City Scorecard 2.05.08: South Side Speak Against Eminent Domain

South El Paso residents and their supporters were in City Council chambers Tuesday morning to voice their discontent with the manner in which the council discussed and voted on a controversial component of the Downtown 2015 Plan.

More than a dozen people -- including Segundo Barrio residents and Downtown Plan opponents -- spoke to the mayor and council during the public comment session of the meeting, angry over being told at last week’s meeting that the council at that time was going to postpone an agenda item aimed at limiting the use of eminent domain and restricting the definition of blight.

Rep. Melina Castro had asked for the item to be postponed, but several members of council called for the item to be discussed and acted upon, including Rep. Beto O’Rourke, whose district includes Downtown and South El Paso.

“This ordinance would have created an element of transparency,” said Gabby Garcia, a member of the Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project. She added that both passing the ordinance and postponing last week’s vote would have been symbolic gestures on the part of the council and would not have altered the Downtown Plan in any way.

Many of those who spoke before council Tuesday criticized O’Rourke for voting against the proposed ordinance last week, claiming he had a conflict of interest as his father-in-law, Bill Sanders, is a principal member of the Paso Del Norte Group, a group that is a major proponent of the Downtown 2015 Plan. Sanders also is involved with the Borderplex Real Estate Investment Trust, which has begun purchasing several properties within the redevelopment district of the plan.

“O’Rourke should have recused himself,” Yolanda Leyva stated. “The ordinance last week was a step in the right direction.”

After the meeting, O’Rourke said he has been mindful to abstain from votes when he has a conflict of interest, but he stated that was not the case with last week’s vote.

“The city attorney confirmed I don’t have a conflict,” O’Rourke said.

He also stated that several of those who spoke in front of council on Tuesday were members of the Paso Del Sur Group, an organization formed in opposition to the Downtown Plan.

“This a pattern with the opponents of the plan. If they can’t get their way through a straight up policy vote, they turn to charges of corruption or an ethics complaint,” he said, adding that he believes some opponents of the plan may file an ethics complaint pertaining to his vote last week.

“That’s fine. That’s their right,” he said.

After the public comment session, residents gathered outside City Hall to protest last week’s council action. The protest was audible from inside the council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall.

O’Rourke believed the protest to be a “ruse by the Paso Del Sur Group to make it look as though Segundo Barrio is united in protest against what we’re doing at the city.” He stated that he believes a majority of South El Paso residents approved of what he is doing in office as they re-elected him as the city representative last year.

“If you look at the election returns from 2007 and talk with the South Side residents, that’s just not the case,” he said.

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AGENDA

3. RESOLUTIONS

3C.>/b> That the Classification and Compensation Plan shall be amended as recommended by the Civil Service Commission. The class of Deputy Director of Clinical Services is hereby created as specified in the duties and responsibilities attached hereto. The Code is 22025. The Grade is EX 4. Salary Range: $77,109.67 - $127,230.96. Fund Source: 41010127-01101-51000. (All Districts)
[Human Resources, Linda B. Thomas, (915) 541-4509]