDS FOR OTHER STUFF THAT'S REALLY NOT IMPORTANT. AND I JUST ASK THAT WE PUT SOME THOUGHT WHEN THESE BONDS ARE ARE BEING MISREPRESENTED. BECAUSE I WILL SHARE THIS AND I'LL AND I'LL AND I'LL LEAVE THIS THIS CHAT HERE. SOMEONE TOOK TOMMY GONZALEZ'S PLAYBOOK. AND THE PERSON THAT HAS IT HIS LAST NAME RHYMES WITH SPROUT. HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DANIEL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE HAVE MR. PEDRO. SARAH. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. BROUGHT IT HOME FROM THE TOURNAMENT FROM LAS VEGAS, AND, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY STORY, HOW I BECAME A BOXER. I BECAME A BOXER BECAUSE I WAS BULLIED WHEN I WAS SMALL BECAUSE OF MY BIRTHMARK. AND THAT WAS AROUND SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS OLD. I WAS RIDING THE BUS AND MY BROTHER STOPPED ME THERE AND TOLD ME IF HE EVER HEARD SOMEBODY TELL ME THAT NAMES ABOUT MY BIRTHMARK. HE WAS HE WAS GOING TO HIT ME.

SO THAT I RECORDED THAT IN MY MIND. MY BROTHER'S BIG, SO I'M GOING TO RATHER FIGHT THE SMALL GUYS RIGHT? SO THAT I KEPT FIGHTING UNTIL 12 YEARS OLD. PEOPLE WOULD PICK ON ME, AND I WAS INVITED TO BOXING, AND I WENT AND, WHEN I GOT THERE, ME AND MY OTHER FRIEND WERE ALWAYS HAVING TO. WE'RE ALWAYS COMPETING. WHO WAS THE BEST BOXER IN THAT TEAM? AND, OF COURSE, HE HE HAD TWO WINS. I HAD TWO LOSSES. AND OF COURSE, AT THAT TIME WE WENT TO FIGHT TWO TO LAS CRUCES AND LAS CRUCES. BOOM MANCINI, THE WORLD CHAMPION THERE, HE WAS A FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION. AND JOE HERNANDEZ, THE, THE WAS HIS SPARRING PARTNER. JOE FERNANDEZ IS A BOXER FROM SOCORRO. I WAS SMALL THEN. I DID NOT KNOW WHO HE WHO HE WAS. AND THE THING IS THAT BY THE BY THE TIME I FINISHED THE FIGHT, BOOM MANCINI CAME OVER TO MY CORNER. HE STOPPED FLYING. HE WENT DIRECTLY TO ME AND SAID, PETE, KEEP FIGHTING. YOU'RE GOING TO BE SOMETHING GOOD IN LIFE. AND I KEPT FIGHTING. I DID NOT LOSE 30, 40 FIGHTS UNTIL I HIT NATIONALS. AND, AND, THAT'S WHEN I LOST MY FIRST. MY FIRST LOSS AFTER THAT. AND THEN I BECAME THE ELITE FIGHTER OF THE 80S AT THE END OF THE 80S. AND IN THE 90S, I STARTED BOXING. I WAS ABOUT TO GO PRO, AND I HAD AN ACCIDENT. AND THAT ACCIDENT CAUSED ME TO LOSE MY EYE. I WAS ASSAULTED, AND, I LOST MY VISION AND, I WENT, I FOUND TO DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND ALL THAT, BUT BAD, BAD STUFF THAT'S OUT THERE. AND, IN 2000, I DID IT FOR SEVEN YEARS, AND I GOT TIRED OF IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T MY LIFE. IT WASN'T ME. IT WAS DEPRESSED. HAD MENTAL ISSUES AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF MY BLINDNESS. SO. GIVE ME A MINUTE, PLEASE. AND, SO I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE GYM WHERE I STARTED. SO WHEN I WENT TO PAVO REAL, I, I STARTED TRAINING THERE, AND THE COACH THERE TOLD ME, PETE, WHO ARE YOU? AND I SAID, I'M SO-AND-SO. I'VE WON SO MANY TOURNAMENTS. I TOLD HIM WHO I WAS, WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME. HE SAID INSTEAD OF INSTEAD OF, TRAINING. WOULD

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OPEN IT. THEY CAME, THEY GAVE. THEY LEND ME THE BUILDING SO I CAN TEACH. AND IT'S A BLOCK AWAY FROM WHERE I STARTED. SO EVERYTHING IS FALLING INTO PLACE. AND, RIGHT NOW, I JUST MET THIS LADY RIGHT HERE. I NEED TO TALK TO HER BECAUSE SHE'S FROM FROM EMERGENCE. AND SHE CAN HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEMS. SO THANK YOU GUYS. THIS IS MY STORY. AND IT'S I'M VERY PROUD TO REPRESENT EL PASO SOCORRO BECAUSE MY RECORDS ARE NEVER GOING TO BE BROKEN A LONG TIME.

AND HOPEFULLY, YOU GUYS, MISTER, MISTER, MISTER SAN DIEGO, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START WORKING ON THE ON THE IN THE HALL OF FAME AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S STOPPED FOR A WHILE AND WE NEED TO WORK ON SOME OTHER STUFF IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M, I'M VERY INVOLVED IN, IN MY COMMUNITY.

HOPEFULLY I'VE DONE IT FOR 24 YEARS OF COACH. I'M THE SECOND WINNINGEST COACH EVER IN EL PASO HISTORY. I'M THE OLDEST COACH IN EL PASO HISTORY AT THE MOMENT, ACTIVE AT THE AGE OF 55. I DON'T FEEL OLD, BUT, I AM OLD. THANK YOU GUYS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. PEDRO, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU. OKAY THANK YOU. COME ON.

YOU CAN BE REPRESENTED. I KNOW YOU TOLD US. YES I WAS GOING TO BRING IT. FIRST PERSON TO EVER WIN THIS TITLE IN EL PASO. HAS BIG SMILES OVER HERE. ONE, TWO, THREE. ALL THOSE SMILES, PLEASE.

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OUR NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE IS MISS JENNY SOLO. GO AHEAD. MISS. HI. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M HERE AS A CONCERNED, CONCERNED CITIZEN. AND ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MANY EL PASOANS WHO ARE STRUGGLING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES CURRENTLY IN THIS ECONOMY. AND ENVIRONMENT. THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE TODAY HAVE A DIRECT AND PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, PARTICULARLY THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHOSE HARD EARNED MONEY FUNDS OUR COMMUNIT. NOW, THE REALITY OF RISING COSTS FOR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS DECISIONS TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES. YET AGAIN. IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBERS ON A PAGE, IT'S ABOUT THE REAL DAILY CHOICES THAT THE EL PASO FAMILIES MUST MAKE. CHOICES BETWEEN PAYING FOR FOOD, AFFORDING NECESSARY MEDICATION, KEEPING A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD, OR EVEN STAYING IN THE HOMES THEY BUILT OVER A LIFETIME. WHEN YOU INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES, YOU FORCE PEOPLE TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES DECISIONS THAT NO ONE SHOULD EVER HAVE TO FACE. IN A COMMUNITY THAT PRIDES ON LOOKING OUT AFTER ITS OWN PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE STRETCHED THIN BY RISING COSTS, ARE BEING ASKED TO SHOULDER EVEN MORE OF THE BURDEN. THIS IS NOT AN ABSTRACT CONCERN. THIS IS ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ELDERLY COUPLE WHO MUST DECIDE BETWEEN. THEY ARE GOING TO EITHER PAY THEIR TAX BILLS OR BUY THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS. IT'S ABOUT THE SINGLE PARENT WHO'S ALREADY WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET. IT'S ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FRIENDS, AND OUR FAMILIES. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS CLEAR THAT THESE ARE VANITY PROJECTS VERSUS ESSENTIAL NEEDS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY MUST FUND NECESSARY SERVICES, BUT WHEN THOSE FUNDS ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS NON-ESSENTIAL VANITY PROJECTS, IT FEELS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE FOR PROJECTS. THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE IS NOT REALLY FOR LIFESAVING SERVICES OR ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S FOR PROJECTS THAT WILL WELL, PERHAPS WELL INTENDED DON'T REALLY REFLECT THE URGENT NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. I'VE BEEN TO THE MEETINGS. THEY DID NOT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THESE ARE URGENT NEEDS. WE CANNOT PRIORITIZE NEW BUILDINGS OR OTHER NON-CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE BASIC WELL-BEING OF OUR CITIZENS. AS ELECTION OFFICIALS, YOUR DUTY IS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY. WE ASK YOU TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE AND PRIORITIZE THEIR NEEDS, THEIR REAL, IMMEDIATE NEEDS OVER PROJECTS THAT CAN WAIT. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE HUMAN COST OF YOUR DECISIONS. WE ASK YOU TO ADOPT THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. REAL. NO NEW REVENUE, MEANING THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT THE VALUES OF OUR PROPERTIES HAVE GONE UP SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED RELIEF TO THE HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE BARELY HANGING ON. WE'RE NOT HERE TO OPPOSE PROGRESS. WE'RE HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR BALANCE AND COMPASSION. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT EITHER ALLEVIATE OR EXACERBATE THE STRUGGLES OF THOSE YOU REPRESENT. PLEASE JUST CHOOSE WISELY. CHOOSE TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO PUT YOU IN THIS POSITION OF TRUST. CHOOSE TO PRIORITIZE THEIR HEALTH, THEIR HOMES, AND THEIR LIVES OVER NONESSENTIAL EXPENDITURES. WE, EL PASOANS ARE COUNTING ON YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER REQUESTS TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS.

THIS IS FOR THE PERSON THAT JOINED ON TEAMS. PLEASE HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. OH. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE UMC BOND ISSUE. I AM A NURSE THAT PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT UMC. UMC DOES NOT NEED THESE FUNDS.

FUNDS ARE FOR WISH LIST AND NOT A NEED LIST. UMC NEEDS TO STOP BUYING PRIVATE PRACTICES, BUILDING HUGE CENTERS IN PLACES THAT ARE IN COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES. UMC SHOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS OF GROWING THEIR SERVICES IN AREAS THAT DO NOT NEED PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND BECOME COMPETITION FOR PRIVATE INDUSTRIES. IS MESA STREET ON THE WEST SIDE UNDERSERVED? WHY DID THEY BUY A PEDIATRIC PRACTICE AND OPEN A SURGICAL CENTER THERE? ON THE THERE AND ON THE EAST SIDE WHEN MANY OTHERS ARE IN THE AREA, THOSE FUNDS NEED TO OFFSET COSTS, NOT

[00:50:05]

ADDITIONAL PATIENT CARE PEOPLE. BUT I MEAN, OF COURSE, AS, AS IT GROWS, BUT, YOU KNOW, MORE TOP HEAVY, THEY'RE MOSTLY HIS FRIENDS FROM DEL SOL, AND I THINK AND THEY THINK, LIKE, BUSINESS PEOPLE EXPAND, EXPAND. BUT THEY ARE NOT BUSINESS PEOPLE. THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE COUNTY AND THEY'RE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND THEY DON'T NEED TO EXPAND. THEY NEED TO BE PRUDENT WITH TAX COLLECTED FUND. AND, I LISTENED TO THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS WHEN THEY HAD, THEY HAD SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO DO A BOND AND THEY TALKED ABOUT HAVING MRI MACHINES SO THAT THEY DON'T WAKE UP PATIENTS. AS A NURSE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S A RIDICULOUS POINT.

LIKE, WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WAKING UP PATIENTS WHEN WE DO IT ALL NIGHT LONG BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO VITALS OR WHATEVER. SO WE WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT WAKING THEM UP BECAUSE WE NEED EXTRA MACHINES, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO WAKE THEM UP AT NIGHT. THAT'S REALLY NONSENSICAL. AND THEN, SORRY. AND THEN THE OTHER POINT THEY WANTED TO MAKE IS HAVING MORE ROOM FOR EMPLOYEES.

EMPLOYEES HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM. THAT'S REALLY NOT I MEAN, MOST EVERYTHING IS A WISH LIST. IT'S NOT A TRUE NEED, AND I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION. WE MAY NOT BE THERE.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US WORK AND TRYING TO PAY THESE TAXES, AND BUT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND IT'S NOT OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THAT COMPLETES ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, REGULAR AGENDA SEVEN A RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. BOTH PROPONENTS AND OPPONENTS ON THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 TO 2025 FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

[A. Receive public comment, both proponents and opponents, on the proposed property tax rate for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the El Paso County Hospital District. R. Jacob Cintron, President & CEO, University Medical Center/EPCHD, 915-521-7600]

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING AND SEEKING APPROVAL FOR FISCAL 25 BUDGET, BOTH OPERATIONAL AND CAPITAL BUDGET. AND MIKE WILL BE GIVING A SHORT PRESENTATION. BUT AT THE END OF IT, WHAT WE'RE REALLY ASKING FOR IS A NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH WILL MEAN THAT WE WILL REDUCE OUR TAX RATE, PERCENTAGE BY ABOUT A LITTLE UNDER 7%. AND MICHAEL WILL GO OVER AS A REVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION. WE'VE GIVEN BEFORE. MICHAEL GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MICHAEL NUNEZ HOSPITAL DISTRICT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER I'M GOING TO BE DOING SOME SOME OF THE EXCERPTS WE DID HAVE ON AUGUST 7TH. WE DID HAVE THE JOINT WORK SESSION BETWEEN THE UMC BOARD OF MANAGERS AND ALSO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. SO WITH THAT, SO, HERE ARE WAS THE SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM FROM THAT MEETING. AND. OKAY. I'M GOING TO BE FIRST OFF, IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCIAL HEALTH, I DID WANT TO REPORT WE DID HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL BOND REFUNDING LAST WEEK, ON OUR ON OUR 2013 BONDS. I WILL BE PROVIDING A BRIEF UPDATE. SO WITH THAT, JUST A QUICK COMMENT TO MAKE BEFORE WE GET STARTED. OKAY. AND I'LL READ THIS TOO.

THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT A PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD WHEN THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS ADOPTED. HOWEVER, AS A COURTESY AND IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, WE'RE OPENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME ON THE PROPOSED NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. SO JUST WILL OPEN UP WITH THAT COMMENT. THANK YOU. AND I WILL DO THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN AND THEN WE CAN GO THROUGH THE WAS IT THE THREE, THE THREE WILL BE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND. OKAY WE DID HAVE A

[00:55:03]

NET PRESENT VALUE OF ABOUT 14 OR 15 MILLION, THE OVERALL INTEREST RATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CLOSE ON THIS WAS NOW DOWN ABOUT 4.14%. THE AVERAGE COUPON ON THE REFUNDED BONDS WAS CLOSER TO ABOUT 4.8%. SO WITH THAT, WE DID USE A NEW RATING AGENCIES AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF OUR OF OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, KROLL, THEY DID A RATE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT WITH A DOUBLE A, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE REMAINING OTHER THREE RATING AGENCIES. FITCH, A WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK, STANDARD AND POOR'S, TRIPLE B+ WITH A STANDARD, WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK. AND ALSO MOODY'S BE DOUBLE BE DOUBLE A TWO WITH A WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2025. OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING ON ON THE REVENUE SIDE, JUST SHORT OF 1.7 BILLION. AND THEN ALSO ON THE EXPENSES ALSO JUST SHORT OF ABOUT 1.7 BILLION. THE OVERALL CHANGE IN INCREASE IN NET POSITION THAT THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR NEXT YEAR IS ABOUT 3.3 MILLION. NOW LOOKING IN TERMS OF HOW THE TAXPAYER IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED, WE DO ILLUSTRATE SINCE 2017, YOU'LL SEE WE ARE BACK ABOUT 23.4 CENTS, THE TAX RATE DID GO UP, 2020 AND 2021, BUT DURING, EVEN WITH THE CURRENT, PROPOSED BUDGET, THREE OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, UMC HAS PROPOSED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND LOOKING AT IT HERE FROM THE FROM THE DOLLAR BILL PERSPECTIV, YOU'LL SEE BACK IN 2021, UMC WAS AT 26.8 CENTS, OR ABOUT 8% OF THE TOTAL TAX BILL CURRENTLY. RIGHT NOW IN 2024, WE'RE ABOUT 23.6 CENTS, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO REDUCE THAT FURTHER AS WELL IN THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER, THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD ON THE, THE, THE APPRAISAL VALUE WAS ABOUT $216,705 LAST YEAR. THAT DID INCREASE NOW TO ABOUT 231,000 THIS YEAR, IN TERMS OF THE APPRAISAL VALUE, THE TAXABLE VALUE IS 191,000 LAST YEAR AND ABOUT 205,000 THIS YEAR. SO THE TAXPAYER WILL BE PAYING APPROXIMATELY THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WERE PAYING IN 2024. AS THEY WILL BE PAYING IN 2025. AND LOOKING IN TERMS OF ONE OF THE MAIN USES IN TERMS OF WHAT WE USE OUR THE, THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, YOU'LL SEE THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.

WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT 129 MILLION AND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, PORTION OF THE OF THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR ESTIMATED COST TO PROVIDE UNCOMPENSATED CARE IS ABOUT 244 MILLION. AND OVER THE LAST 7 OR 8 YEARS, THAT IS HISTORICALLY BETWEEN 45 TO 50% OF THE FUNDS THAT WE DO RECEIVE FROM MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TO PROVIDE THE UNCOMPENSATED CARE COST IN TERMS OF A ROUTINE CAPITAL BUDGET, WE ARE PROPOSING ABOUT $26 MILLION UMC, ABOUT 17 MILLION, EL PASO CHILDREN'S, ABOUT 6.2, AND EL PASO HEALTH, ABOUT 2.8 MILLION.

AND THEN LAST, IN TERMS OF OUR PROPOSED DEBT SERVICE, OUR TOTAL DEBT SERVICE IS ABOUT 27.2 MILLION. WHAT IS TAX SUPPORTED IS ABOUT 23.6 MILLION. AND THEN WHAT'S NOT TAX SUPPORTED AND PAID FOR BY HOSPITAL REVENUES AS A SERIES 2023 REVENUE BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF ABOUT 3.6 MILLION.

SO THOSE ARE THE A BRIEF A BRIEF SUMMARY IN TERMS OF THE, THE BUDGET WORK SESSION, WE DID HAV.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP AND SEE WHETHER THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR OUR PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AND TAX RATE. THANK YOU. MICHAEL. YES, COMMISSIONER LEON. MICHAEL, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S INFORMATION, IF YOU WERE STRICTLY TO DEPEND ON THE PROPERTY TAXES, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT WOULD WOULD GO TOWARDS RUNNING YOUR HOSPITAL IN TERMS OF CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, LOOKING AT, WE ARE WE HAVE IT'S ABOUT 9% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE BUDGET. WE WOULD EASILY NEED TO ABOUT DOUBLE THAT SO THAT WE COULD PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT PROVIDES, THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE, WITH THAT. SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THIS THIS AMOUNT HERE OF ABOUT 129 MILLION, THE SHORTFALL OR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 129 MILLION THAT WE GET IN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION COMPARED TO THE ESTIMATED COMPENSATING CARE COSTS. IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS PERCENTAGE, PROPERTY TAXES ARE X PERCENT OF YOUR TOTAL BUDGET. IT'S ABOUT 9% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE BUDGET, 9%. SO EVERYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE TO HUSTLE TO MAKE IT WORK. IS THAT CORRECT? YES WE DO. IN FACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL CENTER, COMPARED TO THE OTHER LARGE PUBLIC HOSPITAL DISTRICTS, HARRIS HEALTH AND

[01:00:01]

OURS IS ABOUT 9%. I THINK, IN MY OPINION, I THINK THE PUBLIC IS SHOULD KNOW THAT BECAUSE, YOU HEARD THE CALLER A WHILE AGO TALKING ABOUT OTHER EXPANSIONS THAT YOU HAVE, BUT THERE'S REASONS FOR THAT, TOO. NUMBER ONE, THE NEED AND NUMBER TWO, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT HOSPITAL, REALISTICALLY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER YEAH. IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE THERE WAS A MENTION OF THE MESA SURGICAL, SITE. THE ENDOSCOPY SITE, IT HAS A HIGHER, UNCOMPENSATED RATE THAN MANY OF THE OTHER LOCATIONS. SO WE DO TRY TO PROVIDE LOCATIONS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND HIGH POPULATION CENTERS TO SERVICE THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY. AND SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT. YOU HEARD EARLIER ABOUT EL PASO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND THEIR CANCER PROGRAM. THIS ALONG WITH OTHER PROGRAMS AT BOTH UMC AND EL PASO CHILDREN'S SUPPORT, IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WHEN EMERGENCIES OR CRISES STRIKE, WE'RE THEY'RE FIRST AND FOREMOST TO HELP, WHETHER IT BE A MASS SHOOTING EVENT OR COVID, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT EVEN WITHOUT THOSE, EVERY DAY WE HAVE TRAUMA CASES COMING TO OUR FACILITY. WE'RE ALSO TEACHING HOSPITAL, WHICH MEANS THAT MANY DOCTORS COMING IN, SOME THAT WILL STAY IN EL PASO TO PRACTICE, LEARN AT OUR CAMPUS. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT TRAINING FOR THEM, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO EXCEL IN THE FIELD THAT THEY'RE IN. AND SO WHETHER YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY OR NOT, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO YOU TO PROVIDE YOU CARE, NOT JUST AS AN EMERGENCY, BUT EVEN BASIC HEALTH CARE. IF YOU NEED A DOCTOR, WE'RE THERE TO HELP YOU FIND A DOCTOR. AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE UNCOMPENSATED CARE, 244 MILLION IS WHAT WE HAVE TO ABSORB. THAT DOESN'T GET PAID FOR BY ANYBODY. OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE 100. AND WHAT IS IT, 29 MILLION. SO THERE'S THAT GAP. SO WE HAVE TO IF YOU WANTED US TO BE ABLE TO RAISE OUR TAXES SIMPLY TO PAY FOR THE FREE CARE WE PROVIDE, OUR TAXES WOULD HAVE TO GO UP ABOUT 90% FROM WHAT THEY ARE NOW. IF WE WANTED TO SUSTAIN THE THINGS THAT WE DO NOW, AND REMEMBERING THAT OUR PROPERTY TAX TO THE TOTAL DISTRICT IS ONLY 9%, IT SHOWS THAT REALLY AS A, AS AN INSTITUTION, WE DO OUR BEST TO BE, SELF-SUSTAINING AND NOT BE A BURDEN TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS EVIDENCED BY THE, YOU KNOW, NOW WITH THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THREE OF THOSE YEARS HAVE BEEN AT NO NEW REVENUE RATE, INCLUDING THIS YEAR. WE'RE GOING IN AT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH MEANS OUR TAX RATE IS ACTUALLY DROPPING A LITTLE UNDER 7% FROM THE CURRENT $0.23 TO ABOUT $0.21. AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS A LOT OF CHALLENGES, OUR PRIORITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT NEED HEALTH CARE CAN COME TO OUR FACILITY AND NOT WORRY AS TO WHETHER THEY HAVE FUNDS OR NOT, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE CARE FIRST. AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. COULD WE GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HOLGUIN, SECOND BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT, A MOTION CARRIES. ITEM SEVEN B DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADOPT THE 2024 PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, DOING BUSINESS AS UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER OF EL PASO. AND IF I MAY JUDGE, YOU MAY HAVE A HANDOUT THAT TALKS ABOUT THEIR OTHER TWO MOTIONS.

