Retention of Educated Locals

Bringing pride and loyalty to the people of El Paso. This is the first step to revamping the economy. Overhauling the Chamber of Commerce and offering incentives to keep college graduates from seeking employment elsewhere is a giant step forward. El Paso is the oldest city in the southwest and yet not the wisest. Promoting the city and taking advantage of the potential El Paso has to offer is another part of this giant step. Local businesses and city officials need to promote funding and prioritize tourism- based projects and possible convention based facilities. With a total metroplex area population of almost 2 million people and over half of that number are in the work force. There this number has endless economic potential. What do these numbers mean for El Paso, a lot of people with money to spend. This is not taking into account tourist revenue.

Here's a downside. The national average of college-educated students is 28%. El Paso has an average of only 7% and half that number is educated elsewhere. This number is staggeringly low considering the average age of and El Pasoans is twenty-seven, thats the average age of a college student at the University of Texas at El Paso. Our local University is churning out thousands of qualified college educated white- collar persons to employ and yet El Paso's work force is still, and has been for many years, mostly blue collar. College graduates are seeking employment elsewhere. This is puzzling considering we are par with other major cities in aspects like the cost of living and real estate potential. A good way to resolve this dilemma, would be offering signing bonuses along with more lucrative incentives or perhaps local tax incentives will keep the educated portion of that workforce here in town.

Revamping the city's economy is another great step. The El Paso Chamber of Commerce appointed Anthony Martinez to oversee the Economic Summit and yet the major players in our economy are now across the Border. What El Paso needs are incentives for new companies to replace the ones that have left. In order to do this, the city council needs to appoint a City Manager to oversee our Budget, Economic Development, Public Works, Planning, Parks and Recreation, Legal, Finance, Building Inspections, Purchasing, Libraries and Health. Along with the manager this task can be accomplished with the help of very qualified and locally educated city assistants. Putting an emphasis on financial services. These key factors undoubtedly stimulate the local workforce. This proposal can easily be put to a citywide vote and will be the final giant step to the rise of the Beautiful Sun City.