EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Yet another postponement on the Multipurpose Performing Arts Center after Tuesday’s heated El Paso City Council
meeting.
Ultimately, the decision was made to have the city attorney and the city manager create new language for the item, so the council can approve it before it goes out to voters.
The item passed five to three, with Representatives Josh Acevedo, Cassandra Hernandez and Isabel Salcido voting against it.
Mayor
Oscar Leeser said the city will not take the Multipurpose Performing Arts Center off the agenda itself, but rather, seek community input on whether they want to move forward with the item.
“I think it's really important to know that they want the language to be very clear, yes means yes, and no means no,” said Mayor Leeser.
The Arena was approved by voters in the 2012
Quality of Life Bond.
The project faced backlash from preservationists who were against its proposed site, and others who thought the wording in the bond was disingenuous.
The next step is for the city to craft new language for a bond revocation proposal which will effectively get rid of the bonds that would have allocated $180 million to the project.
“We want you to vote on if you want to move forward or you want to look at something different. So today the motion did pass in backing,” said Mayor Leeser.
Representative Salcido was passionate about making the item's language clearer and soliciting community input.
Mayor Leeser said that in their next meeting, city council members will review and approve new language
to be used on the November ballot.
“That's really important to bring back the language that will be able to move forward on to take to the voters,” said Mayor Leeser.
Representative Hernandez, who voted against the motion, said the city already has a contract with the voters that should be honored.
Some El Pasoans
said that the voters' decision on this item is crucial.
“Well, people are supposed to vote, not the city,” said El Pasoan Victor Enriquez.
“I mean it's definitely a decision of the people, right, and I guess it's up to everybody else to decide,” said El Pasoan Rogelio Valles.
“We should absolutely vote on it again if we need to,” said El Pasoan
Brook Ward.
On July 30, city council will review the new language and in another meeting on Aug. 13, city council will finalize the language for voters to see in the November election.
City Council has until Aug. 19 to put the item on the November ballot.
If voters choose not to go forward with the arena, the money spent will be reallocated to other
projects.