[B. Discuss and take appropriate action to adopt the 2024 Property Tax Rate for the El Paso County Hospital District d/b/a University Medical Center of El Paso. R. Jacob Cintron, President & CEO, University Medical Center/EPCHD, 915-521-7600]

[01:05:01]

THE SECOND MOTION ON BEHALF OF THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, I MOVE TO ADOPT A NEW NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE OF 0.219526 PER $100 OF VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 6.84% DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE, WHICH CONSISTS OF A RATE OF 0.033919 PER $100 ASSESSED VALUE FOR THE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST OF THE DEBTS OF THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, AND FURTHER AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE AN ORDER REFLECTING SAME. WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT, I. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM SEVEN C DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO APPROVE THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. DOING BUSINESS AS UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER OF EL PASO FISCAL YEAR 2025. OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS. YES. LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I DON'T SEE YOU

[C. Discuss and take appropriate action to approve the El Paso County Hospital District d/b/a University Medical Center of El Paso Fiscal Year 2025 Operating and Capital Budgets. R. Jacob Cintron, President & CEO, University Medical Center/EPCHD, 915-521-7600]

NICE. MYSELF. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, I MOVE TO ADOPT A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE OF 0.219526 PER $100 OF VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 6.84% DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE, WHICH CONSISTS OF A RATE OF 0.3396. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. SO WE'RE ON THE BUDGET ITEM. AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE SHORTER MOTION. WE WILL SEE MOTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. OKAY. WE GOT IT. OKAY MOTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE EL PASO COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. THE VOTING IS OPEN. COMMISSIONER STOUT. HEY A MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. NO. YES. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT YOU JUST EMPHASIZE. I HEARD THE NEWS THIS MORNING AND IT PORTRAYED UMC AS RAISING TAXES. BUT IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY, WHAT YOU JUST HEARD RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOWERING YOUR TAX RATE. SO CAN YOU GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT? I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE NEWS MEDIA, MEDIA BE ABLE TO TAKE THIS IN AND REPORT IT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. SURE. SO YOU KNOW, IN OUR OUR BUDGET, WE'RE GOING WITH A NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH MEANS BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUES HAVE GONE UP, WE NEED TO REDUCE THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR RATE. SO WE'RE GOING FROM $0.23 AND CHANGE DOWN TO $0.21 AND CHANGE. NOW SOME MIGHT SAY, WELL, SOME OF YOUR PROPERTY YOU MIGHT GET A LITTLE MORE IN PROPERTY TAX THAN YOU DID THIS YEAR. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NEW PROPERTIES COMING INTO THE MARKET THAT ARE ALSO BEING TAXED. BUT WE ARE REDUCING OUR TAX RATE BY A LITTLE UNDER 7% SO THAT WE STAY AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND THAT WILL CARRY US THROUGH ALL THE NEXT

[01:10:05]

CORRECT. NOT NOT YOU GUYS HERE TODAY THAT WAS THE OTHER MEDIA BESIDES YOU GUYS. YEAH. OKAY NO, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORTH AND FOR THE COMMUNITY JUST TO BE BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, SORT OF COME BACK AND CHECK IT OUT ON OUR WEBSITES AND, YOU KNOW, BE PART OF COMMISSIONERS COURT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN BECAUSE THIS IS A CONFUSION THAT LEADS TO, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS HAPPENING THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. AND SO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORTH BECAUSE THAT DID HAPPEN THIS MORNING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LEON.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS JUDGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ITEM SEVEN D PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 114.023114.024114.025 AND 114.026. ACCEPT THE ATTACHED

[D. Pursuant to the Texas Local Government Code § 114.023, 114.024, 114.025 and 114.026, accept the attached presentation and the interim financial report for the month ended July 31, 2024. The interim financial report is located on the internet at: http://www.epcountytx.gov/auditor/publications/monthlyreports.htm. Barbara Parker, County Auditor, County Auditor's Office, 915-273-3262]

[01:15:02]

THE INDUSTRIES SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE ARE THE TOP FOUR CATEGORIES FOR SALES TAX REVENUES RECEIVED. RETAIL TRADE DECREASED BY 1.8%, ACCOMMODATION FOR FOOD SERVICES INCREASED BY 2.9%. WHOLESALE TRADE DECREASED BY 5.1% AND INFORMATION DECREASED BY 0.7%.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS ALL THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE COUNTY BY FUND TYPE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2020. FOR THE GENERAL FUND RECORDED TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 29.3 MILLION AND A YEAR TO DATE, TOTAL OF 318.5 MILLION. THE FOLLOWING SLIDES WILL GIVE US A DETAILED BREAKDOWN. TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES DURING THE YEAR ARE BROKEN DOWN ON THIS SLIDE. EXPENDITURES ARE HIGHER WHEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. THE PERCENTAGE OF THE YEAR, AS MENTIONED IS 83%. THE PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET EXPENDED IS 69.9%. IN FISCAL YEAR 23, IT WAS 66.9%. WE EXPECT THIS PERCENTAGE TO INCREASE AS THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE. LOOKING AT ACTUALS BY CATEGORY, ALL CATEGORIES ARE HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR FOR AN OVERALL TOTAL OF ABOUT 11%. AS OF JULY, THE REVENUES HAVE GROWN BY ABOUT 13.3%. OPERATING EXPENDITURES WERE MOSTLY DUE TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, COUNTY ELECTIONS, GENERAL GOVERNMENT. NON-DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE INCREASE WAS $2 MILLION, DUE MOSTLY TO INDIGENT DEFENSE EXPENSES. PUBLIC SAFETY INCREASED ONLY BY 438,000. THERE WAS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN THE MEDICAL JAIL FOR $2 MILLION INCREASE, BUT THAT WAS OFFSET BY DECREASES IN MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND TASERS AND BODY CAMS. OTHER FUNCTIONS SHOWED AN INCREASE OF $1 MILLION. THIS WAS MOSTLY DUE TO HEALTH AND WELFARE NON-DEPARTMENTAL FOR A PAYMENT WITH THE INTERLOCAL FOR THE CITY. FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, CAPITAL OUTLAY EXPENDITURES INCREASED BY 377,000. TRANSFERS OUT EXPENDITURES INCREASED BY 2.1 MILLION, MOSTLY DUE TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT. IT WAS AN INCREASE OF 605,000 RELATED TO SMALL CAPITAL TRANSFERS AND GRANT MATCHES, AND PUBLIC WORKS NON-DEPARTMENTAL, AN INCREASE OF 1.4 MILLION FOR TRANSFERS OUT GRANT MATCHES. THIS SLIDE GIVES US THE GENERAL FUND CHANGES BY GOVERNMENT FUNCTION IN COMPARISON TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. ONCE AGAIN, THE TOP THREE AREAS OF CHANGE ARE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND THE LARGEST DECREASES ARE IN PUBLIC WORKS AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. THIS

[01:20:02]

THIS GIVES US A PROJECTED FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 98.2 MILLION. THIS IS NOT CHANGED FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN PRESENTING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS RESULTS IN AN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE RESERVE RATIO OF 5.78%. THE FISCAL YEAR 24 PROJECTED FUND BALANCE IS BASED ON PROJECTED REVENUES OF 388 MILLION, AND PROJECTED BUDGET EXPENDITURES OF 401 MILLION.

THIS RESULTS IN A PROJECTED FISCAL YEAR 24 BALANCE OF 85.2 MILLION. DIFFERENCES FROM LAST MONTH INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 944,000 IN PROJECTED REVENUES AND A DECREASE IN EXPECTED EXPENDITURES OF $3.6 MILLION. THE FISCAL YEAR 25 PROJECTION ASSUMES THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE APPLIED TO THE CERTIFIED TOTALS, AND IT'S OFFSET BY APPROXIMATELY $11 MILLION IN VARIOUS ITEMS, SUCH AS FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS, FEDERAL PRISONER INTEREST TRANSFERS IN, AND DISABLED VETERANS EXEMPTION. EXPENDITURE GROWTH IS LIMITED TO AN AVERAGE OF 5%. THE FY 25 REVENUES ARE PROJECTED AT 383.2 MILLION, AND EXPENDITURES REFLECT 421 MILLION AT THIS POINT, SHOWING A FURTHER DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE YEARS AFTER FY 25 ARE BASED ON A 2% INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES AND EXPENSE INCREASES OF 5%. THIS IS THE TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE FULL FINANCIAL REPORT THAT'S LISTED ON THE INTERNET. AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

BARBARA. THE IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE, NO. I'M SORRY. YES. THIS ONE, THIS ONE.

SO THE PROJECTED 20, 24, 85 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE, IS THAT ALREADY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT? THE AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET THAT WE DON'T EXPECT TO EXPEND? YES, MA'AM. SO THAT'S ALREADY TAKEN.

AND HOW MUCH OF THAT IS SALARY SAVINGS FOR UNFILLED POSITIONS? DO YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO BUDGET ON THAT ONE. OKAY, OKAY. NO THAT'S FINE, AND THEN ALSO IN A FEW SLIDES BEFORE WE HAD THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, CONTRACT FOR SERVICES, WE'RE AT ABOUT SEVEN, 6.9 MILLION, UNDER WHAT WAS BUDGETED. BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENCE. IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FUND BALANCE, 23 IS 98, 2024 IS GOING TO BE 85. SO THAT'S ABOUT A $13 MILLION DIFFERENCE. SO THE CONTRACT THE FEDERAL CONTRACT IS ABOUT 6.9. SO FAR. SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE'LL PROBABLY BE. DO YOU THINK SHORT EIGHT 9 MILLION. WE'RE PROJECTING THAT'S PROBABLY THAT'S PROBABLY CORRECT. I'D HAVE TO PULL THE EXACT NUMBERS FOR YOU. THE PROJECTION FOR FY 25, I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE PROJECTING IN THIS PROJECTION ONLY 50 BEDS. I WILL LIKELY INCREASE THAT TO 75, BECAUSE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF MANAGING OVER THE LAST MONTH, BUT THAT'S ONLY ABOUT $600,000 IN ADDITIONAL INCOME. THE OTHER THINGS THAT DECREASED THE 2024 PROJECTION, THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION. SO IF IT'S ABOUT 8 OR 9 MILLION, A SHORTFALL IN THE CONTRACT. BUT HERE IT'S ABOUT A 13 MILLION. WHAT WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS, THE OTHER ITEMS WERE IT'S ABOUT A MAYBE A, $4 MILLION ADDITIONAL 4 MILLION. YES, THE $4 MILLION WAS BASICALLY, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SOFTWARE WAS BEING DECREASED AS WELL AS, RENT LEASES AND HARDWARE. AND BOTH OF THOSE TOTALED UP TO ABOUT $3.7 MILLION. AND AS FAR AS THE REVENUES, THE PROPERTY TAXES, OUR NEW PROJECTION IS, $1.2 MILLION INCREASE. THE SALES AND USE TAX IS DOWN BY 536,000. AND FEDERAL PRISONER IS DOWN TO $5.7 MILLION FOR THE PROJECTION FOR

[01:25:06]

AND I WOULDN'T RELY ON THOSE PROJECTIONS VERY MUCH BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY VARIABLES.

PROPERTY VALUES CAN INCREASE OR DECREASE. THE TAX RATES CAN INCREASE OR DECREASE. EXPENSES CAN CHANGE BECAUSE OF LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES. AND SO THOSE ARE VERY VERY FLEXIBLE NUMBERS. SO, SO THAT THAT INCREASE OF 2% MORE OR LESS WOULD IMPACT OUR BUDGET IN 2025, 2026, 2026. YES 2025. WE'RE WE'RE USING THE ACTUAL CERTIFIED TOTALS AND THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AT THIS POINT. OKAY THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CORONADO YES, SIR. THE BIG TAKEAWAYS FOR OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A DECREASE IN REVENUE FROM WHAT, TWO ITEMS BIGGEST. THE BIG TWO ITEMS ARE THE FEDERAL PRISONERS AND FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT, ALSO SALES TAXES. BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN INCREASES IN EXPENSES. RIGHT. YEAH. BUT JUST JUST ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WE'VE LOST MONEY FROM HAVING FEDERAL INMATES BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO TAKE ON THINGS LIKE, THE SMUGGLING CASES FROM OPERATION LONE STAR AND HOLDING PRISONERS, OR RATHER INMATES LONGER BE BECAUSE OF SENATE BILL SIX. THE OTHER THING THAT AFFECTED OUR 2025 PROJECTION IS THAT WE DID NOT INCLUDE THINGS THAT WERE ONE TIME REVENUES FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE GOT THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT OF $4 MILLION, WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR ANY OF THAT. THE DISABLED VETERAN PAYMENT WE RECEIVED WAS ALMOST $1 MILLION. WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR THAT. SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN 2024 THAT WE DON'T EXPECT TO HAPPEN, OR WE CAN'T GUARANTEE WILL HAPPEN IN 25. SO I CAN'T CERTIFY THOSE REVENUES. RIGHT. AND WHAT WAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THE REDUCTION FROM THE FEDERAL INMATES FOR THIS ENTIRE YEAR SO FAR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR I HAVE FROM LAST MONTH, I DON'T HAVE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, I WOULD NEED TO, MAYBE I DO. HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.

RIGHT NOW IT'S 6.9%. I MEAN, 6.9 MILLION AS OF JULY IS 6.9 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED FOR THE YEAR, LESS THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED. BUT NO LESS THAN WHAT WE DID IN FISCAL YEAR 23, LESS THAN FISCAL YEAR 23. WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER AGAIN? BARBARA IT'S 6.9 MILLION. SO THEN WHAT'S THE AMOUNT JULY. LESS THAN WE BUDGETED. YEAH. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS LESS THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. BUT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT LESS THAN LAST YEAR THAT THAT WAS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. LOOK AT THE BUDGET. LOOK AT THE SERVICES. THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE DOWN ABOUT $10 MILLION. 10 MILLION, 10 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED FROM WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR. YES, SIR. RIGHT AND WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR JUST FOR THE FEDERAL PRISONERS? YES. I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. OKAY, I HAVE THAT. ALL

[01:30:04]

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ON TOP OF THOSE 10 MILLION WE'VE LOST. THE OTHER ISSUE IS AND WE'VE ALSO THE PROJECTED BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, HOW MUCH IN REVENUE? JUST THE DECREASE IN REVENUE THAT WE PROJECTED FOR SALES TAX WAS HOW MUCH LESS UP UNTIL JULY FOR JUNE, FOR JULY, THE SALES TAX THAT WE HAD PROJECTED WAS. MOST OF MY COMPARISONS ARE TO ACTUALS, NOT TO TOTAL FOR THE YEAR. WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE LOST REVENUE AND THE SALES TAX APPROXIMATELY 20 MILLION. IS THAT WHAT YOU MENTIONED? YES. WE BUDGETED $76 MILLION. WE BUDGETED $76 MILLION FOR SALES AND USE TAX. AND WE'VE ONLY COLLECTED 55. RIGHT YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S QUITE A HIT FROM THOSE TWO ITEMS. RIGHT. THE 76 HARVEST FOR THE FULL YEAR. IT'S NOT JUST THROUGH JULY. RIGHT.

FOR THE FULL YEAR. HOW MUCH SHOULD WE HAVE COLLECTED BY NOW TO GET TO THE POINT THAT WE BUDGETED FOR LAST MONTH. SALES TAX IS UP ABOUT 839,000 COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. BUT WE WERE PROJECTING A 3% INCREASE. AND WE'RE ONLY SEEING LIKE 1.5% INCREASE, WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO MUCH DOWN FOR THE YEAR. YEAR TO DATE. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT WERE INCREASES, BUT THEY'RE SLOWLY BEING EATEN AWAY BY THE MOST RECENT MONTHS. AND HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, DO WE SEE HIGHER COLLECTIONS TOWARDS THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, OR SHOULD WE EXPECT IT TO KEEP DIPPING? WE'LL SEE TWO MONTHS OF COLLECTIONS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. ONLY BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF WHEN WE GET THE PAYMENTS AND WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY EARNED, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT FLUCTUATES. USUALLY IT GOES UP, YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL. I KNOW WE HAVE THE SALES TAX HOLIDAY, BUT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS BUY ON THAT HOLIDAY. AND SOMETIMES THERE'S A LITTLE BIT DURING THE SUMMER, BUT IT'S NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS THOSE TIMES. AND APART FROM THE DECREASE IN THE SERVICES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE FEDERAL DETAINEES, THOSE FEDERAL DETAINEES, APART FROM THE REDUCTION THAT WE'VE LOST IN THAT, WE'VE ALSO HAD TO SPEND MONEY ON THOSE DETAINEES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT, FOR PROVIDING THEM AN ATTORNEY FOR COURT TIME PROSECUTION TIME, PROCESSING TIME. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. AND FOOD. AND AS I SAW, WE SAW AN INCREASE IN BOTH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES. IS THAT RIGHT? WHICH INCLUDES THE JAIL? THAT'S CORRECT. RIGHT.

AND WE DON'T HAVE A EXACT NUMBER ON THAT YET. DO WE KNOW? BUT I CAN GET IT FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT.

AND THOSE WERE BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL TAKEN CARE OF BY FEDERAL A FEDERAL INMATE. ALL OF THAT.

YEAH, ALL OF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF FOR THE FEDERAL INMATES, WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WELL, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED $101 PER DAY JUST FOR THE DETAINEE. YES. AND THAT CONTRACT IS FROM A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I THINK. YEAH. AND SO THE, THE COST MAY HAVE CHANGED AND WE'LL BE WORKING ON A NEW, COST ANALYSIS, BUT AT THAT TIME IT WAS CONTRACTED FOR $101 PER DAY. AND I KNOW AND I KNOW THE, THE GOVERNOR HAS CALLED FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR MIGRANTS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SOME OF THE DETAINEES IN OUR JAIL. AND WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY BEING REIMBURSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I MEAN, BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT, ARE WE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR OUR MIGRANTS? NO, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU BARBARA.

THANK YOU BARBARA. COMMISSIONERS WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT. AND AFTER THIS ITEM, I'D ASK IF WE COULD GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR TAX RATE WHILE WE HAVE ALL FIVE OF YOU

[01:35:07]

[F. Receive public comment, both proponents and opponents, on the proposed property tax rate for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for El Paso County. John Sarah, Director, Budget and Finance, 915-546-2262]

SO I WANTED TO THE COURT TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AS WE GO THROUGH THIS OVERVIEW OF OUR COUNTY TAX RATE ADOPTION. THANK YOU, BETSY, FOR THANK YOU BETSY. I'M SORRY, JOHN, JUST REALLY QUICKLY. SO BETSY, THE OPERATING CAPITAL REDUCTION OF 1.8 MILLION, THAT'S WHERE BECAUSE YOU WERE MENTIONING NO. OR IS THAT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, THE 13 MILLION, THE VEHICLES, THE RADIOS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO, THE 1.8 MILLION IS NORMALLY IN DEPARTMENTS AND THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BUY AND REPLACE THINGS LESS THAN $5,000, IN THEIR OWN OFFICES WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS. CHAIRS STENO'S MACHINES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THE 13 MILLION IS WHERE WE FUND OUR CONTINUOUS REPLACEMENT PROGRAM AND SOME OF OUR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS ARE EXCEPTION REQUESTS, IF YOU WILL. THINGS OVER $5,000 THAT DEPARTMENTS NEED. SO DOES THE 1.8 MILLION REDUCTION, TAKE THAT LINE ITEM TO ZERO OR IS THERE STILL SOME FUNDING? ZERO. OKAY SAME THING WITH THE 13 MILLION FOR THE CAPITAL LEAVES $1 MILLION. AND WE HAD A RESERVE OF APPROXIMATELY 5 TO $6 MILLION, ABOUT 5 MILLION, I BELIEVE, 5 TO 6 MILLION. SO TOGETHER WE'D HAVE A LITTLE OVER $6 MILLION FOR EMERGENCIES OR MAJOR PROJECTS THAT THE COURT WANTS US TO HAVE A MATCH FOR. THINGS OF THAT NATURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. BETSY, WHEN YOU SAID VEHICLES, ARE WE FOREGOING, NEW VEHICLES LIKE, FOR PUBLIC WORKS, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? YES, SIR. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE AN IMPACT, LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE. YES, SIR. WE'RE FOREGOING THROUGH THAT BY BY DELAYING CAPITAL. WE ARE FOREGOING THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY REPLACE. AND UPGRADE ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. SO IT'S MORE THAN EVEN AUTOMOBILES JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S FUNDING IN THERE TO UPGRADE AGING EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTY, AGING THINGS ON FACILITIES, ON AN ONGOING BASIS. THAT'S WHERE WE GET THAT FUNDING IS THROUGH THAT CAPITAL FUND. BUT TO BRING A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, THOSE ARE THE THINGS I MEAN, WE WENT THROUGH MULTIPLE TIMES AND REDUCED EVERYWHERE ELSE WE COULD, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BRING US A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET IS BY REDUCING THOSE. SO WHAT I SEE IS IT'S GOING TO IMPACT A FUTURE COURT MUCH MORE THAN IT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THIS COURT TODAY. IF THINGS DO NOT CHANGE AS FAR AS, OUR JAIL POPULATION AND THE COST OF RUNNING THE JAIL, WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. IF A

[01:40:01]

REASONABLY. WE CANNOT REASONABLY SUSTAIN THIS. THANK YOU. BETSY. AND IN THE 13 MILLION IS ALSO THINGS LIKE SAFETY VESTS FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT SHERIFFS. AND IS THAT CORRECT? IT COULD INCLUDE, BALLISTIC VESTS. IT INCLUDES, THERE'S A THERE'S A SHERIFF'S VEHICLES, SHERIFF'S VEHICLES, COUNTY VEHICLES, IT INCLUDES ADA IMPROVEMENTS. IT INCLUDES SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WE REPLACE ON A CONTINUAL BASIS FROM THAT FUND, INCLUDING, OF COURSE, OUR CONSTABLE'S AND JP COURTS.

RIGHT? YES ALL PUBLIC SAFETY JUSTICE INVOLVED ISSUES. EVERYTHING THAT WE NORMALLY FUND FROM THAT IS, IS BEING REDUCED BY THIS. WE DO HAVE THAT FUND FOR, MISSION CRITICAL THINGS THAT ARE AT A STANDSTILL. YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING COMES TO A STANDSTILL, WE'LL HAVE THAT FUND TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THOSE MISSION CRITICAL OR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, BUT IT WILL NOT BE OUR ONGOING REPLACEMENT PROGRAMING. AND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, OUR OUR SO TO SPEAK, OUR RESERVES HAVE GONE DOWN AS WELL. OUR RESERVES HAVE GONE DOWN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WELL. THIS YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO OR LAST FEW YEARS, THEY'VE TAKEN A BIG HIT. YES, SIR. THE LAST TWO YEARS. THANK YOU, BETSY, IF I CAN ASK ANOTHER QUESTION. SO LAST YEAR, WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THERE WAS ABOUT, I THINK, 12 MILLION IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, THAT WERE GOING TO BE PAID FOR WITH THE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WAS COLLECTED AS A RESULT OF THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE. HOW ARE THOSE PROJECTS GOING, CAN WE GET A REPORT ON BECAUSE THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL ON TOP? NO, MA'AM. THAT WAS GETTING US TO OUR LEVEL OF FUNDING. OKAY. THAT WAS GETTING US THAT 12 MILLION BROUGHT US BACK. WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO CUT IF YOU HAD NOT ADOPTED THAT LAST YEAR. AND SO THAT BROUGHT US BACK TO OUR NORMAL CIP FUNDING LEVEL. AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A REPORT ON THAT. YES, MA'AM. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW THOSE PROJECTS ARE COMING ALONG. YES, MA'AM. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE AGAI, THE ONGOING REPLACEMENT PROGRAMS. SO YOU ALL ARE APPROVING THOSE PURCHASES THROUGHOUT YOUR AGENDA. WHEN YOU SEE CARS ON THERE AND YOU SEE IT'S BEING FUNDED BY CIP, THAT'S THOSE ARE THOSE PROJECTS. BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OVERALL ON THOSE FUNDING, THOSE PROJECTS AND WHAT'S FUNDED AND WHAT'S HOW IT'S USED. OKAY THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS JOHN SARAH, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND FINANCE, LET ME AND GET STARTED. SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRESENTING HERE THE THREE, THE THREE TAX RATES, NO NEW REVENUE, VOTER APPROVAL AND THE CURRENT TAX RATE. THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TAX RATES THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF. SO THIS SLIDE THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OVERVIEW FOR THE TAX RATE CALCULATIONS FOR 24 AND PER OUR POLICY WE'VE PROPOSED THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR PUBLIC POSTING PURPOSES ONLY.

THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS CALCULATED AT 0.4263 23. THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS 0.478306, AND THE CURRENT TAX RATE, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW IS 0.45, 88, 89, AT THE CERTIFIED VALUES THAT WE HAVE, EACH 1% OF THE PROPOSED VOTER APPROVAL RATE GENERATES $2.8 MILLION. AND EACH PENNY.

GENERATES $6.7 MILLION. OVER HERE WE HAVE AN OVERVIEW FOR OUR TAX RATES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS FROM 2019. ALL THE WAY TO 2024. EXCUSE ME. AS FOR 25, WE HAVE THE NO NEW REVENUE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, THE PROPOSED VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, WHICH WAS PROPOSED ON AUGUST 12TH FOR A PUBLIC POSTING PURPOSES ONLY. I KNOW UMC ALREADY WENT OVER THIS, BUT THIS CHART, REPRESENTS THE ILLUSTRATION OF HOW THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER DOLLAR IS ACTUALLY DIVIDED AMONGST THE ENTITIES WITHIN THE EL PASO COUNTY, BY YEAR, BY PERCENT AND BY RATE, THIS TAX RATE IS BASED

[01:45:02]

IT'S A MATHEMATICAL ISSUE HERE. WE INCREASED IT SEVEN, I THINK 7.6%. 7.6%, ACTUALLY FROM 0.42 62 TO 0.45 88, BUT SINCE EPISD REDUCED THEIR PORTION, THE BALANCE IS SPLIT AMONGST THE OTHER ENTITIES, MAKING THE PERCEPTION THAT WE'VE INCREASED IT MORE. AND, JOHN, IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY BACK ON THE DOLLAR, THAT'S ACTUALLY OUR PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLAR THAT WE'RE 16.59% OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO THE COUNTY. AND THEN, AS JOHN EXPLAINED, THE MAJOR FACTOR IN THAT IS THE TAX EXEMPTION THAT THE STATE GAVE ON SCHOOL TAXES. SO WHEN THE WHEN THE STATE REVERSES OR IF THE STATE GOES BACK FROM THAT EXEMPTION, WHICH WAS TEMPORARY, IT WILL ADJUST THE PERCENTAGES AGAIN. BUT THAT'S OUR PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLAR. THANK YOU. THIS TABLE HERE SHOWS THE 24 CERTIFIED VALUES. IN 20. SORRY. THE 24 CERTIFIED TOTAL VALUES, WHICH HAVE INCREASED ABOUT $6 BILLION OR 10% OVER THE CURRENT 2023 PROPERTY TAX RATES. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE TOP ROW, THE TOP TWO ROWS, ACTUALLY, WHICH SHOWS 24 AT 67 BILLION, COMPARED TO 23 AT 61 BILLION, THE HOME VALUES FOR THE COUNTY HAVE RISEN FROM AN AVERAGE OF 186,000 TO AN AVERAGE OF 200.9 THOUSAND, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 7.75%. AND JOHN, SEE, THAT'S WHERE I'VE GOT A QUESTION. AND I ASKED BARBARA ABOUT THAT SAME. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOME VALUATIONS INCREASING BY ABOUT 7%. CORRECT. WHERE BARBARA. NO SHE'S SAYING THIS YEAR IT'S 7%. BUT SHE'S SAYING FOR FUTURE YEAR PROJECTIONS OKAY OKAY. SHE'S USING 2%. THAT'S RIGHT. IT WAS FOR 2026. YES SIR. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. SO THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS 0.42 6323. AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE IS 0.478306. THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATES COULD GENERATE $35 MILLION OVER NO NEW REVENUE, AND THAT IS ACCORDING TO, THE INCOME CALCULATIONS BY OUR COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE. NOW, I DO HAVE TOTALLY UNRELATED, BUT I DO HAVE TO MENTION THIS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE HAD TO GO THROUGH WHAT YOU JUST ASKED, MISS KELLER ABOUT. WE HAD TO GO THROUGH ABOUT $40 MILLION OF, OF CUTS, NECESSARY CUTS THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH, SO TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND, WE DID CALCULATE A MIDPOINT BETWEEN NO NEW REVENUE AND VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, WHICH IS 0.45 2315, AT THAT RATE, WE COULD SEE AN ADDITIONAL $17.5 MILLION OVER THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND AT THE CURRENT RATE, WHICH IS 45, 8889, THE INCREASE OVER NO NEW REVENUE WOULD BE 21.9 MILLION. NOW, THIS SLIDE ACTUALLY PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF REVENUE BASED ON OUR CURRENT RATE. AND IT LITERALLY GOES OVER THE SAME AMOUNTS. I WAS JUST, MENTIONING, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THE MIDPOINT OPTION, AND THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. THE VOTER APPROVAL IS THE HIGHEST RATE ADOPTABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO HOLD AN ELECTION, AS WE DISCUSSED DURING THE BUDGET HEARING, SINCE THE CURRENT RATE FALLS BETWEEN VOTER APPROVAL AND NO NEW REVENUE, THE COURT CAN ELECT ANY RATE BETWEEN THE TWO RATES, INCLUDING THE CURRENT RATE. THIS SLIDE ALSO SHOWS THE IMPACT TO HOMEOWNER BASED ON THE NEW VALUES, THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER AT AN AVERAGE VALUE OF $200,956, WILL SEE AN INCREASE OF $0.88 TO THEIR TAX RATE TO THEIR TAX BILL. SORRY AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND

[01:50:07]

WHERE THAT LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE COMES FROM. SO WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT AVERAGE VALUES FOR HOMES. YOUR ACTUAL TAX BILL MAY BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER OR A LITTLE BIT LOWER. ONCE WE AVERAGE THOSE AMOUNTS IT COMES OUT TO $0.88. AND THAT'S I MEAN AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, EACH POINT AFTER THE DECIMAL HAS A MASSIVE IMPACT TO. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, WE HAVE THE DECIMALS AND WE HAVE THE AVERAGE OF HOMEOWNERS. AND IT'S COMING OUT TO THE $0.88.

