Retire in El Paso (Midland, Rogers: crime, houses, property taxes)

[malamute]

retireelpaso.com

Retire El Paso: Campaign aims at attracting retirees to the Sun City - El Paso Times

An El Paso business group and the city have started a marketing campaign aimed at attracting retirees from around the country to move to El Paso.

"We're trying to get things started and put us on the map. We simply are not on anyone's radar as a retirement destination," said Jimmy Rogers Jr., 75, co-chairman of the Paso Del Norte Group's retirement/tourism committee. "This is something we should have done as a community years ago, and never did. Look at Tucson, Phoenix and other places in Texas -- they've been successful in attracting retirees. And we've been asleep at the switch."

[malamute]

The weather here is much better than Tucson, Phoenix and Florida. We shouldn't allow our city to be overlooked as a retirement destination. That would bring in more visitors also.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by malamute

The weather here is much better than Tucson, Phoenix and Florida. We shouldn't allow our city to be overlooked as a retirement destination. That would bring in more visitors also.

You're quite right about that....as hot as EP summers are, the others are worse.

The biggest thing they (the group that is promoting EP as a retirement destination) are going to face is the extremely high property taxes.

I just thought they were bad in 1995...wow.

[malamute]

Yes, unfortunately property taxes here are way out of line and the average person gets almost nothing for them. That and property crime is on the high side here.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by malamute

Yes, unfortunately property taxes here are way out of line and the average person gets almost nothing for them. That and property crime is on the high side here.

One of these days, I'm going to come down and have a look at properties in Santa Teresa, NM. You'd probably get the benefits of EP at an overall lower cost of living.

[luplor]

Actually the property taxes and prices of houses is not bad. The competition would be NM. as the taxes and prices are much lower. Weather is great and laid back when compared to other areas.

The one problem we have is people like Byrd's interview in the Nov issue of Playbook. She made it point to emphasize the seedy and economically depressed areas of EP and of course the ant-military remark didnt help either. The cartoon that accompanied the article said it all.

[ZSP]

Originally Posted by luplor

Actually the property taxes and prices of houses is not bad. The competition would be NM. as the taxes and prices are much lower. Weather is great and laid back when compared to other areas.

The one problem we have is people like Byrd's interview in the Nov issue of Playbook. She made it point to emphasize the seedy and economically depressed areas of EP and of course the ant-military remark didnt help either. The cartoon that accompanied the article said it all.

Do you have a link to that article? I'd be interested in reading it.

Back in the late 60's and early 70's El Paso was a city favored by retirees but over the years and as taxes increased and services decreased, this pattern reversed.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by ZSP

Do you have a link to that article? I'd be interested in reading it.

Back in the late 60's and early 70's El Paso was a city favored by retirees but over the years and as taxes increased and services decreased, this pattern reversed.

Even in 1995, the year I made two house-hunting trips there, I noticed that the overall price for housing was higher....and the property taxes averaged about 25-30% higher than Midland's were at the time.

When I looked again in 2005-6, I was shocked.

[malamute]

I think taxes here are way out of line -- and there's no point trying to bring people here if they're going to be squeezed for every dime and nickle they have so have nothing left over to spend on anything else.

El Paso should try to appeal to retired people - we have about the best weather, Las Cruces is doing it. Especially military retirees. Retirement type communities or over 50 or whatever would be a good idea and help us compete.

[luplor]

ZSP, I found it on Newspaper Tree under the BLOG Section. Carl Starr downloaded the actual article. Then there is a thread in the politics section.