El Pasoans approve 3 quality of life bond propositions, including raising HOT tax
El Pasoans have approved all three quality of life bond propositions that were on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Proposition 3 was the most controversial of three propositions and would determine who would pay for the Downtown ballpark – El Pasoans or visitors to the city through the Hotel Occupancy Tax.
Proposition 3 passed 86,327to 56,381 or 60.49 percent to 39.51 percent, according to El Paso County Elections. The count was most recently updated early Wednesday morning
A yes vote gives the City the go-ahead to designate the minor league stadium as a sports and community venue project.
This proposition would raise the tax on the occupancy of a hotel room within the city at the maximum rate of 2 percent of the price of the room.
The money would be used to help build a majority of the ballpark.
City officials have said the ballpark will be built no matter what.
“I am overwhelmed with the early results,” City Manager Joyce Wilson told ABC-7. “We were cautiously optimistic that propositions 1 and 2 were going to be successful but to be in the 60 percent, almost 70 percent for one of them, that for me is an affirmation that we did our job of reaching out. I am really grateful that the public understood what proposition 3 is all about. (It’s) a wonderful day for El Paso. The future is limitless.”
Other proposition results:
Proposition 1 includes park, recreation, open space and zoo improvements at a cost of $245 million. Other improvements would go for soccer/sports fields, pools, senior citizen centers and community centers. It passed 109,256 to 36,013.
Proposition 2 means $228 million would go to fund museum, cultural, performing arts, library facilities, including a multi-purpose performing arts and entertainment and an interactive digital wall. It passed 101,657 to 40,198.
To read about the quality of life propositions and what they mean for El Paso, click on the story under related content.
Look for updated election numbers here.