BUT IT IS, IN REALITY A NO NEW REVENUE FOR US. SO SOME HOMEOWNERS I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. I JUST WANTED TO CAN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING. SO I ALWAYS DO GET THAT ANSWER. I MEAN, THAT QUESTION FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT WHY, EVEN WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH BY DEFINITION IS NOT COLLECTING THE COUNTY, NOT COLLECTING MORE THAN THEY COLLECTED LAST YEAR FROM HOMEOWNERS. WHY THERE IS ALWAYS THAT SMALL AND IT'S USUALLY LIKE THIS, THIS SOMETIMES IT'S A DOLLAR, SOMETIMES IT'S LESS THAN A DOLLAR, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND. BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, FROM YOUR EXPLANATION, THIS IS AN AVERAGE SOME HOMEOWNERS WILL MAYBE PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DID HAVE IMPROVEMENTS. THAT ASIDE FROM THE CAD VALUATION, INCREASES THEIR PROPERTY VALUE INCREASED FOR OTHER REASONS, RIGHT? OTHERS MAY ACTUALLY HAVE SEE DECREASES OR A LESSER INCREASE. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTY, YOU COULD SEE AN INCREASE MAYBE. AND THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL OF 14% TO YOUR HOME VALUE. AND IN OTHER AREAS IT'S ONLY 5%. SO WHEN WE AVERAGE ALL OF THESE OUT AGAIN WITH THE DECIMAL, IT COMES OUT TO THAT $0.88 AS A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE THE PROCESS IS NOT ENTIRELY PERFECT.

YEAH. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EVERY SINGLE PERSON. SOME RESIDENTS MAY ACTUALLY PAY LESS THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR. YEP. SOME MAY ACTUALLY PAY ZERO. YES. CORRECT. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. MORE THAN THEY PAID LAST NIGHT. NOT ONLY THAT, IT'S ALSO OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE COMING ON THE TAX ROLL THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET. SO THOSE ARE THE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT NEW CONSTRUCTION RIGHT. YEAH. NEW CONSTRUCTION IS CALCULATED SEPARATELY. SO IT'S NOT PART OF THIS. SO IT'S NOT PART OF THIS. NO IT'S NOT. THESE ARE JUST THE EXISTING HOMES THAT WHERE REVENUE WAS COLLECTED, WHO REVENUE WAS COLLECTED FROM LAST YEAR. RIGHT. AND THE COMPARISON.

YEP. OKAY THANK YOU JOHN AGAIN. YES, SIR. BETSY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE, BETSY MENTIONED A WHILE AGO IN OUR CURRENT, PROJECTIONS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE AFFECTING PUBLIC WORKS AND PURCHASING EQUIPMENT, NORMA WENT FLOOD EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, EQUIPMENT FOR THE AIRPORT EQUIPMENT, ALL SORTS OF EQUIPMENT, ROAD BUILDING EQUIPMENT. WE'RE GOING TO IMPACT VEHICLES IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. THE CONSTABLE'S, RADIOS. YOU MENTIONED RADIOS ALSO. SO THAT MEANS THAT THE EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HOLD ON FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR, AND MAYBE IT WILL BE REPLACED THE FOLLOWING YEAR. ARE WE TALKING, I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER CORONADO ASKED ABOUT THE VESTS. IS THAT ALSO GOING TO BE, IMPACTED? SO WE WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE. YES, SIR. WE HAVE A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE FUND REPLACING EVERY YEAR RADIOS, VESTS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES. AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE THAT NORMALLY IT'S ABOUT A $14 MILLION FUND TO DO EVERY YEAR TO BE ABLE TO DO A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET. WE HAVE TO REDUCE THAT PARTICULAR AREA. WE'RE FUNDING. WE IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE $1 MILLION GOING TOWARDS THAT FUND AND THEN WE HAVE A RESERVE IN THAT FUND.

SO WE'LL HAVE SOME MONEY FOR EMERGENCIES. AND THIS NORMALLY FUNDS EMERGENCIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE HAD SOME ACES GO OUT AND ELEVATOR SHAFT EQUIPMENT AREAS THAT WE HAD TO EMERGENCY

[01:55:01]

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS, DOESN'T FACTOR IN HYPOTHETICALS. WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT WE KNOW. AND SO AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT BUDGETED FOR THESE KINDS OF EXPENSES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. THEN WE CAN USE THE CONTINGENCIES WE HAD ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT. I'M SORRY, JUDGE, WE. BETSY, WE HAD ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT THE SECURITY ISSUES AT THE JAIL. INSOFAR AS CAMERAS AND SECURITY ISSUES AND THIS BUILDING AND OTHERS. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO FOREGO THAT ANOTHER YEAR, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY PART OF YOUR, PROPOSED PROJECTS UNDER A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION. THANK YOU. SO THOSE ARE FUNDED ALREADY. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN. YOU ALL HAVE NOT APPROVED THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION YET, BUT THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION IN THE UPCOMING. YES, MA'AM. YES. OKAY LET ME MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE IMPACT OF THE MANDATED BUT UNFUNDED EXPENSES, WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY DURING OUR BUDGET HEARINGS IN FY 25, WE ARE HOLDING A STEADY PERCENTAGE OF 54%, SIMILAR TO THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND THIS WAS MAINLY DUE TO DEFERRING COSTS AND HOLDING EXPENSES IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE TO THE SAME LEVEL AS 24 AS FY 24, WE ARE HOPEFUL AND MAYBE THAT WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER. WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE ADDED, EXPENSES DUE TO SB FOUR WILL BE COVERED BY THE STATE IN FY 25, BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT FACTORED INTO OUR BUDGET IN, IN FY 25, THE TOTAL MANDATED SERVICES. ARE $254,341,450, OR AGAIN, 54% OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

AND I'M SORRY, WHAT IS THE SUPPORT COLUMN? OH SO THESE ARE THE, SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE IN BACK OFFICE DEPARTMENTS, AND YOU CAN VIEW THIS AS AN ADDITIONAL, MANDATED BUT UNFUNDED. OR YOU CAN VIEW IT AS A SUPPORT FOR BOTH THE FUNDED AND UNFUNDED, EXPENSES. OKAY. SO THOSE ARE LIKE OUR JUST OUR OPERATIONS, I.T. BUDGET. YEAH. SO IT'S MOSTLY BACK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY SO THAT ACTUALLY CONCLUDES THE SLIDES THAT I HAVE. I HAVE MOTIONS HERE. ARE WE GOING TO GO THROUGH THOSE OR. NO SO, I KNOW COMMISSIONER STOUT HAD TO DROP OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WANT TO. OH. HE'S BACK, LET'S SEE. I'M ON RIGHT NOW. I'M ABOUT TO START THIS MEETING, BUT, I'M ON FOR THE NEXT 5 OR 5 OR TEN MINUTES.

OKAY, SO DEPENDING ON WHAT THE COURT WOULD PREFER TO DO ON ITS TAX RATE, THERE ARE VARIOUS MOTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. SO WE DO NEED TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NEED JUDGE. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A STATEMENT TO READ FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TO CLOSE AND THEN GO TO ACTION. THE ACTION ITEM. OKAY. SO I'LL READ THIS. THE COUNTY MAY OR MAY NOT ADOPT A

[02:00:04]

GOOD MORNING. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN HERE. LAST YEAR I DID IT BY TELEPHONE, SO. WELCOME. WELL THANK YOU, I MOVED TO EL PASO IN MARCH OF 2023. AFTER LEAVING DALLAS, WHERE I SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE AND GETTING TO A TAX BILL OF ALMOST 11,000 A YEAR ANNUALLY. SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL CUT TO THE CHASE. I WON'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHY I LEFT. I LOVE THE SOUTHWEST AND ALWAYS WANTED TO LIVE SOMEWHERE OUT, YOU KNOW, IN ARIZONA. BUT I CHOSE EL PASO BECAUSE OF THE COST OF LIVING. IT HAS A GOOD COST OF LIVING. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, YOU KNOW, I WAS. I WAS UNDER NO ILLUSION REGARDING THE TAX RATES IN EL PASO. I MEAN, I, I HAD DONE MY RESEARCH, I DID MY HOMEWORK, BUT OF COURSE, DUE TO HOME VALUES BEING SO MUCH LOWER HERE I AM PAYING LESS THAN WHAT I PAID IN DALLAS JUST DUE TO THE VALUES, YOU KNOW, I THINK HORIZON CITY, WHERE I'M FROM, WHERE I LIVE IS, IS A HIDDEN GEM, BUT THERE'S AN ASPECT TO THIS PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM THAT I THINK IS, IS NEVER MENTIONED AS THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS ASSESS HIGHER VALUES ON HOMES AND TAXABLE VALUES RISE, HOMEOWNERS ARE ESSENTIALLY PAYING TAXES ON UNREALIZED GAINS. THE PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM ASSUMES, ERRONEOUSLY, THAT IF A HOME HAS INCREASED VALUE, THEN THE OWNER MUST BE PROSPERING FINANCIALLY AND NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THAT REALITY. A HOME INCREASING IN VALUE DOES NOT CORRELATE WITH INCREASED INCOME. THE OWNER DOESN'T MIRACULOUSLY FIND MORE MONEY IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT. THE DAY AFTER THE CAD, THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, ASSESSES A HIGHER VALUE ON THEIR HOME, ESSENTIALLY, HOMEOWNERS ARE BEING TAXED ON CASH VALUE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO UNLESS THEY SELL THEIR HOMES.

AND SO THIS ANTIQUATED METHOD OF COLLECTING TAXES IS ILLOGICAL, IN MY OPINION. IT TAXES HOMEOWNERS WITH NO REGARD TO THEIR ABILITY TO PAY VIA THEIR ACTUAL INCOME OR SALARY. IT SIMPLY ASSUMES PROSPERITY BASED ON HIGHER ASSESSMENTS OF AN ILLIQUID ASSET. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT SOME BLATANT DISPARITIES I'VE NOTICED WHEN I JUST PERUSE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT VALUES OF DIFFERENT HOMES, YOU CAN HAVE TWO HOME OWNERS WHO LIVE ON THE SAME STREET, AND ONE HOME CAN BE VALUED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. THE OWNER OF THAT HOME HAS A HIGHER TAX BILL, OF COURSE, YET BOTH HOME OWNERS ARE ENTITLED TO THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES, AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. IMAGINE GOING TO A GROCERY STORE AND PAYING MORE FOR A CARTON OF EGGS, SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU OWN AN ASSET THAT IS DEEMED TO BE OF MORE VALUE THAN AN ASSET THAT ANOTHER CUSTOMER OWNS. AGAIN THERE'S JUST NO LOGIC THERE. WHY SHOULD TWO PEOPLE PAY DIFFERENT PRICES FOR THE SAME LEVEL OF GOODS AND SERVICES? YOU KNOW, AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS CLEAR I'M NOT AGAINST PAYING FOR NECESSARY SERVICES. POLICE, FIRE INFRASTRUCTURE, REPAIRS TO ROADS. GOD KNOWS WE NEED THOSE. HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THE RECORD INFLATION AMERICANS, INCLUDING EL PASO COUNTY RESIDENTS, HAVE ALREADY BEEN SHOULDERING THAT INDEED IS UNDENIABLY A FORM OF TAXATION ALREADY BEING ENDURED BY EVERYONE. AND DURING THESE TIMES, IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT BUDGETS ARE FISCALLY SOUND. THERE CAN BE NO WASTEFUL SPENDING ON WISH LIST ITEMS. THERE CAN BE NO ROOM FOR ESTHETICS. ONLY ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN BUDGETS. EL PASO RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING AND HAVING TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, CHOOSING ONE NECESSITY OVER ANOTHER DUE TO TIGHT PERSONAL BUDGETS, THEY HAVE NO TAXPAYER POOL TO RELY ON FOR FINANCES IF THEY DO NOT HAVE HIGHER INCOMES, HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO ABSORB THE ADDITIONAL TAX BURDEN OTHER THAN CUTTING OUT NECESSITIES IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL BUDGETS? PRIMARY RESIDENCE HOMES DO NOT PRODUCE REVENUE. THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND OTHER THAN INCOME OBTAINED FROM JOBS, SOCIAL SECURITY, PENSIONS. IF THEY'RE LUCKY, AND OTHER SOURCES OF FIXED INCOME PRIMARY RESIDENCE. HOMEOWNERS HAVE NO OTHER SOURCE OF INCOME. IF TAXES GO UP AND INCOMES ARE NOT GOING UP, ARE STAGNANT, OR EVEN DECREASING IN SOME CASES, THAT'S GOING TO CREATE A CRISIS FOR MANY EL PASO COUNTY RESIDENTS. I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. YOU KNOW, SO FAR, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN TO EL PASO SEVERAL TIMES BACK IN

[02:05:07]

[G. Pursuant to the Property Tax Code, § 26.05(a), adopt a tax rate for El Paso County. John Sarah, Director, Budget and Finance, 915-546-2262]

[02:10:03]

HERE ARE PROPERTY POOR. AND I'M GOING TO SAY IN RESPECT TO MOST OF THE OTHER METROS IN THE STAT, IT'S GOT TO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT OUR TAXPAYERS CAN BURDEN. THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN BURDEN. AND ALL THESE COMPLAINTS WE HEAR ABOUT IT, THE MAJORITY OF OUR TAXES GO TO THE STATE REQUIREMENTS. THE MAJORITY OF IT. SO IT'S NOT US TELLING YOU THAT WE'RE RAISING YOUR TAXES OR THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS. THESE AREN'T WANTS. THESE ARE REQUIREMENTS. LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE JAIL JUSTICE SYSTEM, OUR SHERIFF, OUR OUR, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, OUR CONSTABLE'S, OUR INDIGENT HEALTH CARE, ALL OF THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO. AND WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT WITHIN OUR MEANS, WITHIN OUR PROPERTY VALUES HERE IN THE ENTIRE EL PASO COUNTY. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, DON'T MISPLACE YOUR CRITICISMS ON COUNTY GOVERNMENT OR CITY GOVERNMENT. IT'S BECAUSE OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE DIFFERENT.

THEY'RE LOWER. YET THE STATE REQUIRES US TO DO THE SAME THINGS AS THESE OTHER COUNTIES AND THE REST OF THE STATE. THERE'S GOT TO COME A TIME WHEN WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A RECKONING WITH THE STATE ABOUT THESE ISSUES. THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DID IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S HIGH TIME THAT WE AS COUNTIES, PROPERTY POOR COUNTIES START DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND WE NEED TO GET OUR LEGISLATURE, ON BOARD BECAUSE OUR CONSTITUENTS REQUIRE IT. THEY'RE REQUIRING IT FROM US. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEAK OUT ABOUT THOSE THINGS. YOU KNOW, AND EVERY TIME THERE'S A STATE THAT THE STATE DOES SOMETHING LIKE OPERATION LONE STAR, I DON'T MIND THE GOVERNOR, DOING LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONG THE BORDER AND ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR SMUGGLING CASES. I DON'T MIND THAT AT ALL. THAT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT HE PAYS FOR. THEY PAY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONG THE BORDER. BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID FOR THE JAIL TO JAIL THEM. WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID TO PROVIDE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THEM. THAT'S PART OF OUR BUDGET. THEY'RE NOT WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID TO PROVIDE THEM AN ATTORNEY, WHICH IS REQUIRED. WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID TO PROVIDE COURT TIME, TO PROVIDE PROSECUTOR TIME TO PROVIDE PROCESSING TIME. ALL THESE ADD UP, AND IT'S NOT THINGS THAT WE BRING IN BECAUSE WE SAY, WE WANT YOU TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS.

IT'S A STATE REQUIRING US TO DO IT. WE MUST TAKE EVERY SINGLE, INMATE THAT IS BROUGHT TO US BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT'S WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WE HAVE TO DO IT, AND WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT'S A POLITICAL GAME BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT. AND REALLY, THESE CASES ALONG THE BORDER ARE AN ISSUE OF IN MY OPINION, OKAY, IS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY. AND OUR TWO PARTIES CAN'T GET TOGETHER TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. AND SO NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO PRESS THE STATE TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO PRESS OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO THIS. AND IT'S HIGH TIME THAT THE REST OF THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE, OUR COUNTY, EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY START PAYING PRO RATA FOR ALL THESE ISSUES THAT ARE ONE STATE RESPONSIBILITIES. AND NUMBER TWO, FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES IN OUR BUDGET, THAT IF WE HADN'T HAD THIS, THESE ISSUES COME UP OVER OUR SMUGGLING CASES, OVER SENATE BILL SIX OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE WOULD BE FINE IN DOING A NO NEW A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE

[02:15:05]

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, COMMISSIONER, THAT, THE COLLATERAL IMPLICATIONS AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T LOOK AT WE DON'T SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PROPERLY. WE DON'T RECRUIT AS MANY AS WE SHOULD. WE'VE BEEN HAVING THEM RETIRE MORE, SO WE BEGIN TO GO INTO THIS SITUATION WHERE WE'RE VERY PROUD OF BEING ONE OF THE SAFEST COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY. BUT THESE ARE THE PIVOTAL MOMENTS THAT THAT COULD CHANGE. AND THE COST OF THAT. AND I USE ALBUQUERQUE AS A PERFECT EXAMPLE, WHERE THEY GO FROM A VERY VIBRANT COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, STRIVING ALL THESE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CRIME GOES UP AND CRIME IS ALWAYS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HUGE BURDENS ON OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I FEEL VERY THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT. ONE IS DELAYED HEALTH. PEOPLE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBILITY TO HEALTH, IT'S GOING TO COST OUR COMMUNITY SO MUCH MORE BECAUSE BY THE TIME IT'S ADDRESSED, THAT COST INCREASES AND IT'S A BURDEN TO THE COMMUNITY. SAME THING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT CARRYING IT FORTH, HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SUSTAIN ONE MORE YEAR WITHOUT THE, YOU KNOW, BULLETPROOF VEST, WITHOUT THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT, WITHOUT THE RIGHT VEHICLES, WITHOUT THE RIGHT. IT'S A HUGE RISK. AND I WOULD RATHER TAKE THE CRITICISM OF A DECISION THAN THE FEELING OR THE GUILT THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS NO LONGER SAFE, OR THAT PEOPLE REALIZE ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE ONE OF THE SAFEST IS BECAUSE PEOPLE REALIZE THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HOW STRONG WE ARE. WHEN PEOPLE SEE WEAKNESSES, THAT'S WHEN CRIME COMES IN, WHEN WE'RE NOT PREPARED, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT VEHICLES, THE RIGHT NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHAT'S THE NEXT THING? IT'S A GAME. CARTEL REALIZES THAT WE'RE WEAKER, AND THEN WE GO FROM A SAFE COMMUNITY. AND I CAN TELL YOU THE SAFE COMMUNITY CONCEPT GOES WAY, WAY BEYOND WHAT MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHEN WE TALK TO AMAZON, WHEN WE TALK TO ANY, ANY OF THE COMPANIES COMING IN FACEBOOK, META, ALL OF THESE COMPANIES COME IN BECAUSE WE'RE SAFE. THEY TELL US THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE, THE PEOPLE HERE, THE ENTITLEMENT, THE DEDICATION OF OUR PEOPLE, AND THAT IT'S A SAFE COMMUNITY AND THAT WE ARE YOU KNOW, JUST THIS INCREDIBLE WHEN JUAREZ, OUR GREAT PARTNER, WAS IN REALLY DIFFICULT SITUATION AND WE MAINTAIN BEING ONE OF THE SAFEST COMMUNITIES THAT RANG ACROSS ALL THE COUNTRY, THIS IS QUITE A COMMUNITY THAT CAN SUSTAIN SAFE OF SAFE COMMUNITY. WHILE RIGHT NEXT DOOR THEY WERE HAVING SOME HUGE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES. AND SO I WANT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, THAT THAT WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS. WE LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, MYSELF, BORN AND RAISED IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND FOR SOMEONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S A YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, RECKLESS DECISION, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO BE UP HERE. AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT, IT'S THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT MIGHT HURT YOUR CREDIBILITY OR MIGHT HURT YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THIS COMMUNITY. BUT WE ALWAYS LOOK VERY SERIOUSLY, NOT ONLY RIGHT

[02:20:03]

THEY HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THEIR THEIR CAREER, ABOUT HOW SAFE IT IS OR HOW UNSAFE IT IS. AND IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER, KNOWING THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, THAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE, THOSE ARE HUGE CONSIDERATIONS. SO I DO HOPE THAT THE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN AMAZING COURT. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN PROBABLY JUST EXTREMELY FAVORED BY THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE ON THIS COURT. AND ONCE AGAIN, IT'S NOT A VERY EASY THING TO DO, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE COLLATERAL IMPACT FOR THE FUTURE, NOT ONLY FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY OR THIS YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER AND JUDGE. YES, COMMISSIONER. BEFORE WE VOTE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY A FEW THINGS. AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, I COME FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN THERE'S LACK OF EQUIPMENT, I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN THERE'S LACK OF HELMETS. I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHERE THERE'S LACK OF PRIMARY, EQUIPMENT THAT YOU NEED TO KEEP OUR OFFICERS SAFE. AND NOT ONLY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WAS LOOKING OVER AT NORMA AND LOOKING AT PUBLIC WORKS. WHAT DO THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THIS COMMUNITY VIBRANT WHEN WE HAVE THOSE FLOODS? DO WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO GO OUT THERE? THOSE PUMPERS TO GET THAT WATER OFF THE STREETS? AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, WITHOUT HAVING TO REPEAT WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, IF YOU LOOK AT, EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES, RADIOS, VESTS, SO MUCH EQUIPMENT THAT I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND IT SOMEHOW AND CUT IT IN OTHER PLACES, BUT NOT THIS NO WM GOING TO WORK ON, ON OUR OWN PERSONNEL WHERE THEY WHETHER THEY'D BE IN PUBLIC WORKS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO THIS IS A JUDGE.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. INSOFAR AS, WHY ARE WE SAFE, WE HAVE THE BEST PERSONNE.

WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB AND NOT JUST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT OUR OUR GREAT COUNTY. SO, THANK YOU FOR THESE COUPLE OF MINUTES. AND I, TOO, AM VERY PROUD OF THIS COURT. AND I DON'T WANT TO AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, I WILL NOT BE HERE NEXT YEAR, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE A FUTURE COURT THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH A DECISION THAT WAS MADE BEFORE, BEFORE THEM, DURING THIS THIS PERIOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER LEJEUNE. JUDGE, I HAVE JUST A VERY SHORT COMMENT, BUT I KNOW COMMISSIONER STOUT HASN'T SPOKEN YET, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, COMMISSIONER STOUT AND GO AHEAD. OKAY. GO AHEAD.

