El Paso City Council Special Meeting on Proposed Budget and Travel Fund Amendment – August 18, 2025
El Paso City Council Special Meeting on Proposed Budget and Travel Fund Amendment – August 18, 2025
On August 18, 2025, the El Paso City Council held a special meeting at 9:02 a.m. to conduct a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2025–2026 budget (September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026) and to consider amendments. The council also held a required public hearing on the mass transit budget. The meeting was adjourned at 9:31 a.m., with the final budget adoption postponed to August 19, 2025.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michael Clark (private citizen): Expressed concerns about the lack of strong income streams, specifically the hotel occupancy tax not meeting projections, and called for more thorough auditing and transparent oversight of fund management. He did not take a position for or against the proposed budget.
Discussion Items
- Budget Amendment for Council Travel Fund: Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Chávez introduced a motion to amend the proposed budget by allocating $6,000 from the general fund for each of the eight district offices, to be used exclusively for official travel supporting the city’s strategic plan. Unused funds would revert to the general fund travel budget at year-end. The motion was seconded by Representative Cynthia Boyar Trejo.
- Supporters: Mayor Pro Tem Chávez argued the fund would allow council members to advocate for the city in Austin, Washington D.C., Mexico, and other locations, emphasizing that travel is essential for economic development and legislative affairs. Representatives Josh Acevedo, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, and Art Fierro expressed support, noting the fund would enable testimony at the legislature and reduce reliance on district discretionary funds for travel.
- Opponents: Representatives Chris Canales and Lily Limón opposed. Canales stated he would rather have the $6,000 added to his discretionary funds, which he could use for travel or district needs, and favored the existing process of putting travel on the agenda for full council approval. Representative Iván Niño strongly opposed, asserting that constituents perceive travel as “partying” and that he personally paid for his own travel expenses. He argued council could effectively advocate without costly trips and criticized amending the budget before its adoption.
- Amendment: Representative Art Fierro proposed a successful amendment (accepted by the motion’s maker) that unspent funds would not roll over; they would revert to the general fund at fiscal year end.
- Clarifications: City Manager Dionne Mack confirmed that currently only the mayor’s office has a travel line in the general fund; staff would identify savings or reallocate existing funds to support the new line. Chief Financial Officer Robert Cortinas provided details on general vs. non-general fund travel budgets.
Key Outcomes
- Vote on Budget Amendment: The motion (as amended) passed 6–2, with Representatives Limón and Canales voting no. All other council members voted yes. The $6,000 per district travel fund will be included in the budget, with unused amounts reverting to the general fund at year-end.
- Postponement of Budget Adoption: A motion to postpone the final vote on the proposed budget until August 19, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. was made by Representative Maldonado-Rocha, seconded by Representative Niño, and passed unanimously (8–0).
- Representative Limón’s Request: Representative Limón asked that no allocation be made to District 7 for the travel fund, requesting the $6,000 remain in the general fund. City staff stated they would address this request.
- Adjournment: The special meeting was adjourned at 9:31 a.m., followed by the convening of a special mass transit department board meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good morning, everyone. We're going to get started with our special meeting. Ms. Prime. Good morning, Mayor, and good morning. This is a special meeting of the El Paso City Council for Monday, August 18th, 2025. It is 9.02 a.m. Mayor Johnson is present and presiding in Council Chambers along with Mayor Pro Tem Chavez, Representative Acevedo, Representative Maldonado Rocha, Representative Boyar Trejo, Representative Nino, Alternate Mayor Pro Tempiero, and Representative Limone. Mayor, we have a quorum. Okay, Miss Bryan. Yes, sir. That brings us to item one on the agenda, and this is a public hearing and action on the proposed budget as amended for the city of El Paso, followed by the city manager with the city clerk on July 18th, 2025, which begins at September 1st, 2025 and ends on October 31st, 2026. We have an echo when you're talking. Do you hear that? I did not, sir, but I'll let IT know. Okay. And it is 9 03 a.m. And this is a public hearing. Good morning, Robert. Mayor here is a minute. Good morning. Mayor City Council Robert Sylvia. This item is the only item on the special council agenda. So we have a public hearing. I believe we have one individual signed up to speak on this item. Um additionally, we have the mass transit. We're also required to do that public hearing as well. Um the action that we will be requesting at the end of the special council meeting will be to postpone the vote until tomorrow. So the state requires that the council take some form of action at the end of the public hearing. So that action again will be to postpone the vote until tomorrow's adoption of the budget and the tax rate. Okay. So I would be happy to go through the presentation, or if you would like to do the public comment. Again, this is just a public hearing for the public to be able to speak on uh the proposed budget for next year. All right, but before we take public comment, Representative Chavez. Thank you, Mayor. Um, and thank you, Robert. Um, I actually have a motion for the proposed budget. There is an echo, Ms. Prime. Yes, ma'am. In fact, um try it without the mic. Go ahead. Go ahead. Okay. Um thank you, Mayor. And I'm gonna send it to you, Ms. Prime, and I have a copy for each of my uh council members. This is um something that I've been in discussion with both uh Robert Corchinas and uh Ms. Mack about uh for several months, actually. So uh this is my motion, and I'll go ahead and if you can pass it down so everybody has a copy.
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