I recall vividly campaigning against then Mayor Suzie Azar, pointing out that she was on the verge of implementing a storm water tax on the citizenry of El Paso. It was a key element in the overwhelming victory that I achieved in 1991. I received more than 62 percent of the vote. The storm water tax turned off literally everybody since it was an impersonal mandate that came down from the “Gods”of EPA.
When I assumed the mantle of power in 1991, the city of El Paso was in a financial bind. We did not have the wherewithal to put in place a storm water tax. The EPA informed the city that nevertheless we were mandated to put in place the storm water tax. The City Council was adamantly opposed to the tax at that time largely because we did not believe the city of El Paso could get citizens to comply with the proposed federal government’s regulations and the prohibitive costs of implementing it. It was because of our dire circumstances that I came out and stated that I would not comply with the EPA’s demands.
While possibly “grandstanding,” I said that I was willing to go to jail to show my personal opposition to the pending tax. Fortunately for me and members of the City Council, we did not have to take any action. For a variety of reasons, it appears that the EPA did not purse the matter and we felt like General MacArthur when he stated: “old soldiers just fade away.” It literally faded away. That may have been a bad decision on the part of EPA and our City Council given what has unfolded here in El Paso over the course of the past 17 years.
As a side note, I do recall that EPA Director Carol Browner came down to El Paso to discuss the “colonias” and the water needs along the U.S.-Mexican border. From my vantage point she was very impressed by the city’s efforts to provide water services to the area. That visit pointed out the importance of the projected desalinisation plant that has assured the future of our beautiful city.
As I look at what is unfolding today in El Paso, I can only say bravo to Mayor Cook. He has shown great character and determination at a time when people are calling for his recall. What total nonsense. The mayor is doing what needs to be done for the general welfare of the El Paso community. What a mayor! While there may be differences among citizenry over the storm water fee, there is no doubt that the policy is correct. We must ensure that the horrendous flooding that El Paso was subjected to two years will never happen again. I realize that many businessman have a problem with the costs, but at the same time, I believe that some of those that “protest too much” (Shakespeare) are just ankle biters and “wanna be” politicians who like to have their faces before the TV camera and media.
In retrospect, maybe if we had put in place the storm water tax 17 years ago, the anger and frustration that Mayor Cook and the City Council have been subjected to would have been tempered and more civil. As the Romans once said, “mea culpa, mea culpa.”
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William Tilney was mayor of El Paso from 1991-93.
Jerry Romero
June 15, 2008
Now while I respect former Mayor Tilney’s history lesson…I disagree whole heartily that we should commend Cook. This mayor and his majority on city council didn’t take on this issue, they passed it on to the PSB in the hopes that they would not have to deal with the anger and frustration that they are dealing with now. If they wanted to deal with the issue why didn’t they form a committee with members of the PSB the city council excluding the Mayor since he operates in both arenas and members of the public (a good group of all interested parties) not self serving individual appointed by member of the city or any other political group? No this could have been a much better process and it would have had a much better outcome had the powers that be had some foresight and actual concern for the taxpayers of this community. Former Mayor Tilney is off base saying that this blow up is mainly due to ankle biters and potential political candidates. I am a taxpayer that is opposed to a tax that is being hidden as a fee and I have no desire to run for any office. I don’t know if the recall will be successful but I do hope we will repeat history and change the face of the City leadership. And with that hope I also wish that the new individuals that come into office to lead this city forward will consider the will of the citizens as it should be. Politician have a responsibility to the citizens of the community they serve and should never have their egos grow so large as to make them feel they don’t need to listen to the people because their word is the ultimate authority.
nonsense
June 15, 2008
FIrst of all the drainage system has to be built, everyone has been sitting on their hind quarters for too long. Come on it has been more than decades. Rain coming off the mountains adds to the problem of flash flooding along with all the sediment and rocks because it is dry and rolls right down the surface.
Add the fact that there is NO proper basic drainage system to deal with even more rain than usual ( worse with the type of 2006) and you have preventable disasters. As long as I have lived here , there has always been runnoff problems even with regular rain.
Something has to be done, and the sooner the better. It probably wouldn't be surprising to see which "businesses" are behind this, probably politically connected with some crooked politician financiers.
It is really not surprising how the school board is refusing to pay their portion of storm fees yet have no problems with multimillion insurance contracts being re awarded to the same ole cronies that simply changed their name from Access to something else. This is getting so tabloid it is not even funny.
Pay the fees already and get the show rolling instead of dragging it out to be dealt with in the next 2 decades. The "tax" dodgers need to go back to running their business instead of creating needless soap operas.
epwonder
June 16, 2008
Decades of decay. While I commend former mayor Tilney the issue goes even further back. Bond issues were passed over the past 30 years and yet storm drainage issues were not addressed. While there is mostly a vocal "westside" group against the fees. Poor, areas such as the lower valley have been flooded for years and there is no end in site because most of the 2006 Flood projects are not for that part of town. I also find it ironic that developers are upset about the fee when a lot of them are responsible for some of the flooding. It was developers in the Coronado area that caused one of the channels to clog, another diverted water to a smaller channel which could not hold the water (UTEP professor KTSM report 2006) Developers again built homes in the Westwind area we'll see now how that area fairs the next big rain.
Developers get away with a lot in this town and have been for years. But I blame city leaders going back over 25 years.
LChuco
June 24, 2008
Congratulations to Mayor Tilney for the courage to state publicly that he made a mistake in judgement during his administration. This adds to a list of important commentaries he has provided recently through NPT.