COMMISSIONER. NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I, ONE OF THE PHRASES THAT WE KEEP HEARING, DURING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS IS KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. AND I HAVE TO SAY, I DON'T LIKE THAT PHRASE, BECAUSE TO ME, THAT IMPLIES THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDING THINGS BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON, BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK IT'S IMPORTANT OR TO ME, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD IS AFRAID. THAT IMPLIES THAT, THAT SOMETHING IS NOT, THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THINGS SERIOUSLY. I DON'T THINK IT'S A MATTER OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

IT'S A MATTER OF, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, BUT WE JUST PHYSICALLY CAN'T BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO IT. THESE ARE THINGS THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE TO FACE EVERY SINGLE DAY. LIKE THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED WHO SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. I MEAN, I'VE HAD TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AS A HOMEOWNER. THERE ARE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE NOW, BUT I SIMPLY CAN'T DO IT AND HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR AND HOPE THINGS THAT ARE LOOKING BETTER FINANCIALLY. I MEAN, I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS PROBABLY HAD TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITHIN THEIR HOUSEHOLD. SO I JUST I WANTED TO SAY THAT I DON'T LIKE THIS PHRASE, THAT BY NOT RAISING TAXES, WE'RE JUST KICKING THE

[02:25:03]

THAT'S A LOT OF THAT'S MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE TO I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SITTING HERE AND SAYING, HEY, EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S FAIR. YOU KNOW, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, EVEN PLAYING GROUND. BUT IT ISN'T. WE DID NOT ASK TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, $20 MILLION AT THE END OF THE YEAR OF LESS FEDERAL, OF LESS FEDERAL MONIES THAT CAME IN TO HELP US SUPPORT THIS. SO YES, ONE OF THE CONCEPTS IS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT EMBODIES. EVERY THE DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING IS BASED ON THAT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WE'RE NOT WANTING TO DO THAT. I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT. I MEAN, WE WORK HARD AT AT TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS. AND WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE $20 MILLION LESS, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL I MEAN, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT RECEIVING FEDERAL REVENUE, THAT'S NOT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT HAS TO DO WITH SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WITHIN OUR FRAMEWORK OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN OUR BUDGET. YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT. SO PLEASE, AS A COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT LIKE WE DON'T HAVE THIS THIS HUGE THING THAT HAPPENED TO US REALLY HURT US. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HAVING TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS. HAD WE I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT, IF WE HAD THE SAME FEDERAL AMOUNT OF MONEY OF LAST YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR IT WOULD BE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION. AND THEN WE COULD TALK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO RESTRAINT AND, YOU KNOW, TIGHTEN OUR BELTS AND ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS. BUT THIS SITUATION, TO ME, THE GOVERNOR MAKING THAT DECISION AND WHERE WE LOST 700 BEDS THAT USED TO GO TO FEDERAL INMATES, THIS IS A HUGE IMPACT ON US. SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IN MY CASE, I'M NOT NARROWING IT DOWN, JUST THAT I JUST DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHER COURTS DON'T GET THE IMPACT. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS THAT I HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING IN ORDER TO GET TO THIS POINT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR. I'VE GOT A

[02:30:02]

AND OUR RESERVES. AND UNFORTUNATELY, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE HAD TO START USING THOSE RESERVES TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WORRIES ME BECAUSE, MANY OF US DID A LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO TO, TO GET TO THAT POSITION, AND, AND HAVE A HEALTHY, HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. AND NOW WE'RE AGAIN LOOKING AT HAVING LESS THAN 10% FUND BALANCE. AND WHICH, WHICH, WHICH WHICH DOES, WHICH DOES WORRY ME.

AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE, ALL THE WORK THAT WE DID WILL HAVE BEEN, WILL HAVE BEEN MISSED, AND YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE POINT'S BEEN MADE MANY, MANY TIMES, COMMISSIONER, OUT THERE THAT ANY OF THESE INCREASES THAT WE HAVE TO, SPEND, HAVE TO DO WITH STATE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH OUR STATE DELEGATION TO WORK HARD TO STOP THAT CONTINUING. THEY THEY'VE DONE THEY'VE DONE WORK IN THE PAST, BUT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER, IMPRESS UPON THEM, YOU KNOW, THE HUGE NEED THAT WE HAVE, AND I'M NOT SURE IT'S JUST OUR DELEGATION THAT THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE TEXAS CONFERENCE, COUNTIES ASSOCIATION WITH COUNTIES EVERY, EVERY YEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE IT'S JUST IT'S A REALITY THAT WE

[02:35:06]

SO WE'RE WE'RE IN BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. WE'VE GOT TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNIT, WE WANT TO PROVIDE RELIEF, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE WE'RE SPENDING DOWN OUR RESERVES TO DO BOTH, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT CUTTING THINGS THAT, I GUESS SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THEIR NEEDS AND OTHER PEOPLE THINK THAT THEIR WANTS. BUT, BUT MADE THE POINTS TODAY AND TO. TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS WE DO TO PROVIDE A CLEAR EXPLANATION TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THAT WE'RE STATE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THIS. AND, THESE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.

WE DON'T I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD OR THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT WANTS TO RAISE TAXES. WE WANT TO PROVIDE THESE COMMISSIONERS TYPEKIT. I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER STOUT, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN CALL YOU BY PHONE BECAUSE WE ARE UNABLE TO HEAR YOU CLEARLY, I CAN TRY. DID YOU NOT HEAR ANYTHING THAT I SAID? WE HEARD PARTS OF IT, ACTUALLY. NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU MUCH BETTER. WE CAN HEAR YOU BETTER IF YOU COULD SORT OF PARAPHRASE A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE WE GOT SOME OF IT OR MOST OF IT. YEAH. BUT, JUST GOING BACK TO THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE WE'RE IN A ROCK AND BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE STATE MANDATES AND WE NEED TO IMPRESS UPON OUR STATE DELEGATION TO WORK WITH US EVEN FURTHER TO TRY TO STOP THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE IN THIS. WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING TO CUT, I THINK IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, AS A RESULT, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANTS TO RAISE TAXES. WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE RELIEF, BUT BUT WE'RE KIND OF. OUR HANDS ARE TIED BEHIND OUR BACKS WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HEARD MY COMMENTS REGARDING THE RESERVES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET, BUT IT REALLY WORRIES ME THAT WE'RE GOING SO LOW ON OUR, ON THE ON THE NUMBER OF RESERVES, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO BULK UP THOSE RESERVES. AND ALL WE HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS BALANCING THE BUDGET ON THOSE RESERVES. AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE ANYMORE EITHER, GOING INTO THE FUTURE. SO IT'S EITHER THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR OR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF OUR SITUATION AND THE POSITION THAT THE STATE HAS PUT US IN. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. WE GOT THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE, IF THE COURT IS READY, WE WOULD ASK THAT THERE BE A MOTION TO ADOPT A TAX RATE FOR THE 2024 TAX YEAR. JUDGE. YES, COMMISSIONER. CORONADO. BETSY, DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR YOUR ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING THE. NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE? WE HAVE BUILT A BUDGET BASED ON THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE WITH THOSE CUTS AS DESCRIBED. ASIDE FROM THE ITEMS YOU TOLD US WITH RESPECT TO THE, OPERATING CAPITAL, THE CAPITAL AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT FUND, REALLY THOSE THOSE ADD UP TO THE DIFFERENCE IS REALLY IN THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE CUT OUT ADDS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CURRENT RATE AND THE NO NEW REVENUE RAT. THAT'S ROUGHLY THE AMOUNTS, RIGHT? NO SIR, WE CUT MORE THAN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GENERATE WITH A VOTER APPROVAL RATE. NO, THE CURRENT RATE, THE CURRENT RATE WOULD RAISE ABOUT ANOTHER 21 MILLION, SO TO SPEAK.

CORRECT? CORRECT THE 13 MILLION. 6 MILLION. AND THEN 2 MILLION. THAT'S 21 MILLION. OKAY. BUT ALSO THE PART OF YOUR RESERVE THAT YOU'RE USING. YES. IS 1918 TO $19 MILLION ON TOP OF THAT, YES, SIR. RIGHT. YEAH. WE'RE CUTTING OUT FROM THAT THE RESERVES. BUT CUTTING INTO THE RESERVES THAT WE'RE CUTTING OUT AS A SOURCE OF CAPITAL IS APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN THE CURRENT RATE AND THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND I KNOW WE'RE TAKING A HIT ANOTHER 18 MILLION FROM THE RESERVES, WHICH REALLY IT'S A TOTAL OF TO OUR IMPACT IN OUR BUDGET FROM OVER THIS LAST YEAR. THAT'S GOING TO REALLY WE'VE BEEN IMPACTED SOMEWHERE AROUND 35 TO $40 MILLION.

[02:40:04]

THAT'S I THINK JOHN STARTED OFF AND HE SAID WE'VE CUT WE'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH AND CUT ABOUT 40 MILLION OUT OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO BRING YOU A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET. AND I THINK THERE WAS A SLIDE IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT HAD THE NO NEW REVENUE RECOMMENDATION, CORRECT? OH, YES. IT DIDN'T SHOW THE 40 MILLION THAT WE HAD TO CUT, BUT IT SHOWED, LET ME GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE. SO THERE IS THIS ONE. I THINK THAT'S THE ONE YOU'RE REFERRING TO. NO, I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE THAT ACTUALLY HAD THE LANGUAGE. IF WE WANTED TO MAKE THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT MOTION. SO PER STATUTE, WE WOULD NEED TWO MOTIONS. ONE FOR THE NO RATE AND ONE FOR THE SINKING RATE AND OR THE INS RATE, SO HERE WE IT'S NOT A PROPOSAL. IT'S BASICALLY JUST A SLIDE TO SHOW WHAT THOSE, MOTIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE UNDER NO NEW REVENUE. BUT THE COURT, YOU KNOW, CAN CAN ELECT TO, TO GO WITH ANY RATE, BETWEEN THAT AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION AS PROPOSED BY STAFF, TO ADOPT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN FOR THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN.

MY VOTE IS A JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS. JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE MOTION FOR THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO MOTIONS. THIS STARTS YOU START WITH THE NO. SO IT'S THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADOPT A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE FOR THE 2024 TAX YEAR. THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE FOR EL PASO COUNTY IS A PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 0.00.426323 PER $100 ASSESSED VALUE THAT CONSISTS OF A RATE OF 0.376119 PER $100, ASSESSED VALUE. FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF EL PASO COUNTY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, AND TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE AN ORDER INDICATING THE SAME OKAY MOTION CARRIES. JUDGE YES, COMMISSIONER CORONADO, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE PUBLIC THAT, YOU KNO, THIS IS THIS IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE, RATE BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR, WE CAN'T KEEP LEAVING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ON SOME OF THESE SECURITY AND SAFETY ISSUES. YOU KNOW, YEAR BY YEAR AFTER YEAR, THIS IS JUST NOT A SUSTAINABLE RATE. YOU KNOW, I'M I'M WITH, GIVING THE TAXPAYERS A BREAK, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD A $40 MILLION HIT TO OUR BUDGET THAT THANKFULLY WE DID THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE LAST YEAR. WITHOUT THAT, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS, FOLKS. THIS WOULD BE UNTHINKABLE IF WE HAD NOT GONE, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE LAST YEAR. AND THIS IS JUST NOT A SUSTAINABLE RATE BECAUSE I, I HATE TO LEAVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OUT WITHOUT THE PROPER EQUIPMENT AND THIS IS JUST NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. BUT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM AND, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT US IF WE HAVE ONE OF THESE SIMILAR HITS FROM OUR STATE PUTTING MORE INMATES IN OUR JAIL, JUST LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN

[02:45:06]

JOHN JUDGE I WANT TO THANK OUR I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR I KNOW NOT JUST FOR US, BUT REALLY OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH HAVING TO PREVENT, PREPARE, EVEN, EVEN JUST TO CONSIDER THIS KIND OF A BUDGET REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT. BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR ADMINISTRATION AND EVERYBODY, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN AND LET'S JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST THIS YEAR. DEFINITELY. YEAH. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN AS MUCH EFFORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE OF REALLY TRYING TO WORK THE DETAILS. JOHN, THANK YOU. YOUR TEAM, BARBARA, EVERYBODY ELSE COMING TOGETHER, EVEN LEGAL TO EVERYBODY, HAD TO DO SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THIS. SO, WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT SOMEHOW, SOME WAY TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND AGAIN, BETSY, PLEASE, THANK YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ALL WORK TOWARDS REDUCING THEIR BUDGETS. YEAH. THANK YOU. JUDGE COMMISSIONERS. AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD TO WORK WITH THROUGH THIS AND VERY UNDERSTANDING. AND IT'S SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT THE COUNTY, HOW WE ALL COME TOGETHER IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. I ALSO WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MELISSA DURING THIS TIME. IT'S BEEN A VERY CHALLENGING TIME, VERY CHALLENGING, CHALLENGING PROCESSES. WE'VE HAD STAFF CHANGES AND SHE'S JUST BEEN INCREDIBLY DEDICATED TO THIS AND REALLY APPRECIATE HER BAPTISM BY FIRE. HI, JOHN. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUDGE YES, COMMISSIONER. YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO URGE OUR, OUR OUR PUBLIC, OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE IN EL PASO COUNTY THAT AS, AS FERVENT AS YOU ARE ABOUT TELLING US OUR THE CITY GOVERNMENT, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ABOUT TRYING TO KEEP THE LINE DOWN, I URGE YOU TO CONTACT THE STATE LEADERSHIP ABOUT BEING MORE SENSITIVE TO THE THINGS THEY DO THAT COST YOU ALL MONEY. THAT WE HAVE TO RAISE LOCALLY TO PAY FOR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONE. JUDGE, BEFORE WE GO BACK TO ITEM E, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO DO ITEM H BEFORE WE BREAK OR. I DON'T KNOW. AND I ALSO KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE ITEM NINE A PENDING AND YOU HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE FOR THAT ITEM. YEAH. I'D RATHER WAIT FOR THE LUNCH BREAK UNTIL WE TAKE THESE. VERY IMPORTANT. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS HERE THAT NEED TO GET BACK TO. OKAY. AND WE CAN DO E AFTER, BUT I THINK ITEM H WOULD BE RATHER BRIEF. AND THEN ITEM NINE A WILL BE THE LONGER ITEM. OKAY. I'M SORRY BETSY FOR ITEM E. THAT'S THE TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET FOR EL PASO COUNTY. WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU ALL TO ADOPT THE BUDGET OR TAKE ANY ACTION. WE'RE JUST GIVING YOU AN UPDATE. IT'S NOT ANY ACTION ITEM TODAY. IT'S JUST AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE HAD PENDING AND UPDATES ON THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS. SO IF WE COULD GO TO H7H ITEM SEVEN H, APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY OF EL PASO 911 DISTRICT FY 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS MY NAME IS

[H. Approve and authorize the County of El Paso 911 District FY2025 Proposed Budget. Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-546-2098]

[02:50:10]

WELCOME. I'LL BE BRIEF, SO I KNOW YOU GOT A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON, WE'RE BRINGING, AS WE ALWAYS DO EVERY YEAR, OUR BUDGET FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH A FEW OF YOU. MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT OUR BUDGET IS PRETTY MUCH STRAIGHT FORWARD THIS YEAR, WE HAVE NOT HAD A REVENUE INCREASE SINCE 2015. OUR REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING FORWARD A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES DURING THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SO. OUR BUDGET REFLECTS, OUR COMMITMENT TOWARDS KEEPING EL PASO ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF 911 TECHNOLOGY. WE ARE FULLY EMBRACING THE AI WORLD AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD FOR US. WE'RE BETA TESTING A LOT OF REALLY NEAT PROJECTS, BUT UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS? JUDGE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE KIND OF 911 DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE IN EL PASO. IT IS PROBABLY A MODEL FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. AND THANKS FOR MAKING IT THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT IN DOING THAT. AND IT'S REALLY PAID A LOT OF DIVIDENDS FOR US LOCALLY. YOU HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM. YOU REALLY DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM COMMISSIONER OLGUIN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORONADO. THE VOTING IS OPEN. I THINK I THANK YOU. THAT MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SCOTT. JUDGE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO ITEM NINE A CORRECT YES. ITEM NINE A WE DO HAVE A CORRECTION TO READ IN, DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING ENTERING AN AGREEMENT WITH EL PASO METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, MPO TO PROVIDE GRANT MATCH FOR FY 2025 FEDERAL

[A. Discuss and take appropriate action regarding entering an agreement with El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to provide grant match for FY2025 Federal Connecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant and potential ownership of the I-10 Downtown Deck Project. (#5528-OP) Ricardo A. Samaniego, County Judge, County Judge's Office, 915-546-2098]

AND FOR THIS ITEM WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. BETSY, ANY OPENING COMMENTS AND I'LL JOIN YOU ON BEFORE WE ASK TRACY TO JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, THIS ITEM, IF THE COURT DECIDES TO ENTER INTO THIS ITEM OR PROVIDE A FUNDING MATCH FOR THIS ITEM, WE WOULD IDENTIFY FUNDING FROM EITHER YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT FUND OR THAT RESERVE THAT I DISCUSSED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMING. THOSE WOULD BE THE SOURCES OF FUNDING. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE A TIMING WHERE THIS WOULD HIT IN FY 2026 VERSUS FY 2025. AND JUDGE, I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE WANTED TO PROVIDE. WELL, I'M GLAD WE'RE HERE AT THIS POINT. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS. BUT TRACY YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND START AND YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US AND WE'LL WE'LL START WITH YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER.

MY NAME IS TRACY YELLEN. I'M THE CEO OF THE PAISANO HEALTH FOUNDATION AND PASO DEL NORTE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE DOWNTOWN PLAZA FOUNDATION, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION UNDER THE PASO DEL NORTE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. JUST START VERY QUICKLY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE MANY TIMES WE'VE HAD TO PARTNER AND OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE GOTTEN TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY IN THE PAST. AND CURRENTLY, IF WE COULD. OH, I GUESS I CAN MOVE THIS, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING TRAIL PROJECTS, WHICH REALLY LED OUR FOUNDATIONS TO THIS PROJECT. IN 2018, WE WORKED WITH OJB ARCHITECTS THAT CREATED KLYDE WARREN PARK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS TO CREATE A VISION FOR THE PROJECT. WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THE PROJECT WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE TRAIL MASTER PLAN THROUGH EL PASO COUNTY, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU MAKE THAT TRAIL GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN. TEX-DOT AT THE TIME HAD INITIAL RENDERINGS THAT INCLUDED A DECK PARK OVER I-10 AS THEY WERE WORKING ON THEIR REIMAGINED PROJECT, AND WE GOT VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE CORRIDOR. WE HAVE SINCE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF EL PASO. JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK JOAQUIN RODRIGUEZ, WHO'S HERE, AND WHO'S LED THOSE

[02:55:02]

WE PROVIDED ABOUT $400,000 IN MATCHING FUNDS FOR THAT PROJECT, AND WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT OVER DOWNTOWN IN THE IN THE OVER I-10 IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. WE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT THIS STAGE TO APPLY. WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP, POTENTIALLY WITH THE MPO, THE COUNTY AND OTHERS TO APPLY FOR A RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES GRANT THAT'S DUE SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY SO VERY QUICKLY.

WE ALL KNOW THE UNFORTUNATE HISTORY OF DOWNTOWN, OF I-10 AS IT KIND OF PLOWED THROUGH DOWNTOWN. THIS WAS THE YEAR BEFORE I WAS BORN AND DID NOT LIVE IN EL PASO, SO I DID NOT ACTUALLY WITNESS THIS PROJECT. BUT EVERY 50 YEARS, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY TORE DOWN BEAUTIFUL HOMES, DISRUPTED NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT LEFT US WITH THE I-10, WHICH HAS BEEN KIND OF THE SPINE OF DEVELOPMENT IN EL PASO FOR, SINCE IT WAS BUILT. AND EVERY 50 YEARS OR SO, FREEWAYS NEED TO BE RECONSTRUCTED. TXDOT HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN RE-IMAGINED I-10 FOR MANY YEARS, LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY OF RECONSTRUCTING I-10, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE KIND OF CRUMBLING NATURE OF THE FREEWAY. AND WHILE THEY DO THAT, THEY PLAN FOR 50 YEARS AHEAD, WHICH COULD, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATE GROWTH AND ALSO TO KIND OF RIGHT SIZE, THE NUMBER THAT'S IN DOWNTOWN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR. SO REALLY WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY IN LAST WEEK OR I GUESS IT WAS THURSDAY, THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION APPROVED $500 MILLION TO ACTUALLY BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THE DOWNTOWN SEGMENT OF COURSE, THEY NEED TO FINISH THEIR NEPA PROCESS. TXDOT LATER THIS YEAR, BUT IT GIVES US THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WHERE TXDOT COULD BUILD THE RETAINING WALLS TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE DECK SO THAT WE COULD BUILD THESE IMPROVEMENTS ON TOP. THIS IS THE CURRENT PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE. I. ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT TXDOT IS EXPLORING, YOU CAN SEE THE TRENCH HERE REMAINS IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LOCATION, BUT ABOUT THE SAME WIDTH. AND WITH THE WORK THAT THEY WOULD DO STRAIGHTENING OUT RETAINING WALLS, THAT'S HOW THEY ADD THOSE TWO ADDITIONAL LANES ON EITHER SIDE TO AGAIN EQUAL THE NUMBER OF LANES ON EITHER SIDE OF DOWNTOWN. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE FUNDING TO BUILD THIS OR SOMETHING LIKE IT AFTER THEY GO THROUGH THEIR NEPA PROCESS. THIS IS WHAT THE PROJECT COULD LOOK LIKE. IF WE COULD COME TOGETHER AND BUILD AN EIGHT AND A HALF DECK PARK OVER I-10 IN THIS CORRIDOR AND THE CORRIDOR, SPECIFICALLY FROM SANTA FE TO KANSAS. THE STUDY AREA WAS A LITTLE LARGER. IT WENT FROM PROSPECT TO CAMPBELL, BUT THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED PROPOSED, ALIGNMENT FOR THE PROJECT. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE PARK COULD BE BUILT IN OTHER KINDS OF ALTERNATIVES, LIKE ALTERNATIVE D, AND WE DO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES IF TXDOT CHOOSES ALTERNATIVE I NUMBER ONE, THAT WE WOULD, MOVE YANDELL FROM NEXT TO THE TRENCH TO MORE OR LESS KEEP IT WHERE IT IS. SO DON'T MOVE. YANDELL. NUMBER TWO, REMOVE THE TURNAROUNDS AT MESA. YOU CAN SEE THEY HAVE THESE U-TURNS PROPOSED HERE. SO WE RECOMMEND NOT, ADDING THESE TURNAROUNDS AND THEN FINALLY, WE RECOMMEND KEEPING THAT, WHAT WOULD BE CONVERTED AS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT PROSPECT. SO YOU COULD HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO SUNSET HEIGHTS.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THE SUNSET HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS HAVE HAVE REQUESTED STAY IN PLACE. SO I'M SORRY, TRACY, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON FROM THOSE SLIDES. SURE. SO DO THESE TWO SLIDES. THIS ONE AND THE ONE BEFORE. DO THOSE INCLUDE A PROPOSED THEN EXPANSION OF BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT'S BEING LOOKED AT BY OH YEAH THE WIDENING. SO THESE TWO RENDERINGS INCLUDE OR ASSUME THE WIDENING DOES HAPPEN.

YES. THIS ASSUMES THE WIDENING. THIS THIS IS YOU KNOW, WORKING OFF OF THIS ALTERNATIVE. YES CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. SO WHY THIS RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES. GRANT WANTED JUST TO SHOW YOU THE SITE LOCATION IN A MILE RADIUS IN AND AROUND THAT SITE WOULD INCLUDE ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN AND AROUND THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, IN THE PROCESS OF, WORKING ON THE ON THE PROJECT, WE HAD MANY COMMUNITY MEETINGS, BOTH LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR. YOU CAN SEE ENGAGEMENT AND IDEAS, LOTS OF POST-IT NOTES, LOTS OF YOUTHFUL ENERGY, LOTS OF VISION FOR WHAT THIS COULD BE. THERE ARE RESIDENTS WHO'VE BEEN IN OTHER CITIES, LIKE CHICAGO'S MILLENNIUM PARK, THE PARK AND PHOENIX KLYDE WARREN PARK IN DALLAS, SO THEY COULD ENVISION WHAT COULD HAPPEN, WHAT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, MAJOR THEMES FROM THAT PROCESS NATIVE TREES, LOTS OF SHADE VENDORS, FOOD TRUCKS,

[03:00:04]

[03:05:04]

WE'VE ALL HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT, I THINK, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHICH IS KLYDE WARREN PARK IN DALLAS. YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS THE WOODALL RODGERS FREEWAY ON THE LEFT. AND THEN WHAT KLYDE WARREN PARK LOOKS LIKE TO THE RIGHT. IT WAS A PROJECT THAT RELIED ON FUNDING FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES. IT WAS DEVELOPED DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, AND SO THEY USED SOME OF THOSE SHOVEL READY DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ALSO, THE STIMULUS MONEY, MONEY FROM TXDOT, MONEY FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THEN PRIVATE FUNDS. IT IS NOW THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST ATTRACTION IN DALLAS. THEY HAVE 1500 EVENTS A YEAR THAT THEY HOST IN THAT 5.2 ACRE PARK. IT IS UNDERGOING NOW AN EXPANSION THAT IT'S SO HIGHLY UTILIZED.

