Triple A Baseball Coming to El Paso! (Houston: hotels, property tax rates)

[lipbalm]

Originally Posted by 9162

No, this will not help the community. Studies from other cities prove that people who come to watch a baseball game don't necessarily stay in the city before or after a game. This triple A baseball thing will only congest downtown.

You can bet your A$$ that someone is getting rich of this scam and the EP taxpayers are the ones that will be left holding the bag.

[Ms Kitty 98]

Originally Posted by lipbalm

You can bet your A$$ that someone is getting rich of this scam and the EP taxpayers are the ones that will be left holding the bag.

Where do you figure it's a scam, show the proof? good thing you live in Houston, it's minus one less naysayer for El Paso, now if the rest of them would catch a plague and become extinct would be the best thing to happen in this town.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Ms Kitty 98

Where do you figure it's a scam, show the proof? good thing you live in Houston, it's minus one less naysayer for El Paso, now if the rest of them would catch a plague and become extinct would be the best thing to happen in this town.

There is no proof to show, only experience. Here in Houston we have all professional sports; over the last couple of decades the city put up bonds to pay for a new stadiums. The economy went south and the money from the bonds dried up for a while and the sports authority needed a "bailout" from the taxpayers.

The key point here is that when these bonds were requested, we heard the EXACT SAME THINGS you are being told in El Paso, that the citizens would not pay for the stadiums... the money came from bonds, taxes on visitors (car rentals, hotels, etc.). When the economy went south in 2009, the sports authority had to pay the bonds, but had no cash. Who do you think had to bail them out? Yes, the citizens; the same who were told the bonds were safe, that they would never have to pay.

That is the scam Lipbalm is speaking of. Of course, no one will pay attention to the details; promises are always warm and fuzzy until they are broken. I think it is great El Paso will get the stadium, but don't loose sight of the fact that it could turn sour down the road, the "naysayers" are just warning that this can happen.

For the record, I support the efforts in El Paso, the city needs things like this to spur business, and get up to par with other like sized cities. BTW, I was born and raised in El Paso and have lots of family there, so I still have an interest in what happens there yet. I believe Lipbalm is also from El Paso if I remember correctly.

[Ms Kitty 98]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

There is no proof to show, only experience. Here in Houston we have all professional sports; over the last couple of decades the city put up bonds to pay for a new stadiums. The economy went south and the money from the bonds dried up for a while and the sports authority needed a "bailout" from the taxpayers.

The key point here is that when these bonds were requested, we heard the EXACT SAME THINGS you are being told in El Paso, that the citizens would not pay for the stadiums... the money came from bonds, taxes on visitors (car rentals, hotels, etc.). When the economy went south in 2009, the sports authority had to pay the bonds, but had no cash. Who do you think had to bail them out? Yes, the citizens; the same who were told the bonds were safe, that they would never have to pay.

That is the scam Lipbalm is speaking of. Of course, no one will pay attention to the details; promises are always warm and fuzzy until they are broken. I think it is great El Paso will get the stadium, but don't loose sight of the fact that it could turn sour down the road, the "naysayers" are just warning that this can happen.

For the record, I support the efforts in El Paso, the city needs things like this to spur business, and get up to par with other like sized cities. BTW, I was born and raised in El Paso and have lots of family there, so I still have an interest in what happens there yet. I believe Lipbalm is also from El Paso if I remember correctly.

Well for starters El Paso is not Houston, and here city council is telling the voters straight up, We have a choice! either we vote for the 2% hotel tax to pay for the stadium or we pay for it from our taxes.Here is where the mentality of this city is going to be put to the test; Yet some are concern that it will hurt tourism as if they really cared about these unknown strangers,if they didn't have any money they wouldn't be coming here in the first place.

I think El Paso has turned sour a long time ago by the mentality of this cities (naysayers) to sit there and do nothing other than complain about everything; We have an airport so we can go to Las Vegas, or go watch the Texas Rangers or the Dallas Cowboys since we have more in common with the metroplex. Or we can go to Disneyland since El Paso has deep roots in the Los Angeles area and most of California.

I appreciate that you support the efforts that this city is attempting to bring change, but this city needs to take risk in order to open the doors to change, there is no boogie man on the other side of the door that is going to kill us for taking that risk. I am aware that you are from El Paso as well as Lipbalm,I know people leave El Paso for reasons as I have done so myself but I came back home.

I think that back in the nineties El Paso had a huge exodus of young people that left the city because there is nothing to do here so I read and heard. Most resettled in other parts of the state which made me happy because for once El Pasoans were not made to sleep outside in cods.I have always had a bad impression of the rest of Texas that they don't like us and they look down on us.

These people that moved wanted change, so they knew that change wasn't coming so they took matters into their own hands and set out to look for change somewhere else, are we going to continue this trend by allowing the naysayers to dictate what goes on in this city? I want change as well, I want them out of my city so my city can progress and move forward for the better.

[mistabinks]

On the surface, it is easy to give the naysayers, crabs, and ankle biters some credence. It is when you are aware of the actual facts that you are comfortable saying they don't know what they are talking about. There is quite a bit of difference between a 50 million dollar minor league baseball stadium and a 322 million dollar NFL football stadium. Then you have to take into account that we aren't going to use certificates or bonds to pay for our baseball stadium. This is where the crabs say that we are tearing down a perfectly good City Hall. Too bad crabs aren't well versed in facts or they would know our City Hall needs 30 million dollars in repairs and renovations to meet City code. A City Hall should be it's own City code, no?

[lipbalm]

My mom lives in EP in a house that I own. If my taxes go up in the future to pay for this "quality of life improvement" I will be PI$$ED. This mentality that you have to spend your way to prosperity is just ridiculous and that is why this whole country is going down the toilet.

[Ms Kitty 98]

If anyone can afford own two homes then they live in prosperity and should pay their fair share.

[mistabinks]

Expect a minimum of a $5.40 increase (annually) even if the HOT tax passes. So prepare to be pissed.

[lipbalm]

Originally Posted by Ms Kitty 98

If anyone can afford own two homes then they live in prosperity and should pay their fair share.

I already do, believe me. Everything I have I WORKED for it and nobody gave me anything, but if you feel the need to pitch in for the "greater good" feel free to give away YOUR OWN money. You spent way to much time in SF and California drinking Obamas kool aid.

[lipbalm]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

Expect a minimum of a $5.40 increase (annually) even if the HOT tax passes. So prepare to be pissed.

Well then, I guess since it's only 5.40 I can just overlook the principle of giving away money so this thing can go forward.