Cultural Center Committee's Perfect Suggestion

 courtesy of fusion magazine

The cultural center committee released a suggestion for the location of the Mexican-American Cultural Center and I think it's perfect.

I haven't done an open records request but I'm betting the Abraham Chavez Center doesn't make much money, if any, for the city of El Paso. It's just not booked enough.

So the idea of using an existing structure like the Chavez Center and investing the budgeted money (which was really under-funded to begin with and isn't respectful of the will of the voters while the soccer moms of the pool get too much money for westside pools) into upgrades and changes was a stroke of brilliance. 

Nestor Valencia should be credited with the idea. 

It really makes the most sense to use a structure that is already built and can be more effectively leveraged. The location is already downtown and is an excellent addition our growing downtown area.

It was really smart to use that location because it has the most minimal impact on voters. After all the hits taxpayers have taken lately it's great to see a project that had so much thought put into it like this be a possibility. 

I'm sure there are a couple members of council that won't be supportive of the idea but from a policy and fiscal perspective it makes the most sense. Any decision to kick the can down the road in favor of any other location will negatively impact tax payers because they will get less for their money in tomorrow's dollars.

No one wins when that happens. 

I hope this great idea doesn't get killed by either city politics or community leaders fighting over institute versus center. 

Let's make this happen.