THE CITY, AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART ABOVE, INVESTED ABOUT 20 MILLION AND IT NOW GENERATES ABOUT $15 MILLION A YEAR IN EXCESS REVENUE. PROPERTY VALUES SOARED IN IN THE IN THE DISTRICT IN THEIR IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE CITY HAS A 99 YEAR LEASE. SO THEY ARE THEY ARE THE OWNER OF THE PROJECT. THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THEN THEY HAVE AN OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH THE PARK FOUNDATION THAT DOES THE PROGRAMING AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE ON THAT, THAT PROGRAMING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PHASE FOR THE PROJECT. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE 500 PEOPLE LIVING IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN 20 YEARS AGO, DOWNTOWN DALLAS. NOW THEY HAVE 40,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY. AND I MENTIONED THE EXPANSION. AS THEY BUILD THE EXPANSION, THEY'RE GOING TO ADD A VISITOR CENTER TO THE PARK. SO THEY EVEN HAVE A GREATER ATTRACTION. BUT THEY'RE ALSO BUILDING THREE OTHER PARKS IN DALLAS, AND THEY THIS JUST THIS YEAR RECEIVED $80 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE. SO THAT'S ONE ON THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY. THAT'S ONE IN MCKINNEY. SO THEY'VE THEY'VE REALIZED THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THESE GREEN SPACES IN AND AROUND URBAN SETTINGS. SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS REALLY ARE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. AND THIS NEXT ONE THAT I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION IS THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES GRANT THAT IS DUE SEPTEMBER 30TH. AND THE REQUEST WOULD BE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO CONSIDER PROVIDING MATCHING FUNDS. AND SO IF THE EL PASO MPO, AS A CO APPLICANT WITH US, WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A 20% MATCH IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT THE FULL AMOUNT ISN'T BEING REQUESTED OF THE COURT. WE STILL WOULD NEED TO FIND THE BALANCE. AND THEN YOU KNOW, SOMEONE NEEDS TO OWN THE PROJECT AT SOME POINT. SO WHO IS THAT? YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'RE WILLING TO BE THE OPERATOR. AND IF THAT IS HELPFUL TO A BODY LIKE THIS, BUT I WILL PAUSE THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR TO OPEN. I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, TRACY, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

YOU'VE BEEN QUITE A CHAMPION OF FROM BEGINNING TO END. YOU HAVE DONE AS MUCH INTERACTIONS AND FEEDBACK AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL VERY PROUD THAT WE'RE NOT HERE WITHOUT HAVING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS. AND TO ME, THIS IS A GAME CHANGER. I CAN'T SEE I SORT OF WANTED THE AEROSPACE TO BE WHAT I'M THINKING HERE, AND THAT MIGHT COME AROUND, BUT IT'S SO MUCH OUT OF OUR CONTROL COMPARED TO WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED HERE, AND AS WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS BURDEN THAT WE'VE TALKED TO, WHAT THE STATE, WHAT HAPPENS TO US REVENUES, THE ANSWER AND THIS TYPE OF A SITUATION IS WHAT BROADENS OUR TAX BASE AND THEN LOWERS THE TAX BURDEN ON, ON OUR INDIVIDUALS OR CONSTITUENTS HERE IN EL PASO. SO FROM YOU KNOW, DAY ONE, YOU KNOW, IT BECAME

[03:10:03]

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INDIVIDUALS BACK THERE THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS. AND I JUST WANT TO HEAR, EDUARDO, IF YOU WANT TO ADD SOME COMMENTS SO THAT WE COULD GET THE ENTIRE I'M SORRY WHILE EDUARDO MAKES HIS WAY UP, IF I CAN JUST ASK SOME FINANCIAL QUESTIONS OF TRACY. SO WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE GRANT APPLICATION, THE AMOUNT REQUESTED THAT'S GOING TO BE SUBMITTED? YEAH. OR IS SOMEONE ELSE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT? I THINK, EDUARDO, I THINK EDUARDO OKAY, OKAY. OH, AND THEN TRACY I'M SORRY. ONE MORE QUESTION. SO THE $206 MILLION TOTAL PROJECT COST THAT YOU MENTIONED IS THAT FOR THE RENDERING THAT WE SEE HERE ON THE RIGHT OF OUR SCREEN, DOES THAT INCLUDE ALL OF THAT CONSTRUCTION, OR IS THAT JUST TO BUILD THE ACTUAL DECK PART. BUT ALL OF THESE OTHER AMENITIES WOULD HAVE TO BE FOR ALL OF THE AMENITIES FOR EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE AMENITIES. IT'S ABOUT 190 TO 100 MILLION FOR THE CAP OR THE DECK THAT, THE LID, THAT AND THEN 100 MILLION ISH ON TOP. OKAY GREAT. THANKS. AND THEN I'LL SAY THIS IS PHASE ONE FEASIBILITY. SO WITH THIS PROPOSAL THAT EDUARDO IS GOING TO ADDRESS, THAT WOULD HELP US KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE, BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD DO 100% DESIGN. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPINION OF PROBABLE COST.U EDUARDO. THANK YOU FOR TODAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS EDUARDO CALVO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EL PASO MPO, YEAH. I'M HERE JUST TO PROVIDE SOME SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS THE ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THE DETAILED DESIGN FOR THE DECK, SO THE, THE WE ARE FOLLOWING, WE'RE BUILDING ON THE EFFORT THAT, THAT THE CITY OF EL PASO DID LAST YEAR.

THEY PREPARED AND SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR THAT. AND OUR UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WENT IT WAS SCORED VERY, VERY WELL. I MEAN, THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD PROJECT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROJECT WAS NOT SELECTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME TWEAKS AND THE APPLICATION WILL FEEL VERY, VERY GOOD ABOUT SUBMITTING THIS. SO TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER HOLGUIN, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR RIGHT NOW IS $10 MILLION. THAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE GRANT. HOWEVER, THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM ONLY PROVIDES 50% FOR THAT. RIGHT? SO IF WE APPLY FOR TEN, THEY WOULD ONLY GIVE US FIVE. SO WE NEED TO FIND THE OTHER 5 MILLION. THE, THE AND THIS IS WHAT WE PRESENTED TO THE POLICY BOARD LAST FRIDAY, ONE OF THE IDEAS OR PROPOSALS THAT THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE SUPPLEMENT WITH MPO FEDERAL FUNDS, SO THAT WE, WE CAN SHORTEN THE GAP THAT THOSE $5 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO FIND, THREE OF THOSE WOULD BE FEDERAL FUNDS FROM CATEGORY SEVEN, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CATEGORIES THAT WE USE AT THE MPO. AND SO THAT WE COMPLETE $8 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS. SO THE PROGRAM, THE RCP, THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, ALLOWS US TO USE OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO SUPPLEMENT AS LONG AS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS DOES NOT EXCEED 80%. SO DOING THE QUICK MATH, IF WE APPLY FOR TEN, WE WOULD GET FIVE FROM THE RCP PROGRAM AND THE OTHER THREE WOULD COME FROM SCP. THAT LEAVES US WITH $2 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO FIND FROM NONFEDERAL SOURCES. THAT IS THE MATCH, RIGHT? SO WE NEED TO FIND FOR THIS $10 MILLION APPLICATION, WE NEED TO FIND $2 MILLION TOTAL OF NONFEDERAL FUNDS. SO AND THEREFORE THE REQUEST HERE FOR, FOR THE COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, TO HELP COVER THAT 20% MATCH. AND SO THIS IS ONLY FOR DESIGN CORRECT? CORRECT. THIS IS FOR DETAILED DESIGN. THE 10 MILLION THAT YOU NEED. EXACTLY RIGHT. EXACTLY RIGHT. AND TO ADD TO TRACY'S POINT, WE ARE LOOKING AT AT AT DESIGNING JUST THE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF, OF THE OF THE DECK. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, BEAMS AND THE CONCRETE DECK TO COVER IT. THE, THE LID.

I THINK IT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN REFERRING TO. OH, SO THE DESIGN DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY OF THE AMENITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE RAISED SEPARATELY IN THE FUTURE.

EXACTLY RIGHT. OKAY. SO OF THE 2 MILLION IN NONFEDERAL FUNDING THAT'S REQUIRED, YOU'RE ASKING A MILLION OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT FROM THE COUNTY AND THE OTHER MILLION WHO IS BEING ASKED FOR THE OTHER MILLION. IS THAT THE CITY? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SOME EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE

[03:15:04]

SO, SO WE REALLY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, START GETTING THOSE HARD ANSWERS SO THAT WE HAVE THE, TH, YOU KNOW, THE ASSURANCE THAT THE MATCH IS GOING TO BE THERE. NOW THE, THE ACTUAL CASH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED THAT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE AGAIN THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM IS SEPTEMBER 30TH. IT'S GOING TO TAKE I DON'T KNOW, 4 OR 5 MONTHS FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO MAKE THE SELECTIONS. AND FROM THERE, ANOTHER 4 OR 5 MONTHS TO GET ALL THE AGREEMENTS AND PAPERWORK DONE AND ALL THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, NINE MONTHS, TEN MONTHS FROM, FROM NOW FROM THE WHEN THE FUNDING WOULD ACTUALLY BE REQUIRED. EXACTLY. SO NINE MONTHS FROM NOW WOULD BE, MAY, JUNE, JULY OF NEXT YEAR AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE FOR, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THAT THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE. BUT WE CAN MAKE IT WORK IF, IF THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN FISCAL YEAR 26. SO ON ON THE FLIP SIDE, YOU KNOW, THE SOONER WE CAN GET STARTED THE BETTER, BECAUSE AS TRACY WAS EXPLAINING, EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS TODAY, THE TXDOT PROJECT AND THE DECK, THE SCHEDULES NEED TO SOMEHOW MATCH FOR THE DESIGN AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION TO MAKE IT A, YOU KNOW, LESS PAINFUL ON ON THE TRAVELING PUBLIC AND DURING CONSTRUCTION AND SO ON. SO WHAT DID YOU SAY? IT'D BE IN BUDGET YEAR 2026, WHEN IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE TIME THAT WE'D HAVE TO PAY OUR SHARE. EXACT, I THINK, FOR CASH FLOW PURPOSES, YES. ALTHOUGH WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE A COMMITMENT FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE MATCH, YOU KNOW, SOONER SO THAT ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHEN WE SUBMIT THE APPLICATION, WE CAN HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO SAY, YES, THE MATCH IS COMING FROM SOURCE A, SOURCE B, AND SOURCE C, BUT THE ACTUAL CASH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MAKE IT WORK UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 26. AND BETH, DO YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU KNOW WHY IT'S IMPORTANT IF WE HAVE IT FURTHER RATHER THAN NOW AS FAR AS OUR OUR SOURCE OF FUNDING? WELL, OF COURSE, AS WE JUST WENT OVER DURING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, IF THE FUNDING IS NOT REQUIRED UNTIL LATER IN 2025, CONSIDER BASICALLY IN OUR 20 FY 2026, IT GIVES US LONGER TIME TO PLAN AND PREPARE IT ALSO WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE IN OUR RESERVE FOR CAPITAL EMERGENCIES THIS YEAR. SEE HOW IF HOW THE YEAR ACTUALLY GOES. AND THEN WE WOULD KNOW WHETHER TO TAKE FUNDING FROM THAT, THAT FUND OR FROM OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT FUND. BUT I DO BELIEVE THE PROJECT WOULD MEET A LOT OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT FUNDING AS WELL.

JESSICA, WE HAVE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE A I, BERNIE TREVINO OR I'M NOT SURE. WHAT IS YOUR NAME, SIR? WELCOME HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, THANK YOU.

COUNTY JUDGE SAMANIEGO AND COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM NINE, A, REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN DECK PLAZA. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE COUNTY PROVIDING MATCH FUNDS. FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES GRANT FOR THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE DECK PARK, AND TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THIS ONCE AND OPPORTUNITY GENERATION PROJECT. MY NAME IS IBERTI TREVINO AND I AM THE FRIENDS OF THE TRAIL COORDINATOR

[03:20:06]

WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS A HUGE COMMITMENT AND APPLAUD THE COUNTY FOR BEING OPEN TO TAKE ON A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE, A PROJECT THAT TRULY IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR REGION. AND YOU'RE DOING SO YOU WILL NOT ONLY LESSEN THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS, WHICH MANY HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD AS A CONCERN, BUT YOU WILL BE ALLOWING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS PROJECT TO RECEIVE ADDED FUNDING THROUGH GRANT MATCHING. THAT IS INVALUABLE. IN 2012, WE BOUGHT OUR HOME IN THE HISTORIC SUNSET HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE HOPE AND FORESIGHT THAT OUR DOWNTOWN WOULD BECOME THE PARAMOUNT AND JEWEL. WE KNEW IT COULD BE. 12 YEARS LATER, WE NOW HAVE A PREMIER CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, A FIRST CLASS BALLPARK, ADDED HOTELS AND COMMERCE TAKING PLACE DOWNTOWN. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THESE QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY AND THE THRIVING OF OUR PEOPLE. THE DOWNTOWN DEBT PROJECT IS NOT JUST A PROJECT FOR YOU OR FOR ME, BUT IT WOULD BE A GIFT AND A STEP FORWARD FOR MY CHILD AND THE GENERATIONS THAT WILL FOLLO. PARKS CREATE VALUE FOR CITIES AND A PARK OF THIS SIZE IN THE HEART OF OUR DOWNTOWN WOULD TRULY CREATE INTRINSIC VALUE, SPURRING POSITIVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. COMBATING CRIME, AND CREATING A SPACE FOR YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE TO ENCOURAGE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. INVESTING IN THIS PARK IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WILL LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY THAT ENHANCES THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS AND STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. TODAY I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT WE HAVE JOE GUDENRATH.

HEY, JOE. WELCOME. AFTERNOON, JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS JOE GUDENRATH WITH THE EL PASO DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. YOU HAD A VERY DIFFICULT DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT YOUR BUDGET, AND I DEFINITELY CAN APPRECIATE THAT. BUT, JUDGE, YOU MADE A GREAT POINT ABOUT FINDING WAYS TO BROADEN THE TAX BASE. AND DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT IS A STRATEGY USED BY MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO INVEST IN YOUR CITY'S CORE TO DRIVE AN ECONOMY, TO DRIVE VALUES UP TO HELP OFFSET COSTS AND BENEFITS FOR THE FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. I'M I'M

[03:25:03]

BUT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN A CRITICAL PART IN THOSE INVESTMENTS AND THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR DOWNTOWN, OUR DOWNTOWN'S RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN SWIFT AND STRONG. OUR RETURN TO DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, WHO IDENTIFIED OUR DOWNTOWN AS THE SECOND STRONGEST RECOVERY AMONG DOWNTOWNS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. WE HAVE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT FILL THE CALENDAR AND ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY, FOOD AND DRINK ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE SERVED RECORD NUMBERS OF CUSTOMERS. OUR HOTELS HIGHLIGHT OUR COMMUNITY TO VISITORS AND OUR OFFICES HAVE REESTABLISHED OUR DOWNTOWN WORKFORCE AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO OUR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. OUR PROPERTY VALUES DOWNTOWN CONTINUE TO OUTPACE COMMUNITY WIDE GROWTH AND SUPPORT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THE VALUES WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT INCREASED 16% FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AND REMIND YOU THAT IS MAINLY A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT WITH VERY LITTLE RESIDENTIAL. SO I'M PROUD TO SAY AGAIN, OUR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IS WORKING AS OUR COMMERCIAL TAX BASE CONTINUES TO GROW WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN. BUT THIS GROWTH IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE SUPPORTED PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND SINCE. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ROLE AND YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. TODAY WE HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AND ANOTHER INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY RESHAPE OUR FUTURE, BUT FOR THE COUNTY TO BE A LEADER IN THIS EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, I ASK YOU TO APPROVE ITEM 19, THE CREATION OF A DECK PLAZA OVER I-10 WILL SUPPORT AND ACCELERATE OUR REVITALIZATION BY CONNECTING THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE TRENCH, SERVE AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE, AND SPUR ADDITIONAL PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND HOUSING, OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL SPACES. THE QUESTION HAS BEEN POSED ON WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE DECK PLAZA. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. I SEE IT IN ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES DOWNTOWN FOR WHETHER IT'S A QUINCEANERA, PHOTO SHOOTS, WEDDING PROPOSALS, FAMILY REUNIONS. YOU SEE OUR COMMUNITY GATHERING IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES DOWNTOWN. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ON THE DECK PLAZA AS WELL. AND IN FACT, ON A ON A WARM, VERY HUMID WEDNESDAY EVENING WITH NO SCHEDULED PROGRAMING. I WAS IN DALLAS, DOWNTOWN DALLAS, AND SPECIFICALLY TARGETED KLYDE WARREN PARK. THE PLAZA WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE. THEY WERE RELAXING, PLAYING, PICNICKING, CONVERSING, AND ENJOYING THE SPACE THAT WAS CREATED BY THIS PARK. IT WAS THE DALLAS COMMUNITY WHO WAS ENJOYING THAT PLAZA, AND IT WOULD BE THE EL PASO COMMUNITY THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PARK. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK JUDGE YOU, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION. AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON FURTHER EXPLORATION OF THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL. ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. AND ON BEHALF OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. JOE, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU. ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. JUST, YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR ORGANIZATION, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE. I TRULY FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NOW HAVE TO GET THAT SECOND WIND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE COULD SEE SOME BEAUTIFUL THINGS HAPPENING. BUT I THINK THIS EXCITEMENT, OF JUST HAVING A DESTINATION FOR EL PASO, WE'VE BEEN TRYING HARD TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LOOKED AT AND TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND OTHER MAYORS FROM DEVELOPING COMMUNITIES, IS THAT PEOPLE JUST DON'T COME FOR ONE THING. FOR EXAMPLE, WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THE MISSIONS. THE CHANCES OF SOMEONE COMING JUST FOR THE MISSION IS REALLY DIFFICULT, AND WE'VE SEEN IT.

THAT'S WHY SO MANY PEOPLE GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND WHEN WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, THE OLDEST MISSIONS IN THE COUNTRY. AND SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT DRAWS THEM IN. AND THEN FROM THERE, SINCE YOU'RE HERE AND NOW YOU GO TO THE MISSIONS KIND OF THING. SO I REALLY THINK THAT EVERYBODY WINS. WE REALLY WANT THE MISSIONS TO BECOME ALSO OUR LANE. BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S THESE COLLATERAL THINGS WE NEED TO INVEST IN. AND I DO FEEL THAT THE COUNTY WOULD TAKE A I DO WANT TO BE THE LEADERSHIP AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO ELSE IS GOING TO MATCH, BUT BUT PUT OURSELVES IN THAT SITUATION WHERE WE MATCH SO THAT OTHERS WILL HAVE TO MATCH AND SO I THANK YOU. JUST WHAT WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE DOWNTOWN AND ALL THE EFFORTS AND A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE DOWNTOWN BEING WHERE IT IS AT THIS POINT IN TIME. HAPPY TO DO IT. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MOMENTUM WILL NOT BE SUSTAINED

[03:30:05]

NEXT WE HAVE MR. MARK OSBORNE. WELCOME. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. MARK I'M MARK OSBORNE, I'M THE CEO OF KIM SMITH LAW AND I HAPPEN TO SERVE ON JOE'S BOARD ON THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DECK. DECK PROJECT.

AND I WANT TO JUST TELL YOU I'M GOING TO ANTICIPATE YOUR SUPPORT AND SO REALLY, WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU IS I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ALL EXERCISE. IT TAKES COURAGE AND IT TAKES VISION TO STEP OUT IN LEADERSHIP. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN EL PASO. THE EASY THINGS TO DO ARE JUST DO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE, JUST LEAVE THINGS ALONE AND KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS.

BUT WE CAN'T THRIVE AS A CITY LIKE THAT. THIS REALLY IS. I'VE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE, THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT. THE BALLPARK IS REALLY GREAT. A LOT OF NEWBAY IS REALLY GREAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE HEAD AND SHOULDERS OVER THOSE PROJECTS, I JUST I'M GOING TO DIGRESS. JUST A PERSONAL MOMENT. I TEACH A LITTLE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS OF THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS, AND YESTERDAY MORNING I WAS TALKING TO THEM AND I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THIS PROJECT. AND THEY ENJOY GOING TO THE BALLPARK. A NEWBIE HASN'T BEEN OPEN ENOUGH, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO LOVE COMING DOWNTOWN FOR THAT. AND WE SEE PEOPLE COME DOWNTOWN FROM ALL OVER THE CITY. THIS JUST DOESN'T BENEFIT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DOWNTOWN. IF YOU'RE THERE AT CHRISTMAS WHEN THEY DO THE WINTERFEST, AND FOR THE DIFFERENT FESTIVALS, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE CITY COME THERE. I WISH YOU COULD HAVE SEEN THE KIDS FACES IN THEIR EYES WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A PARK OVER I-10 AND WHAT THAT WHAT THEIR CITY WOULD BE LIKE IF WE HAD THAT. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT I FACE IN MY JOB AND MY LAW FIRM IS RECRUITING YOUNG PEOPLE. IT IS SUPER HARD TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EL PASO TO COME BACK HERE TO WORK. AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FROM EL PASO TO COME HERE. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. WE HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

AND IF WE CAN HAVE PROJECTS LIKE THIS DECK PLAZA, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ATTRACT NOT ONLY BRING YOUNG PEOPLE BACK HERE, WE CAN ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FROM EL PASO TO COME HERE. THIS IS A PLACE THEY WANT TO BE. AND WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE COME, WE CAN ATTRACT BUSINESSES WHO CAN COME HERE. THIS REALLY IS AN ISSUE OF LEADERSHIP, AND I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK YOU. IT'S NOT EASY TO STEP OUT AND TO BE A LEADER AND TO TAKE ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.

IT IS VERY POSSIBLE I WON'T BE AROUND WHEN THIS IS FINISHED, BUT THE KIDS IN MY SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS, THEY WILL PROBABLY BE IN HIGH SCHOOL. HOPEFULLY WHEN THIS IS FINISHED AND THEY CAN COME DOWN AND ENJOY IT. YOU ALL HAVE A CHANCE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING OUT AND DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. IT'S JUST BARELY THE BEGINNING. IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AND IT'S ALL DONE, THIS REALLY WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR GENERATIONS IN OUR CITY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MR. RICARDO MORA. HELLO GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING, EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAMANIEGO. I'M RICARDO MORA. I'M THE NEWLY APPOINTED CEO FOR THE EL PASO CHAMBER. AND IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. REALLY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON ALL THAT WE CAN MOVE OUR FUTURE FOR OUR CITY, THAT WE CAN BUILD THIS MISSION OF THE MISSION OF THE EL PASO CHAMBER THAT IS FOUNDED ON CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE BUSINESSES CAN FLOURISH AND ONE WHERE EL PASOANS CAN HAVE THE ACCESS TO ECONOMIC SECURITY AND PROSPERITY. SO THE CHAMBER IS BUILT ALSO ON CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT WILL NOW BE 125 YEARS OLD. AND I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF IT. I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO EXPRESS TO THE EL PASO CHAMBER STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE DECK PARK PLAZA PROJECT AND TO EMPHASIZE THE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT THIS PROJECT WILL BRING TO DOWNTOWN EL PASO. AS YOU CONSIDER MATCHING FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS FOR THE PLANNING AND THE DESIGN OF THE DECK PARK PLAZA AND FORMALLY TAKING ON OWNERSHIP OF THIS TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN JUST A PARK. IT'S A POWERFUL CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE DECK PARKS HAVE REVITALIZED URBAN AREAS, ATTRACTING INVESTMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE THAT IT'S BEEN

[03:35:05]

THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AS WE'VE HEARD BEFORE, BY COORDINATING THE PARK'S DEVELOPMENT WITH THE UPCOMING I-10 HIGHWAY PROJECT, WE CAN MAXIMIZE THIS IMPACT, STREAMLINE EFFORTS, AND CREATE SEAMLESS INTEGRATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY SPACE. THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THE TECH PARK CAN GENERATE SUFFICIENT REVENUE TO SUBSIDIZE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT THE PARK'S ONGOING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, FURTHER DRIVING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN OUR CITY. PUBLIC PARKS ARE AMONG THE MOST UTILIZED AND CHERISHED SPACES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS REGIONAL PARK WILL BE NO EXCEPTION. AND I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT AS A CITIZEN OF EL PASO, WE HAVE LOVED USING PARKS FOR OUR 13 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AS SHE'S GROWN UP AND REALLY MEETING OUR COMMUNITY IN THESE SPACES, BECAUSE THE WAY WE CAN BUILD OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS SHARING WITH OTHERS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE ACT HAS ENABLED COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS TO SECURE MILLIONS IN FUNDING FOR PROJECTS JUST LIKE THIS. AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT TODAY, WE CAN LEVERAGE THESE FUNDS TO MAKE THE DECK PARK PLAZA A REALITY. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. ITEM 19. LET'S SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN EL PASO, CREATING A LEGACY OF GROWTH AND PROSPERITY FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU RICARDO. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR NEW POSITION. AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REGIONAL APPROACH, BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCES IN WORKING WITH YOU AND THIS IDEA OF ONE REGION. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO STRENGTHEN IT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THAT COLLABORATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MR. PETER SCHWARTZ.

