City releases study on municipal ID program
How much would it cost for El Paso to create a municipal ID program?
The City has released a white paper study that looks at the feasibility, the risks and the possible cost per ID. It looks at those three areas of concern, determining if a municipal ID program was offered in El Paso, it would require a $50 fee per card to avoid using taxpayer dollars.
“I think that figure is a little bit high,” said Robert Heyman, policy coordinator for the Border Network of Human Rights, which estimates there are 40,000 to 60,000 people in El Paso without ID.
The group showed up at a city council meeting earlier this year with 10,000 signatures asking the City to create a municipal ID program.
“There is a very fundamental need that as a community we need to figure out how to meet,” Heyman said.
The white paper study finds a municipal ID would not increase access to most services identified by its proponents. It also states it could risk El Paso being identified as a sanctuary city, making it vulnerable to legislative sanctions.
And finally the cost is estimated at 50 dollars each, in order to avoid dipping into the general fund.
“There’s been some discussion figuring out how to amortize the up front costs over a three or five year period,” Heyman said, “to bring down that sort of up front hurdle.”
“The real crux of the white paper is hit on the first issue of acceptance and feasibility,” said Bob Pena, elections administrator for the El Paso Republican Party, which opposes the creation of municipal ID program. “The first sentence is the municipal ID would not increase access to most services. There’s no absolute reason for it.”
Pena said it’s not worth the risk of losing funding if El Paso is identified as a sanctuary city.
“These are major hurdles that would immediately notify our city council that this is not a good idea,” Pena said. “This white paper should tell city council enough is enough. We need to move on.”
The City was scheduled to discuss the findings at a special meeting on Monday, but that meeting has been cancelled until council can be briefed on the findings.
