Another Yes for Impact Fees

Photo by Vanessa M. Feldman originally published
in the EP Times 11/20/2011

elpasonaturally has already posted one very thoughtful response to the Newspaper Tree's story. You can re-read that post HERE.

It has come to our attention that the NPT has failed so far to publish another response written as a comment online to their story. (Comments to this blog are monitored for profanity or spam. Otherwise, whatever the opinion, they are posted usually very soon after those comments are made.) Here is a very good response to the NPT by Mr. Benjamin (Jamie) Ackerman:

"Impact Fees – Yes!

"Ratepayers pay attention!  Your water / sewer bill will increase if impact fees are reduced!

"When new houses are built on undeveloped land in El Paso, El Paso Water Utilities must provide water and sewer infrastructure for those homes.  That costs money.  There are only two ways to pay for it:  impact fees or increase to the bills of existing ratepayers.   Let’s be fair.  Should developers and new home buyers pay that cost, or should YOU, the ratepayer, foot the bill?  Is it in your interest to subsidize the developer’s profits or should they pay their own way?

"In 2009, City Council decided to impose impact fees on new development instead of asking ratepayers to foot the bill.  City Council could have asked developers to pay 100% of the costs associated with new growth, but instead they only charge impact fees on 75% of the costs.  Ratepayers pay the remaining 25% of the costs of water and sewer infrastructure.  We have no impact fees for stormwater and other costs of new development.  Remember, all those new, impervious rooftops, roads, driveways and sidewalks cause more runoff.  Ratepayers like you, pay for all the needed increase to stormwater infrastructure.


"Do you want to subsidize developers?  Or, do you think they should pay their own way?  Contact City Council and tell them to continue or increase impact fees."

Since Mr. Ackerman urges readers to contact their city representatives (and we should be doing so continuously all during this year when they are "reviewing" impact fees), here are their addresses:

Oscar Leeser    mayor@elpasotexas.gov
Ann Lilly          lillyam@elpasotexas.gov
Larry Romero    romerol@elpasotexas.gov
Emma Acosta   acostaea@elpasotexas.gov
Carl Robinson   robinsoncl@elpasotexas.gov
Michiel Noe      noem@elpasotexas.gov
Eddie Holguin   holguinex@elpasotexas.gov
Lily Limon        limonl@elpasotexas.gov
Cortney Niland  nilandcc@elpasotexas.gov

Note that, with the exception of Mayor Leeser's, these are personal council addresses and not the generic addresses posted on the city's web site - addresses that go to a staff member and may or may not ever get to the Representative.