WELCOME, WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE, MR. STOUT. HOW ARE YOU? HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME IN CHICAGO. HE'S UP THERE. HI, DAVID. EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT AS BEING A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE HERE AND WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY SERIOUSLY. I THINK ABOUT MY OWN JOURNEY HERE TO EL PASO, WHICH WAS FROM MY FATHER. HE WAS AN IMMIGRANT TO THE UNITED STATES FROM SOUTH AMERICA WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY MEDICINE AT ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL IN THE BRONX, CAME TO THE STATES IN 71. AND AT THAT TIME, THE BRONX WAS GOING THROUGH A REALLY DARK PATCH. AND FROM THE STORIES HE TOLD ME ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE, THESE KIND OF PUBLIC WORK PROJECTS CAN HAVE BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES. THE CROSS BRONX EXPRESSWAY, WHICH WAS DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOSES, TORE OUR HEART THROUGH THE SOUTH BRONX, OF WHICH IT'S STILL RECOVERING FROM DECADES LATER. AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT WHEN I-10 CAME THROUGH EL PASO IN THE LATE 60S AND 70S, IT HAD AS EQUAL OF DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON DOWNTOWN EL PASO AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE THERE. BUT WITH ANY CHALLENGE, ALSO COMES OPPORTUNITIES. AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THAT THIS PROJECT OF A DECK PARK CAN REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT IN CORRECTING AND CHALLENGING SOME OF THOSE WRONGS THAT WERE OCCURRED SO MANY DECADES AGO TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY

[03:40:04]

AND THEN ALSO LARGER PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS AS WELL, LIKE THE MARRIOTT COURTYARD, A NEW HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN LIKE HISTORIC RENOVATION PROJECTS LIKE THE TWO TROST DESIGN HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN EL PASO, THE PASO DEL NORTE HOTEL, AS WELL AS THE PLAZA HOTEL. AND I THINK WHAT'S MOST REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT WITH THE FUNDING THAT IS ANTICIPATED FOR THIS DOWNTOWN DECK PLAZA IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN A LOT OF OUTSIDE DOLLARS TO MAKE THE MAJORITY OF THIS FUNDING HAPPEN. WHY AM I CONFIDENT THAT THAT COULD OCCUR? JUST LOOK AT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS SEEN IN TERMS OF FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS BEING INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, OVER $30 MILLION TO SUPPORT FROM OUR STATE DELEGATION AND FROM THE TEXAS STATE HOUSE, OVER $30 MILLION TO REBUILD THE WYATT AERIAL TRAMWAY. IT'S LOGICAL TO THINK THAT A SIMILAR INVESTMENT COULD OCCUR FOR THIS PROJECT FROM THE STATE, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER PROJECTS FROM OUR STRONG FEDERAL LEADERS THERE, RIGHT? WE ALL SAW OUR CONGRESSWOMAN ON PRIME TIME TV THIS LAST WEEK AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION. AND ASIDE FROM THAT, WE HAVE ALSO SEEN OVER $600 MILLION BEING INVESTED ON REIMAGINING THE BRIDGE OF THE AMERICAS. THERE'S NO REASON TO THINK THAT THERE IS NOT MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR THESE KIND OF PROJECTS THAT CAN HELP TO ADDRESS THE HISTORIC WRONGS, THAT CAN ENCOURAGE CONNECTIVITY, THAT CAN ENCOURAGE, BETTER LIVING AND SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES, AND CONNECT THESE COMMUNITIES. RIGHT. WE JUST HEARD $80 MILLION FOR THREE NEW DECK PARKS IN DALLAS. WE KNOW THESE PROJECTS, AND WE KNOW THESE INTERSTATE PROJECTS HAVE SEPARATED COMMUNITIES. BUT PROJECTS LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY CAN CONNECT COMMUNITIES AS WELL. I KNOW YOU ALL WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY ALL TO LEAVE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE THAN WHERE WE FOUND IT. FOR THE GENERATIONS AFTER US. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NEXT WE HAVE NADIA BEEN. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMISSIONERS. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? WELL, YES, WE CAN. GREAT. MY NAME IS NADIA BARHAM. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND I WORK WITH GRACE PROPERTY CONSULTANTS. I ALSO SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEE. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE TTC MEETING ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND, 2024, WHERE I SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OF EL PASO. I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION HAS ALLOCATED $500 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE SEGMENT TWO PORTION OF I-10, WHICH INCLUDES DOWNTOWN WITH THE HIGHWAY PROJECT NOW CLOSER TO BECOMING A REALITY, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE SHIFT OUR FOCUS TOWARDS COORDINATING THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE PARK ALONGSIDE THE HIGHWAY PROJECT.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A DECK PARK WILL NOT ONLY INTRODUCE MORE GREEN SPACE, BUT ALSO CONTINUE THE REVITALIZATION OF OUR DOWNTOWN AND SURROUNDING AREAS, CREATING A MORE INVITING AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY HUB. THIS TRANSFORMATION WILL NOT ONLY BRING RESIDENTS TOGETHER, BUT ALSO ESTABLISH A LASTING DESTINATION FOR YEARS TO COME. AS MENTIONED BEFORE BY TRACY AND

[03:45:03]

THE KLYDE WARREN PARK. THE IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN PROFOUND, WITH ACCELERATED GROWTH IN IN OFFICE MULTIFAMILY CONSTRUCTION MAKING DALLAS A MORE ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION. THE SUCCESS OF KLYDE WARREN PARK HAS MADE IT THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST ATTRACTION IN DALLAS, EL PASO'S DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN UPTOWN PLAN ENVISIONS THE ADDITION OF 10,000 HOUSING UNITS IN THE EXPANDED DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT FROM SOUTH EL PASO TO UTEP. THIS PLAN RECOGNIZES THE ECONOMIC NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE HIGH DEMAND FOR SUCH HOUSING OPTIONS. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED FOR THE DECK PARK PROJECT INDICATES SUFFICIENT REVENUE GENERATION TO SUPPORT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND PARK MAINTENANCE, AS WE CONSIDER THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR BORDERPLEX, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE SET A HIGH STANDARD IN WELCOMING RESIDENTS, VISITORS AND NEIGHBORS FROM MEXICO. THE EXPANSION OF I-10 WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE THRIVING TRADE MARKET THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR WORKFORCE TO CONTINUE TO FLOURISH, AND THE DECK PARK WILL PROVIDE A COMMUNITY ASSET FOR ALL TO ENJO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER AND FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE FUTURE OF EL PASO. THANK YOU NADIA. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT WE HAVE MR. WELCOME, JUDGE. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS EUGENIO. MR. ALSO KNOWN AS PACELLI, I'M AN ARCHITECT. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND PRESIDENT OF MEXICO ARCHITECTURE HERE IN EL PASO. ENOUGH HAS BEEN SAID BY ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ELOQUENTLY BEFORE ME REGARDING THE SUPPORT FOR THIS FACILITY. I CAME HERE 40 YEARS AGO AFTER FINISHING MY MASTER'S IN PLANNING AND LIVING IN PHILADELPHIA FOR OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS THAT THE DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA WHERE I WAS LIVING WAS THE RITTENHOUSE SQUARE, WASHINGTON SQUARE, AND FRANKLIN SQUARE, WHICH ARE THE MOST VALUABLE PROPERTIES AND THE MOST VIBRANT SIGHTS OF PHILADELPHIA. AND WHAT IT TOOK FOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WHEN THE CITY WAS PLANNED FOR THOSE PARKS TO BE THERE. AND WHAT WAS THE INVESTMENT FOR? SAME THING COULD BE SAID ABOUT CENTRAL PARK. WHAT WOULD NEW YORK WOULD BE WITHOUT CENTRAL PARK AND THE THRIVING ECONOMIC SUCCESS THAT THAT BECAME FOR THE REST OF THE CITY? SAME THING WITH MILLENNIAL PARK.

AND WE CAN GO ON AND ON ON DIFFERENT CITIES WHERE THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO IT. WHEN YOU DO AN INVESTMENT, YOU USUALLY ASK ABOUT RETURN OF INVESTMENT. HOW DO YOU HAVE A RETURN OF INVESTMENT IN AN INVESTMENT SUCH AS LA NUBE? WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE WERE THE ARCHITECTS OF RECORD OF THAT MUSEUM, WHICH IS NOW JUST RECENTLY OPENED. AND WHAT WILL IT BE? THE ECONOMIC RETURN FOR THAT? WELL, YOU CAN DO IT AS A SOCIAL AND YOU CAN DO IT AS AN ECONOMIC MONETARY RETURN. SOCIALLY, IT'S HARD TO CAPTURE AS TO HOW MUCH WOULD THAT BE, THE RETURN ON THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THAT MUSEUM, AND WHAT WOULD IT DO FOR THE KIDS AND FAMILIES THAT WOULD ENJOY AND LEARN FROM IT? HOWEVER, WE CAN SAY THAT JUST BY THE SHEER NUMBERS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO ENJOY THIS FACILITY IS THAT IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WILL DEFINITELY IMPACT THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR WELL-BEING FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. SAME THING WE CAN SAY ABOUT THE MAC AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW HOTEL WHICH HASN'T BEEN ANNOUNCED, 102 KEY HOTEL THAT IS GOING TO BE MOVING DOWNTOWN VERY IN THE NEAR FUTUR, WHICH IS WHY HAS IT BEEN, ATTRACTED TO IS BECAUSE NOW I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC RETURN. IF IT WAS NOT WORTH IT, THEY WOULD NOT INVEST THAT MONEY INTO THIS FACILITY. THAT WILL BE SOON BUILT, BE BUILT. SO THE ECONOMIC RETURN OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED DOWNTOWN, YOU CAN ALSO SEE IT IN A MULTIPLE, NOT JUST A 1 TO 1. SO YOUR INVESTMENT IF YOU IF YOU DO AGREE ON MATCHING ON ON PUTTING THE MILLION DOLLARS INTO THE DESIGN OF THIS FACILITY WILL BE A RETURN THAT WOULD BE CAN BE MEASURED ECONOMICALLY AND IT CAN BE MEASURED SOCIALLY. AND WE THINK THAT WHAT WE DEFINITELY CANNOT AFFORD IS TO HAVE A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. I THINK THAT A MISSED OPPORTUNITY OF NOT HAVING A CONNECT, CONNECT, RECONNECTING DOWNTOWN WITH THE REST OF THE CITY AND HAVING THIS TO MULTIPLY ALL THE OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT STARTED YEARS AGO INTO BECOMING WHAT IT COULD BE, A VIBRANT CITY THAT I MOVED IN 40 YEARS AGO. I'M VERY PROUD

[03:50:08]

WELCOME DANIEL. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US, REGARDLESS OF POSITION OR STANCE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. MY NAME IS DANNY RUBIO. I AM A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN, EL PASO BORN AND RAISED FATHER OF TWO WONDERFUL AND INTELLIGENT KIDS, EMMA AND EDMOND, PARTNER TO MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE MARIE. SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND LOCAL SOCCER COACH FOR WEST TEXAS. RUSH MY FAMILY AND I MOVED TO SUNSET HEIGHTS THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO. ONE OF THE BIGGEST ATTRACTIONS WE HAD MOVING DOWNTOWN WAS AND IS THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING THE PARK DECK PLAZA. HAVING SEEN MULTIPLE RENDERINGS OF THE EIGHT ACRE DECK PARK EXCITEMENT BUILDS ON A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNIT.

OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE SEEN OUR CITY'S INVESTMENTS IN DOWNTOWN PAY OFF. IT IS HURTING, NOT THE SAME DOWNTOWN WE GREW UP WITH. IT HAS BEEN REJUVENATED AND REVITALIZED. NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE IT SAFER WITH THE AMOUNT OF EVENTS BEING HELD WEEKLY IN DOWNTOWN, IT'S TIME TO MAKE IT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. A WALKABLE PATH WITH TRAILS RECONNECTING THE SOUTH SIDE AND NORTH SIDE OF DOWNTOWN TO ALLOW EASY ACCESS TO THE SOUTHWEST UNIVERSITY STADIUM. LA NUBE, THE MAC BUILDING, TEEN TOWN LIBRARY, AND RESTAURANTS IS IMPERATIVE. HAVING A TRUE GREEN SPACE IN THE HEART OF A CONCRETE JUNGLE DOWNTOWN WITH DOG PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, SHADE, BASKETBALL COURTS, VENDORS, AND A MULTI-SPORTS FIELD, IS THE NEXT STEP FOR EL PASO AND DOWNTOWN EL PASO. THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO SPEND A DAY AT THE DECK PARK AND WALK AROUND THE BALL GAME AND COME BACK HOME AND NOT WORRY ABOUT TRAFFIC, IS A MUST. NOW I HAVE GIVEN YOU MY PERSONAL REASONS WHY, THE WHY MY FAMILY AND I ARE IN FAVOR OF THE DECK PARK PLAZA, BUT HERE ARE A FEW DETAILS I HAVE LEARNED BASED ON THE COUNTY'S RECENT PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR THE POTENTIAL COUNTY BOND, PARKS WERE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS REGIONAL PARK WILL BE AVAILABLE TO USE FOR EVERYONE. PUBLIC PARKS ARE SOME OF THE MOST USED SPACES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, SPACES THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH THE PLANS FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF REIMAGINE I-10, FUNDED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AND FEDERAL FUNDS POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT AMBITIOUS PROJECTS LIKE THE DECK PARK. WE HAVE A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS VISION FOR THE DECK PARK OVER I-10 IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR A REALITY. IN CLOSING, I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE A MARK, CREATE A LEGACY, AND HELP MAKE EL PASO MORE THAN JUST A PASS THROUGH AND LEAVE THINGS BETTER.

THE WAY. LEAVE THINGS BETTER THAN THE WAY WE FOUND THEM. WE ARE HERE. WE'RE HERE TO STAY.

LET'S HELP FUTURE GENERATIONS FEEL THE SAME. THANK YOU. DANIEL APPRECIATE IT. NEXT WE HAVE LETICIA HOLTZ. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE FOR TAKING THE TIME, MY NAME IS LETICIA MARIE HOLTZ. I'M ACTUALLY DANIEL'S WIFE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO OFFER MY OPINION ON THE MATTER, FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH OUR REGION, EL PASO MEANS THE PASS. IT IS A CITY THAT BRINGS COMMERCE AND GOODS IN THE BILLIONS, AND VERY QUICKLY SEES IT LEAVE AS IT PASSES THROUGH OUR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TO REACH DESTINATION CITIES WITH FAR MORE DEMAND. BUT TO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BUILT BUSINESSES HERE, EL PASO MEANS FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, SAFE IN MANY WAYS FROM THE RECESSIONS OUR COUNTRY HAS EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES. TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE RAISING FAMILIES HERE, EL PASO MEANS A SAFE AND MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT TO WHICH OUR CHILDREN WERE, IN WHICH OUR CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN AND THRIVE. TO THOSE OF US WHO WHO PLAN TO LIVE OUT OUR LIVES HERE AND HOPE TO SEE OUR CHILDREN RETURN WITH GRANDCHILDREN. EL PASO IS HOME AS EL PASOANS. WE ARE PRESENTED WITH A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE SCALE OF DEMAND THAT BRINGS IN, THAT BRINGS THAT BRINGS GOODS IN, AND

[03:55:06]

WELCOME. HOW ARE YOU ALL? REAL GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS COUNTY STAFF, FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY ON THIS TRULY IMPORTANT MATTER. MY WIFE SPOKE EARLIER.

SHE CALLED IN, AND SHE APOLOGIZED FOR NOT BEING HERE. SHE'S A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER, BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TO HER AND OUR FAMILY. AND IF YOU LISTEN TO HER. SHE BASICALLY SAID EVERYTHING I HAVE TO SAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE HER HEART IS REALLY INTO THIS PROJECT, AND SHE DEFINITELY HAS MY HEART COVERED. AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 12 YEARS. AND AS WE'VE BEEN IN SUNSET HEIGHTS, YOU ALL MAY HAVE HEARD HISTORICALLY SOME RHETORIC THAT COMES OUT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT OPPOSES THINGS NOW AND THEN AND MAYBE EVEN THIS PROJECT OR THE WIDENING OF I-10. BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ALL THAT WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR AND A HALF TO REALLY WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR NEIGHBORS, AND REALLY GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY. AND WHAT WE HAVE IS PRETTY MUCH AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT. SO I DO WANT COMMISSIONERS, COURT AND JUDGE, AND COUNTY STAFF TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORING ON THIS PROJECT THAT IS VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF IT.

SO THAT IS IMPORTANT. TWO THINGS TO CONSIDER TODAY. IF YOU ALL WOULD. ONE IS ONE OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS TODAY, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE PARK IS GOING TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? IT'S JUST SAYING THAT WE ARE CREATING A FUNDING STRUCTURE AS AS TRACY, AND PEOPLE FAR SMARTER THAN ME HAVE HAVE LAID OUT, BUT ONE THAT IF IN FACT, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, A VOTE TODAY WOULD LESSEN THE BURDEN ON TAXPAYERS DOWN THE ROAD FOR THIS PROJECT. AS I UNDERSTAND IT. SO REALLY, A VOTE NO TODAY COULD PROBABLY COST US MORE DOWN THE ROAD THAN SUPPORTING IT TODAY WITHOUT ACTUALLY KNOWING THE EXACT FUTURE OF THE PROJECT. SO IF THAT IS THE CASE, I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS, ALL OF YOU, TO SUPPORT THIS, PLEASE. ANOTHER THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, MR. OSBORNE, VERY UNSELFISHLY TALKED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND ITS FUTURE. I'VE HAD TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST WEEKEND, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. AND I DON'T MEAN TO GET TOO PHILOSOPHICAL, BUT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR A REASON, RIGHT? WE'RE ALL HERE ON PLANET EARTH BECAUSE OF TWO PEOPLE. OUR PARENTS.

RIGHT AND THOSE PARENTS, THOSE TWO HAD TWO OTHER PARENTS, RIGHT. YOUR GRANDPARENTS. SO

[04:00:02]

YOU KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHILD WHEN THAT BOND WAS PASSED, AND NOW HE'S EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS OLD. FINALLY GETS TO SEE IT OPEN. SO I UNDERSTAND HOW THESE PROJECTS ARE TOUGH TO GET STARTED. THEY TAKE TIME. AND THEN THE FINISHING IS JUST THAT. SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, PLEASE, TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT TODAY. AND KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A CONTINGENCY IN EL PASO THAT SUPPORTS YOU THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT, AND THIS WILL BE A BIG FEATHER IN THE COUNTY'S CAP. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. GREAT INSIGHTS. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE EDUARDO CANO. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT IS LINA ORTEGA. REPRESENTATIVE WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU PROMOTED ME, REPRESENTATIVE. OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO BE HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT IN IN OUR COMMUNITY. I MEAN, AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE, I ACTUALLY REPRESENT THE DOWNTOWN AREA. IT'S STATE SEAT 77. AND SO IT'S ALWAYS IN FRONT OF THE LEGISLATURE AND IN FRONT OF BODIES. WE'RE ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR MONEY AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE COMMISSIONER SAID EARLIER. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THE DELEGATION DOES WORK HARD TO TRY TO BRING AS MUCH FUNDING AS WE CAN TO EL PASO. BUT I WOULD URGE ALL OF YOU TO BE UNIFIED AND TO BE SPEAKING TO THE TOP STATE LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE MANY TIMES OUR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AND BUT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN AND WE UNDERSTAND YOUR NEEDS, AND WE REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT MUST BE. I DID NOT SUPPORT OPERATION LONE STAR BECAUSE IT GIVES TOO MUCH MONEY WHERE IT SHOULD BE. THE FEDS, THAT SHOULD BE FUNDING IT. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GO THERE RIGHT NOW. I DID FIGHT HARD TO BRING IN FUNDING ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE LIKE OUR MPO DIRECTOR, OUR COUNTY JUDGE FOR I-10, BECAUSE IT IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF, OF REPAIR. AND IT'S BEEN OVER THE YEARS THAT THIS FIGHT HAS, HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE. AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH LAST THURSDAY TO ACTUALLY GET THAT FUNDING. NOW, WITH ANY IMPORTANT PROJECT, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE OPPOSITION. AND SO YOU EXPECT IT BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S THINGS ARE. BUT NOW THAT THE PROJECT HAS BEEN FUNDED AND WE ARE GOING TO GET PHASE ONE, WE NOW HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE BECAUSE THIS PROJECT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE COUNTY OF EL PASO IS STEPPING UP IN ORDER TO BRING MORE PROSPERITY, MORE HOUSING, MORE GREEN SPACE TO OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT, AGAIN, IS VERY IMPORTANT. NOW EVERYBODY HAS TALKED ABOUT, WELL, DALLAS WAS SUCCESSFUL. DALLAS WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THAT FUNDING BECAUSE THEY WERE UNIFIED. THEY RECENTLY GOT THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THREE MORE DECKS TO DECK PARKS TO OCCUR, FEDERAL MONIES BEING DRAWN. AND IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS. AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS WELL IS TO BE UNIFIED. SO I WOULD URGE THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT THIS. AND IT'S AGAIN, IT'S NOT LOOKING JUST AT THE LONG THE SMALL SHORT TERM RANGE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TERM BECAUSE WE NEED TO BRING MORE PEOPLE. WE NEED TO HAVE MORE BUSINESSES AND WE NEED MORE GREEN SPACE. EVERYBODY LOVES GREEN SPACE. WE SEE OUR

[04:05:03]

THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR MONEY THE WAY WE CONSTANTLY ARE FIGHTING FOR MONEY TO GET THE MONEY FOR THE TRAM, TO GET THE MONEY FOR I-10 TO. AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BE UNIFIED TO SHOW THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS UNIFIED. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IS YOU STEP FORWARD WHEN YOU'RE UNIFIED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU. AND DO STEP ON OUR TOES OKAY. WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT. NO BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE YOUR LEAD BECAUSE THE ENERGY YOU'VE PUT INTO TRANSPORTATION HAS JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE. JUST MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MPO, YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU DEAL WITH OTHER, YOU KNOW, OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE OF TEXAS. AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU JUDGE. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE STEVE ORTEGA. WELCOME STEVE. GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE COURT I FIRST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ENTERTAINING THIS ITEM. AND, JUDGE, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER THE LAST TIME THE COUNTY SIGNIFICANTLY DELVED INTO QUALITY OF LIFE WAS 1993. THAT WAS THE LAST QUALITY OF LIFE BOND ELECTION. I THINK THIS COURT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL COURT OF THE LAST 30 YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTING IN THIS COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. AND IT'S NOT EASY. IT'S DIFFICULT. BUT AS MANY SPEAKERS HAVE ALREADY SAID, FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL THANK YOU FOR IT. SO I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME, NUMBER ONE, TO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY. THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS TO DO NOTHING AT ALL. BUT WE'VE HAD FAR TOO MUCH OF THAT IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND IT TAKES LEADERSHIP TO MOVE A COMMUNITY FORWARD. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. IN 2019, THE CHAMBER TOOK A GROUP TO GO SEE THE PARK THAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT. KLYDE WARREN PARK. AND MORE THAN JUST A PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO GET TOGETHER AND RECREATE, WHICH IS CERTAINLY A GREAT REASON TO DO A PARK. DALLAS MADE THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR BUILDING THESE PARKS. I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO TELL YOU PARKS CREATE VALUE. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE MOST VALUABLE LAND IN NEW YORK CITY, IT'S THE LAND THAT CIRCUMSCRIBES CENTRAL PARK. SAME THING IN CHICAGO, THE LAND AROUND MILLENNIUM PARK. WHAT THEY LEARNED IN DALLAS. AND THIS WAS BACK IN 2019 IS WITHIN THE PRIOR 20 YEARS TO THE CREATION OF THAT PARK. THEY HAD 40 000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH, EXCUSE ME, THEY HAD 500 PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN A TWO MILE RADIUS OF THE PARK. YOU FAST FORWARD 20 YEARS. THEY HAD OVER 40,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN THAT TWO MILE RADIUS OF THE PARK. THE PARKS INDUCED INVESTMENT IN INDUCED PEOPLE WANTING TO LIVE AND BE AROUND THE PARK. IN 2014, THAT AREA AROUND THE PARK HAD A VALUE ACCORDING TO THEIR TAX ROLLS OF 2.5 BILLION. YOU FAST FORWARD FIVE YEARS. THEY'RE AT 5.2 BILLION OVER DOUBLE THE VALUE IN THAT AREA AROUND THE PARK. SO AGAIN, I CAN MAKE THE CASE WHY PARKS ARE NICE FOR FAMILIES AND I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT. BUT YOU CAN ALSO MAKE AN EXTRAORDINARILY STRONG ECONOMIC CASE AS TO WHY YOU DO THE PARK. SO YOU'RE NOT BURDENING THE RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYER EVERY YEAR WITH INCREASED TAXES THAT IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES. INVEST IN THINGS THAT CREATE VALUE FOR YOUR OR YOUR COMMUNITY. SO YOU'RE MITIGATING THE IMPACT ON THE HOMEOWNER. AND DOWNTOWN IS THE PART OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU SHOULD BE PULLING MOST OF YOUR TAX BASE. THIS IS A STRATEGY TO DO SO. SO I'M SENSITIVE TO THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENTS, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET AROUND THIS ONE. I THINK THIS IS AN INVESTMENT THAT IS GOING TO PAY DIVIDENDS FOR THE HOMEOWNER, WHO NEVER EVEN USES THE PARK, JUST BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO INDUCE THAT TYPE OF VALUE. RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW BECAUSE OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION'S ACTION ON THURSDAY, WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT HIGHWAY PROJECT. THE

[04:10:03]

LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT, SO AS YOU GUYS ARE MAKING YOUR DECISIONS, JUST THINK ABOUT THAT, WHAT? WHAT? THIS CITY CAN LOOK LIKE IF WE CAN CONTINUE DRAWING YOUNG FAMILIES, GET PEOPLE IN THE IN THE MIX TO IMPROVE THIS CITY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE KIDS IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, SO WE'RE NOT LOSING STATE FUNDING AND RETAINING OUR YOUNG, YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR YOUNG TALENT.

THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, GUYS. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MARISSA NUNEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE, MY NAME IS MARISSA NUNEZ. I AM HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONSTITUENT. AND I'M COMING TO YOU. NOT WITH ANIMOSITY, BUT WITH CURIOSITY, LOVE AND GENUINE CONCERN FOR MY COMMUNITY, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PRECINCT ONE AND HAVE MOVED BETWEEN PRECINCTS ONE, FOUR AND TWO OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS. I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO CALL PRECINCT TWO MY HOME FOR AS LONG AS I CAN. I LIVE, ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM THE COURTHOUSE. CURRENTLY THE I-10 PLAZA SITS BEFORE YOU TODAY. IT'S A PIVOTAL ITEM FOR THE COMMUNITY. EL PASO IS A PLACE WHERE WE'RE NOT LIKE OTHER CITIES, COMES BOTH WITH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS. WE'RE A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, BEAUTIFUL, THAT HAS FACED HISTORICAL NEGLECT. OUR QUALITY OF LIFE LAGS BEHIND OTHER PLACES IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE AS BOTH A TREASURE TROVE AND TEXAS'S FORGOTTEN CHILD. I'VE BEEN SITTING WITH HOW THE DECK PLAZA COULD CHANGE THAT ACROSS THE STATE. OUR MAJOR CITIES ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST HIGHWAY EXPANSION. AUSTIN, HOUSTON, AND DALLAS ARE ENGAGED IN FIGHTS WITH TXDOT FOR EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, OPTIONS THAT WON'T COMPROMISE HEALTH FOR THE SAKE OF CONVENIENCE.

[04:15:01]

AND SO, AGAIN, I FIND MYSELF SITTING WITH HOW THE DUCK PLAZA FITS INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE POTENTIAL OF HIGHWAY EXPANSION. AS A LIFELONG EL PASOAN AND SOMEONE WHO REALLY LOVES THIS COMMUNITY, I LONG TO SEE PROJECTS THAT RECONNECT OUR COMMUNITY AND CONNECT. CONNECT EL PASO TO LARGER CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE WE'VE OFTEN FELT LIKE WE'VE FALLEN BEHIND. I SEE AN ABUNDANCE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND TO LEAD. LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF OUR LARGER COUNTERPARTS, AND BE A LEADER IN COMMUNITY CENTERED POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE. I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO MOVE TRAFFIC THROUGH THE CITY. I GREW UP ON THE EAST SIDE AND I'VE HAD TO TRAVERSE THIS HIGHWAY MOST OF MY LIFE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE EVER BEEN WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF WORK. IT'S STILL A HALF HOUR, BUT WALKING DISTANCE NONETHELESS. I'M ONE OF THE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO GETS TO BENEFIT FROM BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE STREETCAR TO WORK. AND WHILE THAT COMES FROM A PLACE OF PRIVILEGE, IT'S A PLACE THAT I CAN AFFORD TO LIVE, IT'S CHANGED MY QUALITY OF LIFE SIGNIFICANTLY. AND I WANT THAT SAME QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MY NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE COUNTY. I DON'T KNOW IF THE DUCK PLAZA ACCOMPLISHES THIS, AND I WONDER HOW WE CAN BE CREATIVE WITH THE CONCEPT OF RECONNECTION. CAN WE ENVISION A STATE OF THE ART PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, A COUNTY IN WHICH YOU CAN HOP ON A TRAIN IN SOCORRO AND END UP IN DOWNTOWN EL PASO WITHOUT HAVING TO SIT IN TRAFFIC PROJECTS THAT TRULY FOCUS ON KEEPING US CONNECTED COLLECTIVELY. THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT I'D LOVE TO SEE AND I'D LOVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO. SHOULD YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT TODAY, I HOPE TO SEE SOME POLICY TOOLS TO ADDRESS ANY POTENTIAL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH INVESTMENT DOWNTOWN, WHEN WE SEE INVESTMENT, WE LARGELY ALSO SEE GENTRIFICATION SOON TO FOLLOW, AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL POLICY TOOLS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AND IMPLEMENT AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PROJECT AS A WHOLE. AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THOSE IDEAS AT ANY POINT IN TIME, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THESE THOUGHTS AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CORONADO, FOR ALWAYS CREATING A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT TO SHARE THOUGHTS AND TO SPEAK FROM MY HEART. IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER WE HAVE SIGNED UP IS RONALD DOBSON. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS PRIVILEGE. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS RONALD DOBSON. I LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE OF EL PASO. FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. AND ABOUT THE TIME THAT I MOVED HERE, I BECAME AWARE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WAS PLANNING TO WIDEN I-10 THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND I READ SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S SORT OF A RAISED A RED FLAG FOR ME BECAUSE I AM AWARE THAT STATE DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE VERY FOND OF BUILDING NEW INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND WIDENING THOSE THAT EXIST WHERE IT'S NOT REALLY NECESSARY, IN 1970, I WAS INVOLVED IN WORKING TO PREVENT THE CONSTRUCTION OF ILLINOIS SUPPLEMENTAL FREEWAY 409, WHICH WOULD HAVE GONE FROM WEST TO

[04:20:04]

ALL RIGHT. ONE DEPENDS ON THE OTHER, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEY ARE SEPARATE PROJECTS. SO WHY WHY BUILD ADDITIONAL LANES THROUGH THE SO-CALLED TRENCH THROUGH DOWNTOWN WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE IS NO CONGESTION AT THAT POINT? ALL RIGHT. THE CONGESTION HAPPENS IN OTHER PARTS OF I-10 LIKE THE SPAGHETTI BOWL AND THE LOOP 375 AND SOME OTHER PLACES. SO I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY, WHY MUST WE WIDEN I-10 IN ORDER TO BUILD THE DECK PLAZA? I SEE NO REASON FOR IT. YOU KNOW, THE TRENCH CAN BE REINFORCED AND REBUILT, BUT ADDING NEW LANES JUST SEEMS TO ME COMPLETELY REDUNDANT AND, I THINK WHO WOULD WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM WIDENING I-10 MAINLY WOULD BE THE COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC THAT GOES THROUGH DOWNTOWN. AND WHY CAN'T WE REROUTE THAT COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC AROUND THROUGH LOOP 375 OR SOME OTHER ARTERY? BECAUSE WIDENING I-10 WOULD ONLY INCREASE THE POLLUTION IN THAT AREA DOWNTOWN. AND IT WOULD DESTROY A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TAKEN AWAY BY WIDENING THE HIGHWAY. SO I REPRESENT NO ONE EXCEPT MYSELF. ALL RIGHT, I MOVED HERE FROM SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND I THINK, EL PASO HAS A QUITE A NICE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. I USE THE BRIO BUS TO GET HERE, AND I OFTEN PUT MY BICYCLE ON THE BUS IN ORDER TO GO TO UTEP. BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE USE USE THE BUS SYSTEM HERE. THE SUN METRO. AND I THINK IT'S JUST YOU KNOW, OUT OF FORCE OF HABIT, PEOPLE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO USING THEIR CAR, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. APPRECIATE IT. THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE SIGNED UP. JUDGE JUDGE, CAN I ASK SOME QUESTIONS, PLEASE? SURE. SO I NOTICED THAT IN THE LETTER THAT'S IN THE BACKUP, IT'S THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE SIGNING, THAT YOU WOULD BE SIGNING ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY.

IT SAYS AS THE OWNER OF THE I-10 DOWNTOWN DECK, SO THE COUNTY WOULD BECOME THE OWNER OF THE DECK. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER, THE MAKING A MOTION ON THAT TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO BE THE OWNER. SO THEN WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS IF WE AGREE? SO WE KNOW THIS GRANT IS ONLY FOR 10 MILLION, WHICH IS THE DESIGN PHASE. BUT WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COUNTY, THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REMAINING 206 MILLION NEEDED FOR CONSTRUCTION. IF WE'RE THE OWNERS, THE COUNTY GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. WELL, WE LOOKED AT THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WHO WOULD BE THE BEST TO HONOR SCHUMACHER, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU, JUDGE. AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COMMISSIONER. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BEFORE ERICA HEADED

[04:25:03]

SO I THINK WE NEED TO DIVE DEEPER INTO ALL OF THAT, I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE COSTS. JUDGE. WE JUST HAD A VERY LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT THE COUNTY IS IN. WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT FUND FROM THE 9 MILLION TO 3 MILLION.

THIS COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE A MILLION FROM THERE, OUR CIP, WE REDUCED IT FROM THE 14 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO 1 MILLION, PLUS THE 5 MILLION IN RESERVE. I JUST I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE COUNTY TAKING OWNERSHIP WHEN A LOT OF THESE FINANCIAL QUESTIONS DON'T SEEM TO HAVE AN ANSWER YE.

YEAH. THE OWNERSHIP WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE DISCUSSED. IT WOULDN'T BE JUST WE WHAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE WILLING RIGHT AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT TO TAKE THE OWNERSHIP, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE AND THAT COULD CHANGE LONG BEFORE YOU WOULD ASSIGN ANY KIND OF AGREEMENT WITH TXDOT. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE WOULD BE A LOT TO WORK OUT. WE CAN BRING WE COULD WORK WITH JOAQUIN TO BRING THE HRA. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, ECONOMIC PIECE BACK TO SHARE, MORE DATA AND INFORMATION FROM WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO CREATE OUR OWN PLAN FOR HOW THIS IS OPERATED AND MAINTAINED. WELL I MEAN, I WORRY BECAUSE THE LETTER SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT AS THE OWNER OF THE TOWN DECK DOWNTOWN DECK, THAT'S HOW IT'S WRITTEN.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT OUR FUTURE LIABILITIES. I THINK THE LETTER WAS BASED ON IF WE IF WE AGREE HERE THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING BEING THE OWNERS. AND WHAT DO ANY ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU ANYTIME I DON'T READ IT TO SAY THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING JUDGE IT SAYS THAT WE WILL BE. YES IS WHAT I SAW. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS WHOLE WE'RE CONSIDERING IT. IT SEEMS TO ME WE NEED TO HAVE A STRAIGHT UP ANSWER AS TO WHAT THAT IS. I MEAN, ARE WE CONSIDERING IT OR ARE WE GOING TO BE IT THE LETTER AS WRITTEN SAYS AS OWNER OF. SO THE LETTER SPECIFICALLY STATES THE COUNTY WOULD BE THE OWNER. RIGHT? AGAIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EL PASO MPO. JUST TO PUT IT A LITTLE BIT IN CONTEXT, THIS IDEA OF THE OWNERSHIP OR THE OWNER OF THE PROJECT IS REALLY IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE GRANT PROGRAM PLACES. SO IF WE ARE WE'RE APPLYING FOR A GRANT, TO DESIGN THIS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS, A, A LETTER OF COMMITMENT FROM THE OWNER OF THE PROJECT. RIGHT. SO WHOEVER THAT OWNER IS COMMITS TO BUILDING IT, IF THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US MONEY TO DESIGN IT. WELL, THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SEE A COMMITMENT TO, TO GET IT BUILT RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE, THE, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE THE, THE BACKGROUND FOR THE NEED TO DETERMINE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROJECT. SO IF THE COUNTY

[04:30:07]

WELL, THE LETTER YOU KNOW STATES A COMMITMENT TO BUILDING IT. RIGHT. BUT IT OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T STATE ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY DETAILS OR ANYTHING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WHEN, WHEN, WHEN OTHER COMMUNITIES, APPLY FOR THESE TYPE OF GRANTS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A, A, A PERFECTLY DEFINED PLAN TO BUILD IT AND WHO'S GOING TO MAINTAIN IT AND ALL THAT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO TRY TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST PLAN. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THAT REQUIREMENT TO, TO, YOU KNOW, DETERMINE, OR TO GET A LETTER OF THE OWNER, WHOEVER THAT IS, TO COMMIT TO BUILDING IT. TRACY. YEAH. AND I'LL JUST ADD, I MEAN, I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, IF THE COUNTY CONSIDERS THAT OWNERSHIP THAT WE COULD WE NEED TO WORK ON A PARALLEL PROCESS FOR DELEGATING THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF IT TO A THIRD PARTY. IF THE COUNTY IS NOT INTERESTED IN BEING LONG TERM LIABLE, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU YOU DELEGATE THAT AUTHORITY TO SOMEBODY ELSE. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THEY DID WITH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OTHER PARKS AND OTHER CITIES OR LIKE A LA NUBE, WHICH IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH AN AGREEMENT WITH A PUBLIC ENTITY AND A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. BUT THAT PRIVATE ORGANIZATION WOULD HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TAKE ON THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THOSE COSTS. AND WE ARE WE ARE WILLING TO DO THAT. OKAY. JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS ERIC GAGLIANO. I WAS ASSISTING THE JUDGE'S OFFICE WITH REVIEW OF THIS JUST TO CLARIFY, I THINK THE LETTER OF COMMITMENT THAT JUST SPEAKS TO THE MATCH WAS ACTED THIS MORNING. AND SO THE COURT MAY THE COURT MAY JUST BE READING THE OWNERSHIP LETTER AND SO THAT MAYBE IS WHAT THE CLARIFICATION THAT'S NEEDED. SO I'M SORRY ERICA. SO THEN THIS LETTER IS NOT BEING SUBMITTED WITH THE GRANT APPLICATION OR IT IS. SO THERE'S TWO LETTERS. THE PROPOSED MOTION THAT, THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU AND I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. MISS KELLER HAD DRAFTED IT. I'D TAKEN A LOOK AT IT WITH HER. IS IF THE COURT WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE THE LETTER OF UP TO $1 MILLION COMMITMENT, YOU COULD TAKE THAT ACTION IF YOU WANTED. TODAY. AND THE OWNERSHIP LETTER WE THINK WOULD JUST BE PENDING SOME REVIEW. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PER THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY WOULD BE THE CORRECT OWNER. AND ALSO, IF THE COURT WANTS TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT OWNERSHIP, WE COULD ALSO DO THAT. COMMISSIONER CORONADO. YEAH. THANK YOU. JUDGE YOU KNOW, THE WAY THE WAY I SEE THIS, IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUT THIS, I THE DEAL BETWEEN WHO OWNS IT OR WHO MANAGES IT, THE FIRST THING THAT WE NEED TO DECIDE IS, IS THIS A GOOD THING FOR EL PASO OR NOT? AS FAR AS THE DETAILS OF THIS, I CAN'T SEE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW SOME OF OUR PROJECTS IN THE PAST HAVE IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITIES AND DIVIDED THEM. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 1969, WE ONLY HAD 300,000 PEOPLE IN EL PASO. WE NOW HAVE ABOUT A MILLION, YOU KNOW, WHO'S TO SAY WHETHER WE NEEDED IT BACK THEN OR NOT? OF COURSE WE DID. WE HAD HIGHWAY 80, WHICH WAS, PAISANO AND DONOVAN. THAT WAS GOING THROUGH EVEN MORE THROUGH DOWNTOWN. YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THESE? ABSOLUTELY BUT IS THE ANSWER. LET'S JUST YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY GET RID OF IT ALTOGETHER. LET'S NARROW IT EVEN WORSE. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY NARROWING DOWN THEIR FREEWAYS. YOU WANT TO DIVERT THEM? ABSOLUTELY. BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A REGIONAL PLAN, NOT JUST. LET'S JUST CUT DOWN DOWNTOWN. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO DO THE BEST WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT WITH WHAT WAS DONE BACK IN THE 60S. RIGHT. WE NEEDED IT. ABSOLUTELY. WHERE ARE WE GOING TO KEEP PAISANO AND DONOVAN AS OUR HIGHWAY FOREVER? NO RIGHT. WE GOT TO PROGRESS. SAME THING WITH THIS. WE GOT TO PROGRESS.

AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK THIS PARK DOES, IS IT RECONNECTS THE COMMUNITIES. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN'T SOLVE ALL THE ISSUES AT ONE TIME, BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO AT LEAST SOLVE SOME OF THEM AND GIVE SOME QUALITY OF LIFE. YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY HAS FOR THE LONGEST TIME, AND I CALL IT HISTORICAL NEGLECT, REALLY, FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST IN IN EVERYTHING, BUT WE'VE LACKED IN ECONOMIC JUSTICE, TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE. I MEAN, 20, 30 YEARS AGO, WE HAD OUR OWN LEADERSHIP FROM EL PASO, SUED THE STATE OF TEXAS. ACTUALLY, IT WASN'T A

[04:35:02]

RIGHT. LET'S LEARN. I MEAN, LET'S, LET'S TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN DALLAS. LET'S TALK TO THE OTHER PEOPLE. WHAT ARE YOU WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN TERMS OF THOSE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THERE OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO ALSO THINK DALLAS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT DOWNTOWN THAN US, RIGHT? SO WE NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES ALONGSIDE OF THE FREEWAY DOWNTOWN AND OUR PARK. AND I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND, AND AS YOU KNOW, AND BE ABLE TO SOLVE THEM BY PUTTING SOME POLICY, HAVING A, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT THE COUNTY EITHER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE, BUT THIS IS A THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMMUNITY PROJECT. THE ENTIRE REGION. SO LET'S MAKE IT A COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. LET'S GET THIS FOUNDATION WORKING. LET'S GET THE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVED. I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO REVENUE THAT THE PARK COMES IN, DOESN'T IT ISN'T JUST NOT DOESN'T BRING ANY MONEY AT ALL, DOES IT? SO COMMISSIONER, PART OF THE PLANS INCLUDE SOME, LIKE RETAIL COMPONENTS LIKE YOU SAW ON MESA. IF WE CAN CONSTRUCT THOSE, THOSE WOULD BE REVENUE GENERATING PROPERTIES THAT WOULD HELP SUPPORT THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE OF THE PROJECT. YEAH. IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE SITTING THERE WITHOUT MAKING ANY MONEY.

IDEALLY, YES. IDEALLY AND ADDITIONALLY, WHATEVER INCREASE IN INVESTMENT IT CREATES DOWNTOWN, IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE TAX BASE. IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, REVENUE FROM VARYING SOURCES. THAT WILL HELP A LOT OF THAT'S GOING TO BE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. YES. AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT REVERSING THAT DEPENDENCY ON HOUSEHOLDS ON RESIDENTIAL. WELL, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE OUR OWN, SO TO SPEAK, INVESTMENT AND REINVESTMENT IN MORE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND AT THE SAME TIME, REALLY, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE, YOU KNOW, REALLY CAN NOT COMMUNICATE. RATHER CONNECTING THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE DISCONNECTED BY OUR FREEWAY DOWNTOWN. I SEE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, IS IT A PERFECT SITUATION? PROBABLY NOT. IS IT A GREAT STEP FORWARD? ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY CAN POINT TO A GREAT PARK DOWNTOWN THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CALL A GREEN SPACE DOWNTOWN. ANYBODY TELL ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR A PARK INSIDE THE CITY FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE TRIED THE RAILROAD AREA. WE'VE TRIED OTHER PARTS, AND WE HAVE NOTHING. WE HAVE THE PLAZA DOWNTOWN. THAT'S IT. WE NEED TO TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY. CAN WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEMS? ABSOLUTELY WE CAN. AND I THINK WE NEED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

WE NEED TO INVOLVE THE PUBLIC SECTOR. AND LET'S HAVE ALL THE OTHER COUNTY, THE OTHER GOVERNMENTS JOIN US IN DOING THIS. BUT I THINK AS OWNER, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, NOT JUST TO, YOU KNOW, WRITE SOME OF THESE WRONGS, BUT IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. LIKE I SAID, WE'VE YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD COMPLETE NEGLECT NOT TO SAY COMPLETE NEGLECT, BUT HORRIBLE NEGLECT OVER HOWEVER MANY YEARS IN OUR TRANSPORTATION AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, EVEN IN OUR SCHOOLING, WHICH WE'VE REMEDIED TO SOME RESPECT. AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER FIGHT DOWN THE ROAD IN THAT RESPECT, AGAIN IN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY HERE, WE CAN AT LEAST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. AND THIS IS LIKE MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE SOME CONSIDERATIONS AND THINK ABOUT HOW THIS MAY

[04:40:02]

AND I'M GLAD YOU ALL ARE TAKING CONSIDERATION FOR DOING SOME, NATIVE PLANTING SHADE STRUCTURES THAT WE LEARNED LAST WEEK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HEAT STROKE HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR PARKS DURING THE DAY IN THE SUMMER.

RIGHT. IT'S PRETTY TOUGH. IT'S GOT TO BE IN THE EVENINGS. SO I THINK CREATING A LOT OF SHADE IN OUR AREA IS REALLY IMPERATIVE AND CRUCIAL FOR US TO DO. I'M GLAD THAT'S BEING DONE. MAYBE WE CAN DO MORE. AND I THINK AS IF WE GET INVOLVED INTO THIS, I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE CONTROLS AND TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE BETTER SAY IN THAT. SO, IN MY OPINION, I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO THIS. CAN WE WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES? ABSOLUTELY. ARE THERE ARE THERE SOME ISSUES. YEAH. DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T DO THEM AND WE'RE NOT THIRD RATE CITIZENRY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER LEON. YEAH. THANK YOU, JUDGE TRACY. OR AT EDUARDO, BY TAKING TODAY'S VOTE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND LISTENING TO WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY, WE'RE NOT PAINTING OURSELVES INTO A CORNER. WE'RE SIMPLY SAYING LET'S. YES, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT STEP AND CONTINUE TALKING THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS. IS THAT CORRECT? SO, YES, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT OWNERSHIP IS, IS REALLY DRIVEN BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE GRANT, RIGHT, SO, IF THE OWNERSHIP QUESTION, YOU KNOW, STILL NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR SOMETHING AS LONG AS WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT QUESTION SETTLED BEFORE WE SUBMIT THE, THE APPLICATION, THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT. BUT BUT TO YOUR POINT, I THINK, AND WHAT TRACY WAS SAYING, THE YES, THE LETTER IS IT DOES SPEAK OF A COMMITMENT. RIGHT. BUT BUT THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. YOU KNOW, THIS THIS IS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SPECIFIC GRANT. I MEAN, WE HOPE THAT AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING IT, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE. RIGHT. BUT IF WE IF WE DON'T SETTLE THAT, THAT QUESTION, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST CLOSING THE DOOR ON AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH, WITH THE PROJECT. THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK THE WAY IT'S READING NOW AND IF I COULD MAKE THE MOTION BECAUSE I THINK IT ADDRESSES IT'S APPROVED THE COUNTY PROCEEDING WITH ENTERING AN AGREEMENT WILL PASS THE MPO TO PROVIDE UP TO 1 MILLION FOR A GRANT MATCH FOR THE FY 2025 FEDERAL CONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS GRANT AND DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK THE AGREEMENT AND DETAILS, AND EXPLORING OWNERSHIP OF THE I-10 DOWNTOWN DECK. SO I THINK THAT THAT IDEA THAT WE'RE STILL EXPLORING THE OWNERSHIP, I THINK WOULD WOULD SATISFY SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD HERE. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY JUDGE SAMANIEGO, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LEON JUDGE. HELLO JUDGE. YES JUDGE SAMANIEGO, GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER. HELLO. I'M SORRY. OKAY, COMMISSIONER. JUDGE. I MEAN, MAYBE THE COMMISSIONER WHO REPRESENTS THE AREA WOULD WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. YEAH, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T SEE YOU.

