My Comments to City Council

Before submitting petitions to the Municipal Clerk this past Tuesday, I announced intentions to do so to the City Council during the "Call to the Public" portion of their regular agenda for August 9, 2011. Here is what I said:

Today, citizens of El Paso will submit to the Municipal Clerk a petition.

The right of the people to petition their government is key to our democracy and enshrined in the Constitution of our country. There is also provision for it in our City Charter. We come today to ask that land along Transmountain Drive abutting the State Park and known as the Scenic Corridor be preserved and left in its natural state. We believe that we have gathered the necessary number of signatures of voters registered in the City of El Paso. Unlike our last attempt, we carefully checked each item on our petition pages against the voter registration records of the County of El Paso.

We also worked with Mr. Chacon of the County Elections office to resolve any discrepancies that we found. We believe that the Municipal Clerk’s office will concur that we have enough signatures. If it does, then you will have another opportunity to vote to preserve this land.

Our petition is not an issue of morality but of policy. We believe that it is in the best interest of the people of El Paso to preserve this land not just for its beauty but for the economic advantages to be gained from such conservation. We disagree with those who believe that there is any financial gain from selling the land. We are aware that many of you do not agree with us or, at this time, favor our proposed ordinance. We respect the difference of opinions. However, know that, if our ordinance fails to pass City Council, we shall immediately begin the petition drive to have that same ordinance placed before the voters of El Paso, Texas on the next available ballot which probably will be next spring rather than this November. We have communicated our intentions to the Federal Highway Administration, TxDOT and to you, our elected representatives.

We hope that we can work together. Our ordinance does not oppose the widening of Transmountain Road as some have deceptively claimed. We are all reasonable people and can work together just as long as no El Pasoan is ever bypassed.