Former state Rep. Pickett continues battle with city over fee in water bill

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Joe Pickett was elected as an El Paso city councilman in 1991, before serving in the Texas House of Representatives from 1995 to 2019.

The same year he retired, Pickett noticed a 50% increase in the franchise fee on his water bill and went to the city to get answers.

Pickett says he called the city manager, who wouldn't offer a clear reason for the increase.

In early 2020, he wrote letters to the City Manager and his city council representative.

After no response from anyone, he explored the city's budget and says he found millions of dollars being relocated from the franchise fee to other departments.

In October 2020, Pickett filed a lawsuit against the city, and earlier this week, El Paso City Council rejected his latest settlement claim.

This week city council voted to not give him settlement money.

He says what he discovered throughout the process was even more shocking.

"What we found out are some other questionable fees with all the open records requests, the depositions," Pickett said. "I guess you could call it a win for the public in that once I caught the city at what they were doing, they have not openly been transferring money from that account."

ABC-7 reached out to the City of El Paso for comment, but has not yet heard back.