I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF A NUMBER OF COMMENTS AND, AND QUESTIONS AS WELL, REGARDING THE, REGARDING THE, THE PRESENTATION AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE THAT, GREEN SPACE ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER T, TO TRY TO CREATE. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF. I THINK I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR, THOUGH, IN THE PAST, AND, AND COMMENTS THAT I'VE MADE THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I'M UPSET WITH, WITH THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS THAT THE WIDENING OF THE HIGHWAY IS GOING TO HAVE ON, ON THIS COMMUNITY AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SWEEP THAT UNDER THE RUG BY TALKING ABOUT THIS PARK, IT'S A SIX MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE INDUCED CONGESTION. THERE'S GOING TO BE INDUCED TRAFFIC, NOT NOT CONGESTION INDUCED TRAFFIC COMING INTO THE AREA, AND, AND THIS IS ONLY A, I THINK A SIX

[04:45:06]

[04:50:02]

I THINK WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE TO LOOK AT POLICIES. YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE DECK FOOTPRINT TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR THE RESIDENTS. WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO HARM RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE NOW. AND AND, HAVE YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY BECAUSE, THE CITY, THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE ZONING AUTHORITY, RIGHT OUTSIDE OR INSIDE, INSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S A HUGE PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE, YOU'RE COMING AND ASKING US TO BE THE OWNERS OF THE OF THE PROJECT, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE CITY, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE EVEN AMENABLE TO WORKING ON THAT TYPE OF, MITIGATION OF GENTRIFICATION OR, YOU KNOW, I JUST I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE CITY STANDS. YEAH THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONERS. JOAQUIN RODRIGUEZ WITH THE CITY OF EL PASO. FOR THE RECORD, SO I SERVED AS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS IN COORDINATION WITH TRACY AND HER TEAM AT PASEO DEL NORTE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT GENTRIFICATION HAS BEEN, A BIG COMPONENT OF THE THINGS WE HAVE EXAMINED WITH THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE CITY RECENTLY ADOPTED THE DOWNTOWN, UPTOWN AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN, WHICH SPEAKS VERY SPECIFICALLY TO ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES. SO THE CITY IS NOT ONLY LOOKING AT THIS IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE DECK PLAZA, BUT JUST IN TERMS OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH AS A WHOLE. THAT STUDY DID IDENTIFY A MARKET FOR 10,000 RESIDENTIAL UNITS OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS, AND A BIG PART OF THOSE 10,000 UNITS ARE INTENDED TO BE AFFORDABLE AS PART OF THAT, THE STUDY IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC STEPS TO TAKE IN TERMS OF REGULATORY POLICY THAT WOULD AFFECT OR THAT WOULD TRY TO MITIGATE DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION. SO THE CITY, THE CITY HAS AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, WORKING GROUP THAT THAT MEETS REGULARLY TO TALK ABOUT THESE POLICIES. THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DEPARTMENT, PLANNING DIVISION ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP TO START TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND ACTION ITEMS THAT WERE THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THAT PLAN. THANK YOU. JOAQUIN THANKS. I MEAN, AND THE REASON THE REASON I, I MEAN, I BRING THAT UP AS WELL, JUDGE, IS THAT,

[04:55:06]

WE'VE ASKED, I MEAN, MAYBE WE HAVE ON A STAFF LEVEL AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, MAYBE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT HAVE HAD THEIR OWN RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT IF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OVER THINGS THAT ARE A LOT LESS COMPLEX AND THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT, SHOULD BE LOWER HANGING FRUIT THAN SOMETHING AS, TRANSFORMATIONAL AND AS COMPLEX AS, AS THIS ITEM THAT WE'RE TALKING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I WANT THIS PARK, BUT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF UNKNOWNS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO STICK MY NECK OUT THERE, I WANT TO STICK MY NECK OUT THERE, AND. AND I KNOW THAT, EITHER THIS WHATEVER DECISION I MAKE, I'M. I'M NOT GOING TO BE MAKING EVERYBODY HAPPY, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THAT THAT WEIGHS ON ME. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY QUESTIONS THAT HAVE THAT ARE UNANSWERED, WHETHER IT'S REGARDING THE OWNERSHIP. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE THE OWNER, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPERSEDE THE DECK FOUNDATION AND MAKE DECISIONS AS TO HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD? OR WOULD WE APPOINT DECK FOUNDATION MEMBERS, YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT DOES WHAT DOES THAT OWNERSHIP ENTAIL? SO ANNA SCHUMACHER, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY COMMISSIONER, I CAN RESPOND TO THAT. SO THE MOTION THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T IRONED OUT THE OWNERSHIP PERSPECTIVE OR ELEMENTS, WE WOULDN'T BE COMMITTING TO THAT LETTER TODAY. BUT INSTEAD WE WOULD BRING BACK AN AGREEMENT THAT FLESHES THOSE ITEMS OUT. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. THAT'S YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I STILL THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. I WANT TO POSE THOSE QUESTIONS SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED, WHEN WE, IF AND WHEN WE GET TO THAT, IF WE GET TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE BEING ASKED TO GIVE $1 MILLION TO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE OWNER OF. BUT WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA. HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK. AND ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD, MR. CALVO, IS, JUST JUST FOR MY OWN AND MAYBE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT MAY BE WANTING TO UNDERSTAND, WHY WHY IS IT THAT THE MPO IS APPLYING FOR THIS PROGRAM IF IT'S NOT A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT? THE PROJECT IS THE HIGHWAY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A DEVELOPER DRIVEN PROJECT THAT'S, THAT, YOU KNOW, IS MEANT TO INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN, TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR ITSELF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE IT AS AN OVERALL COMMUNITY LED PROJECT. IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, WITHOUT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY EVEN KNOWING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT POSSIBLY WILL TAKE PROPERTY FROM, FROM INDIVIDUALS AND GIVING IT, GIVE IT TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS, IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T DISPLACE, PEOPLE, BUT BUT YOU KNOW, IT IT IT MAY DISPLACE THE VERY PEOPLE WHOSE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE BEING USED TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW EQUITY AND RECONNECTION. AND I, I MEAN, IT'S, THAT THAT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH ME. WHICH QUESTION DO YOU HAVE? THERE ARE SEVERAL QUESTIONS THERE, COMMISSIONER. SO. BUT WHAT DO YOU HAVE OF IT? SO THE FIRST. YEAH, THE. YEAH, THE FIRST ONE IS, THE MPOS ROLE, IF THIS IS IF THIS IS NOT A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, GO AHEAD. EDUARDO. WELL, I THINK THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS THAT MPOS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY UNDER THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM. THAT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT, PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM IS THAT THE OWNER OF THE PROJECT HAS TO BE A CO APPLICANT, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT

[05:00:02]

[05:07:22]

SO HOPEFULLY IF THERE'S FAMILIES OUT THERE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS YEAR, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO INVITE THEM TO JOIN US NEXT YEAR. HEY, WE'RE GETTING OUR 4TH OF JULY GLASSES. YEAH.

PUT THEM ON. IT'S JULY 4TH THIS YEAR. WE'RE DOING OUR VIP EVENT WHICH I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF RIGHT NOW HERE AT THE PAVILION. OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AREA. IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE IT HERE. SO IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL TABLE. YOU HAVE, AREAS WHERE YOU CAN PLAY GAMES.

WE HAVE BLOW UP SLIDES FOR THE CHILDREN. WE EVEN HAVE A MOVIE INDOORS. IF THE KIDS WOULD PREFER TO WATCH A MOVIE OVER FIREWORKS, BUT THE TICKETS FOR OUR VIP AREA THIS YEAR WERE $45 FOR ADULTS, AND THAT PROVIDED A BRISKET DINNER. AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE PUBLIC, NOT AT THE VIP EVENT. WE HAD MULTIPLE FOOD TRUCKS OVER HERE AT THE SPECIAL EVENTS AREA. AND ON OUR LAWN. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO A FIREWORKS SHOW IN A SKELETON PARK, COME ON OUT. IT'S A IT'S A FUN TIME.

[05:10:02]

THAT WAS COOL. WE ARE AT EL PASO'S LARGEST. ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. AND THIS HAS BEEN A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT AND EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS SO EXCITED. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATION MOMS ON BOARD, THE NONPROFIT, THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT. TOGETHER, WE CREATED THE PLAN OF HAVING THREE ALL ABILITIES PARKS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE REACHED ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTY. WOW SO THERE'S THE FIRST ONE THAT OPENED WAS GALLEGOS PARK IN THE FAR WEST AND FAR EAST WAS RISINGER IN FABENS. AND THIS ONE FINALLY TODAY, CENTRAL ASCARATE ONE, TWO, THREE. THE FLOORING IS ALSO SPECIALLY MADE AND CONDUCIVE TO FOLKS WITH WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABILITIES. AND SO YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT SLIDES I MEAN IT'S A GREAT PLAYGROUND SWINGS. THERE YOU GO. READY AT THE AMENITIES AND THE PLAY STRUCTURES ARE MORE INCLUSIVE. THEY ALLOW FOR WHEELED DEVICES TO BE UTILIZED. SO FOR EXAMPLE THIS ONE OVER HERE, THE SWAY FUN. IT'S A IT'S A SEESAW. BUT A CHILD OR A PERSON WHO'S USING A WHEELED A WHEELCHAIR DOES NOT NEED TO EXIT THEIR WHEELCHAIR. THEY CAN WHEEL INTO IT AND EXPERIENCE THE FUN. AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANKS FOR JOINING US. WELCOME. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PARK? IT'S VERY GOOD OBVIOUSLY. AND I KIND OF LIKE IT. GREAT. WELL ARE YOU GOING TO GO PLAY? YEAH ALL RIGHT. HAVE FUN, HAVE FUN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? CADEN AND HIS CLASSMATES AT RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY WHO JOINED US TODAY. IT JUST OPENS UP THAT THAT COMMUNICATION AND THAT COMMUNIT, KIDS WITHOUT DISABILITIES WILL NOT THEIR PLAY ISN'T IMPACTED WITH NOW HAVING KIDS WITH DISABILITIES COME AND JOIN THEM. SO IT OPENS UP THAT DIALOG. IT OPENS UP THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT COMMUNICATION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT UNDERSTANDING OF EVERYBODY IN OUR HUMANITY. YOU WALK AROUND A DAY WITHOUT YOUR IDENTIFICATION AND SEE HOW MANY TIMES YOU REACH FOR YOUR WALLET, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, WHAT YOU CANNOT DO. VERY EXCITED, HAPPY AND PROUD THAT THAT THIS PROJECT IS FINALLY COME TO FRUITION. BECAUSE THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT THE COUNTY STARTED WORKING ON, ALONG WITH BORDER NETWORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

MANY MANY YEARS AGO, NINE, ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO. I KNOW THE GOVERNMENT WORKS SLOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE PERSEVERED AND WE DIDN'T GIVE UP. WE DID HAVE TO TALK TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS LIBRARY CARD WOULD BE ACCEPTED AS A FORM OF ID, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHY THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT. IT'S A VERY GOOD PROGRAM THAT CAME OVER HERE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FABENS, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO BE ENHANCED AND FOR EVERYBODY TO KNOW, AND IT WILL HELP ALL OF US. YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WHO JUST CAN'T GET THAT STATE ISSUED ID, BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS ENHANCED LIBRARY CARD, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OTHERWISE. THIS IS GOING TO HELP PEOPLE ACCESS BANKING SERVICES, HEALTHCARE, MEDICAL SERVICES. IT WILL HELP FOLKS WITH SCHOOLS WITH LIBRARIES, YOU'VE GOT FOLKS WHO NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET COPIES OF THEIR KIDS BIRTH CERTIFICATES FROM THE COUNTY

[05:15:04]

THAT'S WHAT I THINK THE COUNTY HAS ESPOUSED. THE VALUE OF BEING INCLUSIVE. AND THIS I THINK, EMBODIES THAT. I BET YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ROUTE 66, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MISSION TRAIL? IT MAY BE ONLY NINE MILES LONG, BUT IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PART OF THE AREA NEAR EL PASO, AND IT MIGHT JUST BE A FUN VACATION FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF PRECINCT 13, ILIANA HOLGUIN, JOINS ME THIS MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, DARYL, FOR THE INVITATION. EL PASO, I'VE HEARD ABOUT EL PASO. I'VE NEVER BEEN, BUT NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT EL PASO. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME AND GET TO KNOW EL PASO. SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE KICKING OFF THE TOURIST SEASON ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL, WHICH, LIKE YOU SAID, IS A NINE MILE STRETCH OF ROAD ENCOMPASSING THREE HISTORIC MISSIONS. THESE MISSIONS REPRESENT ABOUT 350 YEARS OF OUR CULTURE, OUR HISTORY, OUR TRADITIONS. ON ANY GIVEN WEEKEND, YOU CAN STILL SEE WEDDINGS BEING PERFORMED QUINCEANERAS THE TIGUA CULTURAL DANCERS. SO THESE ARE STILL ACTIVE MISSIONS THAT ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE WONDERFUL ART GALLERIES THERE. IF YOU LIKE ART, WE'VE GOT GREAT RESTAURANTS, A BREWER, CAFES AND OF COURSE THE SPEAKING ROCK ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, WHICH OFFERS FREE CONCERTS EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND. SO I MUST SAY, EL PASO HAS TO BE A MUST VISIT DESTINATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT ANYTHING NOWADAYS. THERE'S A DOCUMENTARY THAT WAS JUST MADE ABOUT EL PASO. YEAH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THE NATIONAL ATTENTION THAT EL PASO IS RECEIVING. AND JUST TO MENTION SOME MORE RECOGNITIONS THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF. SO FOR 2023, TEXAS TRAVEL MAGAZINE NAMED THE MISSION TRAIL THE BEST HISTORIC SITE IN TEXAS AND ONE OF THE SMALL COMMUNITIES LOCATED ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL. SAN ELIZARIO THE CITY OF SAN ELIZARIO, WHICH IS HOME TO THE PRESIDIO CHAPEL OF SAN ELIZARIO, WAS NAMED THE BEST HISTORIC SMALL TOWN IN AMERICA FOR 2023 BY USA TODAY. AND WHAT'S SPECIAL THAT YOU GOT? I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING OVER THE SUMMER, BUT THERE'S SOME SPECIAL STUFF THAT WILL BE HAPPENING THIS SUMMER. WELL, ON ANY THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH, FOLKS CAN COME DOWN TO SAN ELIZARIO WHERE WE HAVE AN ART MARKET. WE HAVE A LOT OF WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL LOCAL ARTISTS WHO WILL SHOW OFF ALL OF THEIR ARTISTRY. WE ALSO HAVE A REENACTMENT OF BILLY THE KID BREAKING INTO THE WHAT WAS THEN THE EL PASO COUNTY JAIL TO BREAK OUT A FRIEND OF HIS FROM JAIL.

SO WE HAVE SOME LOCAL ACTORS WHO DO A REENACTMENT, AND IT'S JUST A VERY FUN ENVIRONMENT. THERE'S A LOT TO DO, A LOT TO SEE. YOU CAN WALK AROUND, OF COURSE, EXPLORE THE CHAPEL. AND WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF GREAT RESTAURANTS AND NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE OPENED UP. SO FOR EXAMPLE, NEAR THE SOCORRO MISSION IN SOCORRO, TEXAS, WE HAVE A NEW BREWERY, WE HAVE A CAFE. WE HAVE SOME GREAT RESTAURANTS AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE YSLETA MISSION, THAT'S WHERE WE IT'S LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO SPEAKING ROCK ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, WHERE, AS I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE A LOT OF FREE CONCERTS. YOU ALSO HAVE A LOT OF TEGUA POTTERY. SO THAT'S THE HOME OF THE YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO. SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE POTTERY THERE. THEY BAKE THEIR BREAD FRESH IN THE OVEN, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW BREAD IS BAKED IN THE OLD TRADITION. SO IT'S JUST REALLY GREAT. THERE'S PLENTY FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A LOT OF HISTORY, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE INCORPORATED A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT TO BRING THAT INTO LEARNING HISTORY ABOUT EL PASO DEFINITELY. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE AND OUR TRADITIONS. AND ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS I THINK ABOUT THE MISSIONS IS THAT THEY'RE STILL VERY ACTIVE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU GO TO HISTORICAL PLACES AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ROPED OFF AND YOU CAN'T REALLY GO IN. YOU KIND OF HAVE TO SEE THEM FROM AFAR. AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH OUR MISSIONS, WITH OUR MISSIONS, THEY'RE STILL VERY ACTIVE. SO MASS IS STILL HELD THERE ON SUNDAYS. OKAY. SO FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER BEEN TO EL PASO, WHAT'S THE PERFECT BLUEPRINT TO REALLY ENJOY EL PASO FOR THE FIRST TIME? WELL, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO. WE HAVE SO MANY ATTRACTIONS. SO DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO START WITH THE MISSION TRAIL. WE WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO COME OUT TO THE MISSION TRAIL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE WATER PARKS. WE ALSO HAVE A BASEBALL STADIUM. SO WE HAVE A LOT TO DO IN EL PASO. AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES EL PASO IS,

[05:20:04]

YOU IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO,

[05:25:01]

AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EP HEALTH COM SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS DE TUS HIJOS? ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA. GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY. WE ARE FRECUENCIA. SOMEBODY MAKE SOME NOISE. SO TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 4TH OF JULY HERE AT ASCARATE PARK. WE'RE IN A COUPLE OF HOURS. ONCE IT GETS DARK, WE'LL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FIREWORKS DISPLAY FOR THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, ASCARATE PARK IS THE HEART OF EL PASO COUNTY, THIS IS OUR COUNTY PARK WHERE FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS HAVE LOVED TO COME AND PLAY AND FISH. SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE PARK ON THE 4TH OF JULY.

SO HOPEFULLY IF THERE'S FAMILIES OUT THERE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS YEAR, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO INVITE THEM TO JOIN US NEXT YEAR. HEY, WE'RE GETTING OUR 4TH OF JULY GLASSES. YEAH.

PUT THEM ON. IT'S JULY 4TH THIS YEAR. WE'RE DOING OUR VIP EVENT, WHICH I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF RIGHT NOW HERE AT THE PAVILION, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AREA. IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE IT HERE. SO IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL TABLE. YOU HAVE, AREAS WHERE YOU CAN PLAY GAMES.

WE HAVE BLOW UP SLIDES FOR THE CHILDREN. WE EVEN HAVE A MOVIE INDOORS. IF THE KIDS WOULD PREFER TO WATCH A MOVIE OVER FIREWORKS, BUT THE TICKETS FOR OUR VIP AREA THIS YEAR WERE $45 FOR ADULTS, AND THAT PROVIDED A BRISKET DINNER. AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE PUBLIC, NOT AT THE VIP EVENT. WE HAD MULTIPLE FOOD TRUCKS OVER HERE AT THE SPECIAL EVENTS AREA AND ON OUR LAWN. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO A FIREWORKS SHOW IN A SCOUTED PARK, COME ON OUT. IT'S A IT'S A FUN TIME.

PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT, YOU KNOW, PARKS ARE A PLACE OF DEMOCRACY WHERE WE ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL WALKS OF LIFE ARE COMING TOGETHER AND SHARING. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BEAUTY OF IT HERE. ON INDEPENDENCE DAY. YEAH. HIGH FIVE. TODAY IS THE 4TH OF JULY OF THIS YEAR, 2024. I WAS NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO HERE IN EL PASO AS A NEW RESIDENT, AND I LOOKED INTO SOME RESOURCES, I WAS ABLE TO DISCOVER THAT HERE IN ASCARATE PARK THEY HAD A GREAT FIREWORKS EVENT. THERE'S A NEW RESIDENT HERE TO THE COUNTY OF EL PASO. I'M QUITE IMPRESSED. I'M I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE. I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS EXISTING. YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M HERE WITH MY THREE BOYS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. I CAN'T ASK FOR MORE FOR A HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY. EL PASO. HELLO. I.

THAT WAS COOL. WE ARE AT EL PASO'S LARGEST. ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. AND THIS HAS BEEN A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT AND EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS SO EXCITED. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATION MOMS ON BOARD, THE NONPROFIT, THE COUNTY OF EL PASO, THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT. TOGETHER, WE CREATED THE PLAN OF HAVING THREE ALL ABILITIES PARKS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE REACHED ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTY. WOW SO THERE'S THE FIRST ONE THAT OPENED WAS GALLEGOS PARK IN THE FAR WEST AND FAR EAST WAS RISINGER IN FABENS. AND THIS ONE FINALLY TODAY, CENTRAL ASCARATE ONE, TWO, THREE. THE FLOORING IS ALSO SPECIALLY MADE AND CONDUCIVE TO FOLKS WITH WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABILITIES AND SO YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT SLIDES I MEAN IT'S A GREAT PLAYGROUND SWINGS. THERE YOU GO. READY AT THE AMENITIES AND THE PLAY STRUCTURES ARE MORE INCLUSIVE. THEY ALLOW FOR

[05:30:07]

BUT NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT EL PASO. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

BECAUSE WE WANT TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME AND GET TO KNOW EL PASO. SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE KICKING OFF THE TOURIST SEASON ALONG THE MISSION TRAIL, WHICH, LIKE YOU SAID, IS A NINE MILE STRETCH OF ROAD ENCOMPASSING THREE HISTORIC MISSIONS. THESE MISSIONS REPRESENT ABOUT 350 YEARS OF OUR CULTURE, OUR HISTORY, OUR TRADITIONS. ON ANY GIVEN WEEKEND, YOU CAN STILL SEE WEDDINGS BEING PERFORMED QUINCEANERAS THE TIGUA CULTURAL DANCERS. SO THESE ARE STILL ACTIVE MISSIONS THAT ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE WONDERFUL ART GALLERIES THERE. IF YOU LIKE ART, WE'VE GOT GREAT RESTAURANTS, A BREWER, CAFES AND OF COURSE THE SPEAKING ROCK ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, WHICH OFFERS FREE CONCERTS EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND. SO I MUST SAY, EL PASO HAS TO BE A MUST VISIT DESTINATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT ANYTHING NOWADAYS. THERE'S A DOCUMENTARY THAT WAS JUST MADE ABOUT EL PASO. YEAH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THE NATIONAL ATTENTION THAT EL PASO IS RECEIVING. AND JUST TO MENTION SOME MORE RECOGNITIONS THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF. SO FOR 2023, TEXAS TRAVEL MAGAZINE

[05:35:02]

SO WE HAVE SOME LOCAL ACTORS WHO DO A REENACTMENT, AND IT'S JUST A VERY FUN ENVIRONMENT. THERE'S A LOT TO DO, A LOT TO SEE YOU CAN WALK AROUND, OF COURSE, EXPLORE THE CHAPEL. AND WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF GREAT RESTAURANTS AND NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE OPENED UP. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, NEAR THE SOCORRO MISSION IN SOCORRO, TEXAS, WE HAVE A NEW BREWERY, WE HAVE A CAFE, WE HAVE SOME GREAT RESTAURANTS. AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE YSLETA MISSION, THAT'S WHERE WE IT'S LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO SPEAKING ROCK ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, WHERE, AS I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE A LOT OF FREE CONCERTS. YOU ALSO HAVE A LOT OF TEGUA POTTERY. SO THAT'S THE HOME OF THE YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO. SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE POTTERY THERE. THEY BAKE THEIR BREAD FRESH IN THE OVEN, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW BREAD IS BAKED IN THE OLD TRADITION. SO IT'S JUST REALLY GREAT. THERE'S PLENTY FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A LOT OF HISTORY, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE INCORPORATED A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT TO BRING THAT INTO LEARNING HISTORY ABOUT EL PASO. DEFINITELY. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE AND OUR TRADITIONS, AND ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS I THINK ABOUT THE MISSIONS IS THAT THEY'RE STILL VERY ACTIVE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU GO TO HISTORICAL PLACES AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ROPED OFF AND YOU CAN'T REALLY GO IN. YOU KIND OF HAVE TO SEE THEM FROM AFAR. AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH OUR MISSIONS, WITH OUR MISSIONS, THEY'RE STILL VERY ACTIVE. SO MASS IS STILL HELD THERE ON SUNDAYS. OKAY. SO FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER BEEN TO EL PASO, WHAT'S THE PERFECT BLUEPRINT TO REALLY ENJOY EL PASO FOR THE FIRST TIME? WELL, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO. WE HAVE SO MANY ATTRACTIONS, SO DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO START WITH THE MISSION TRAIL. WE WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO COME OUT TO THE MISSION TRAIL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE WATER PARKS. WE ALSO HAVE A BASEBALL STADIUM. SO WE HAVE A LOT TO DO IN EL PASO. AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES EL PASO IS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS KIND OF DRIVE THROUGH EL PASO ON THEIR WAY TO SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT IT'S JUST SO WORTH IT TO STOP FOR A FEW DAYS AND SPEND TIME IN EL PASO. WE DEFINITELY WANT EL PASO TO BECOME A DESTINATION CITY COMMISSIONER ILIANA HOLGUIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EL PASO OR PLANNING YOUR VACATION TO THIS AMAZING DESTINATION, YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.

[05:41:59]

NOW, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO STAY CURRENT ON ALL THEIR ROUTINE VACCINES. ALSO, CHILDREN FIVE AND OLDER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID 19 VACCINE. I AM CURRENT AND ALL MY VACCINES AND I ALSO GET THE COVID VACCINE, SO I AND MY LOVED ONES CAN BE PROTECTED. YOU AND YOUR KIDS SHOULD GET THE VACCINE TOO. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THE VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOOSTER FOR YOUR CHILD'S ROUTINE VACCINES. VISIT EP HEALTH.COM. WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN, SO REMEMBER, DON'T HESITATE, VACCINATE AS IMPORTANT. QUÉ SUS HIJOS TENGAN TODAS SUS VACUNAS? ADEMAS DE LA VACUNAS RUTINAS LOS NINOS MAYORES DE CINCO ANOS.

AHORA SON ELEGIBLES PARA LA VACUNA DE COVID 19. LA VACUNA COVID DIECINUEVE ES GRATIS PARA LAS VACUNAS RUTINAS DE SUS HIJOS. VISIT EP HEALTH.COM. SABEMOS CUANTO A MAS DE TUS HIJOS? ASI RECUERDA NO LO DUDES VACUNA. GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY. WE ARE FRECUENCIA. SOMEBODY MAKE SOME NOISE. SO TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 4TH OF JULY HERE AT ASCARATE PARK. WE'RE IN A COUPLE OF HOURS. ONCE IT GETS DARK, WE'LL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FIREWORKS DISPLAY FOR THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, ASCARATE PARK IS THE HEART OF EL PASO COUNTY, THIS IS OUR COUNTY PARK WHERE FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS HAVE LOVED TO COME AND PLAY AND FISH, SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE PARK ON THE 4TH OF JULY.

SO HOPEFULLY IF THERE'S FAMILIES OUT THERE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS YEAR, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO INVITE THEM TO JOIN US NEXT YEAR. HEY, WE'RE GETTING OUR 4TH OF JULY GLASSES. YEAH.

PUT THEM ON. IT'S JULY 4TH THIS YEAR. WE'RE DOING OUR VIP EVENT, WHICH I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF RIGHT NOW HERE AT THE PAVILION. OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AREA. IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE IT HERE. SO IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL TABLE. YOU HAVE, AREAS WHERE YOU CAN PLAY GAMES.

WE HAVE BLOW UP SLIDES FOR THE CHILDREN. WE EVEN HAVE A MOVIE INDOORS. IF THE KIDS WOULD PREFER TO WATCH A MOVIE OVER FIREWORKS, BUT THE TICKETS FOR OUR VIP AREA THIS YEAR WERE $45 FOR ADULTS, AND THAT PROVIDED A BRISKET DINNER. AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE PUBLIC, NOT AT THE VIP EVENT. WE HAD MULTIPLE FOOD TRUCKS OVER HERE AT THE SPECIAL EVENTS AREA, AND ON OUR LAWN. IF

[05:45:04]