El Paso has the worst roads in the US: Letters to the editor
El Paso has the worst roads in the US
I was born in El Paso in 1946 and left in 1968 to pursue my career. I returned 14 years ago to retire. I have lived and worked all over the U.S., and I can say that El Paso has the highest taxes, with the least services anywhere I have been. What irks me the most is that the city spends millions to decorate I-10 so that people passing thru from Dallas to Los Angeles will be impressed, while the citizens of El Paso must put up with the worst road conditions I have seen in all my travels.
Robert Dobbin
Northeast El Paso
More: El Paso I-10 highway deck plaza receives funding, but some wary of what project would bring
New vote by mail applications available
While reading Monday's El Paso Times, I realized that El Paso County could no longer routinely send applications to vote by mail, even to voters who automatically qualify. Also, the application form has changed and each person's Texas driver's license/identification number, or part of their Social Security number, must be included. If you send in the wrong application form, it will be rejected.
The new form is available online at www.epcounty.com. If you don't have computer access or a printer, you can go to the nearest open branch of the El Paso Public Library to get help in accessing the new form.
Ellen Eyberg
East El Paso
Forget name change, improve the park
I just read where El Paso County commissioners are considering a name change to an El Paso institution, Ascarate Park, and golf course. What's in a name change? A cover-up, a disguise? It seems that county commissioners would have plenty of more pressing issues to deal with other than to change the name of a park that has existed for decades.
The county ran off Western Playland years ago. This was a place where young people and families would go to escape hectic city life. Then they started to charge an admission every day of the week. Not realizing a profit, they changed it to weekends and holidays.
Fifty-plus years ago, I came from the Lubbock area. I made El Paso my home and never had second thoughts. As much as I dislike that part of the state, Lubbock has El Paso beat hands down when it comes to parks and water activities. The parks are clean, as well as the ponds and streams. But the best part is, they are free to the people. Here's an idea for the county commissioners, why not improve Ascarate Park, clean the ponds, plant grass and trees, improve the golf course and make it available free to anyone who wishes to use it. God knows we pay enough taxes to support the park and other nonsense ideas you come up with.
Lupe Yzaguirre
East El Paso
El Paso Children's Museum: celebrates construction progress with topping-out ceremony
Is El Paso Water listening?
I read today that the Public Service Board will increase the water bill rates for the next fiscal year. I commend Mayor Oscar Leeser for taking a stand and holding his ground and dissenting from the vote. Thank you, Mayor, for having our best interest at heart. On a side note, I thought it was funny that EP Water said that they were, "Responding to many community voices demanding better from the utility," but yet when they received many complaints, comments, opinion submissions regarding their new headquarters not relocating to Downtown they just ignored them.
Maria Figueroa
East El Paso
More: Public Service Board approves increase in El Paso water rates, FY 2022-23 budget
Senate on the wrong side of history
It saddened me on Monday, the day when we honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the United States Senate doesn't have the votes to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act—something that not only could be President Joe Biden's most significant piece of legislation but a landmark bill making sure future elections are free and fair.
King would have fought hard for this legislation and spoken forcefully about the Republican assault on voting occurring in more than 20 states, including Texas, where half the applications for mail-in ballots already are being rejected because of new voter suppression laws. He also would have argued vigorously that guaranteeing free voting is something our founding fathers believed was the most important action the federal government can undertake.
King would have recognized that, while each state does indeed have the right to regulate voting in their state, it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure these regulations do not violate the basic tenets of the Constitution.
He would not have viewed the John Lewis Voting Rights Act as an attempt by the Federal government to overtake elections, as Republicans erroneously assert.
Unfortunately, two current Democratic senators and all Republican senators do not understand this. Their inaction will place them on the wrong side of history and, worse yet, could lead to the demise of our democracy.
Richard Cherwitz
Austin, Texas
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso has worst roads in the United States: Letters to the editor
