What would you do as Mayor if you had unlimited funds?

Paul Strelzin threw this question at me and all I could say was, “That is a really good question.”  It got me thinking and now I want to know what you would do as Mayor of El Paso (or any city for that matter)  if you had not unlimited funds, but say a $100 million surplus.  I will add what I will do later today.   Be mindful of the citizens, infrastructure, marketing, city employees etc… 

I am really looking forward to seeing what some of you say.  If anything, just write a quick sentence like, “I would put in a super nice hot dog stand worth 100 million dollars.” 

photo by Eleaf. click pic to visit profile

Here is my plan…well part of it anyway. 

• Beautify the San Francisco district downtown
• Establish more trees/flower (desert friendly of course) downtown
• Put in traffic lights myself (instead of waiting on txdot) @ zaragoza and edgemere
• Create a viral marketing campaign that was based on word of mouth techniques
• Repave parts of Dyer street
• Tear down the chain link fence that surrounds the city hall parking lot
• Create a new vistitors center that is more visible than current one
• Conduct study on viability of locating an arena downtown
• Bring back street cars downtown
• Use incentives to lure alternative energy/tech firms to EP
• Use the rest, if there is any, to pay off debt

My name is David and I am living El Paso.

Brand new week, fresh start.

Happy Monday to everyone.  A lot happened over the weekend.  The Indios made the playoffs, stormwater is staying under PSB control, and Mayor Cook won re-election. 

Congratulations to Mayor Cook after a successful re-election.  No matter who you voted for, now is the time to come together as a city.  If you feel disappointed on how business has been run so far at the city, go down and make your voice heard.  Here are a few of the issues that I would like to see addressed in more detail by the mayor/city council:

• Re-evaluate the current effectivness of the marketing of the city to outsiders and locals.
• Creating a public arts project downtown
• Creation of a performing arts center downtown
• Multi-purpose arena downtown
• Raise in the hotel/motel/rental car tax to help fund some of the above mentioned projects (performing arts center & arena)
• Rio Grande improvements (this river is the worst utilized waterway I have ever seen in my life, so much more could and should be done with it)
• Make this city believe in itself again.  El Paso needs to jump out of this “poor me” mentality.  It’s time to for our leaders (and all of us) to step up to the plate and help guide El Paso to the next level. 

These are just a few of the items that I would like to see tackled over the next 4 years.  What would you like to see done over the next few years?

My name is David and I am living El Paso.

Just found an interesting article on newspaper tree that talks about the possiblity of comuuter rail between Cruces and El Paso.

Mayor’s race coming up.

I’m sure you have seen the signs and maybe even had a candidate knock on your door and introduce himself.  If you want to help make a difference in El Paso, get out and make an educated vote for your next mayor.  Get to know who they are and what they want to accomplish.  I’ve included the websites for all the candidates that I could find online, check them out if you wish to learn more.

Gus Haddad  John Cook Alfrank Catucci Lee Mendez Carlos Rivera David E. Henderson

Early voting kicks off on April 27th. 

My name is David and I am living El Paso.

What is your idea of the perfect leader for El Paso?

Let’s say you have the ability to create our next mayor.  What would be the qualities of that person that would make them, in your mind, the perfect leader for El Paso.

 

My name is David and I am living El Paso.

Start to a new week and I’m excited

Good Monday to everyone.

I am feeling much better today and am excited for the week ahead.  Went to the Beto’s meeting this morning at Village Inn near UTEP.  Mayor Cook was the speaker.  It was good hearing from him again.  What stood out most to me was when he spoke about what’s important to him…that being:

• revitalized downtown
• more open/park space
• efficient mass transportation
• continued job creation
• economic development

All in all, it was a good meeting.  Next week will be 2 more mayoral canidates, followed by 2 more the week after that.

 

Also, not sure if anyone has checked out the 1st ave lots on florence, but construction has begun!  I checked out the El Paso Project’s website, and it has been updated.  It is really exciting to see what the Karam brothers have accomplished so far and I can’t wait to see the end product.

this could be YOU living there

My name is David and I am living El Paso.

Living El Paso speaks with Alfrank Catucci

I drove over to the East side yesterday to meet with mayoral candidate and business owner, Alfrank Catucci.  I had a great time speaking with him.  To learn more about how Alfrank has been living El Paso, watch the following video.  Alfrank Catucci will be running for mayor in the May 9, 2009 election.

 

 

 

My name is David and I am living El Paso.