Quality of Life budget proposal includes money for downtown bathrooms

El Paso city officials are holding budget meetings this week. Departments are presenting their wish lists, but Mayor Oscar Leeser has said he would veto any budget that includes a tax increase.

Back in 2012, voters approved $470 million worth of improvements to parks, libraries, museums, the zoo and downtown. As these projects become a reality, the Quality of Life Department is now looking to budget funds to maintain the city’s new additions.

Dionne Mack is the Quality of Life interim director.

“So far, 46 projects are complete and nine more Quality of Life-funded projects will be completed before the end of the fiscal year,” Mack said.

Six other projects are moving into the design phase.

“We have the three recreational centers, we have the two aquatic facilities that will be moving forward. You have heard a lot about the spray parks that are being funded through a variety of other phases, but really are a Quality of Life,” Mack said.

This year, the department is asking for a 10.8 percent budget increase for parks and recreation and a 6.6 percent increase for the zoo. Mack said as the quality of life bond projects are built, the city will have to look at ways to pay for maintenance and staffing.

“We are adding eight facilities managers. And really that’s all about land and making sure the San Jacinto stays in a state of good repair and as beautiful as the day it opened. All of those things are actually in the budget, including bathrooms for downtown. So there are lots of things in here that I think are going to be important for maintaining,” Mack said.