El Pasoans Vote to Approve Quality of Life Bonds – Zoos, Trails, Ballpark, and More!

El Pasoans voted to approve all three “Quality of Life” propositions Tuesday. What does that mean for you? It means soon, you won’t be able to complain that there “isn’t anything to do in El Paso."

Propositions 1 and 2 were the less controversial propositions. The passing of Prop 1 means you’ll soon be enjoying more trails and open spaces, new zoo exhibits, new parks and recreational centers, senior centers, and new pools and aquatic centers. It’s great news for our kids and youth who need recreational and educational opportunities in the Borderland.

The passing of Proposition 2 means you’ll soon enjoy a new children’s museum, a cultural center, library, and multi-purpose arena. To put in into perspective, Baltimore, Boston, and Memphis are all smaller in population than El Paso, but have exceptional children’s museums and multi-venue arenas.

In the top 25 cities (population), only three of the cities do not have a professional sports team or attraction. El Paso is one of them. So it’s with open arms I welcome the Triple-A team to our city, which moves us to Proposition 3.

It was a hard-fought battle with a lot of bad information going around, but El Pasoans found the truth and voted favorably for Prop 3, electing to have visitors pay for a majority of the ballpark with the HOT tax. Although the ballpark was contractually set to come to El Paso regardless of how Prop 3 ended, it’s a relief to know most of the voters accept the logic of the HOT tax.

So congratulations, El Paso. As a non-native, it’s great to be able to live in a city that’s about to see so much growth and progress. It’s a great time to live in El Paso.