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Budget Deficit, Politics Hamper Education Programs and Tigua Casino

Posted on May 15th, 2011

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State budget deficits, legislative logjams and time are taking their toll on El Paso, the 6th largest city in Texas. The state’s legislative session closes down in about two weeks leaving everything from infrastructure and programs for education, to gambling casinos operated by the native Tigua population in limbo, with no hope for a solution in sight. Texas has a budget shortfall of about $27 billion. To address the problem, the state House plans to slash $23 billion in services, while the Senate budget reflects cuts of $11 billion.

Education has long been central to the life and economy of El Paso. The county’s three large school districts employ almost 20,000 people altogether. It is ironic, then, that the first to be affected by the budget cutbacks are programs related to education. With public schools and health care scrambling for available funds, the establishment of new research facilities at institutes of higher learning will likely be placed on hold. First on the list is the interdisciplinary research facility sought by the University of Texas at El Paso budgeted at $90 million. School administrators claim that the facility is necessary to attract top teaching talent and enable it to get more funds from grants. This would, they say, turn UTEP into a nationally-recognized research university. Also affected is the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech. The institution has requested for $59 million for a second research building and another $27 million to construct a clinical sciences building.

Some legislators, led by branch and state senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) had hoped to address the problem by issuing bonds for institutions of higher education. The bonds would provide the schools with some relief, even if only on a temporary basis. Zaffirini filed a bill that includes bond requests for these schools. But the bill is stuck in committee, and the House can only act on bills that emanate from the Senate. Even Zaffirini now admits that passage of the bill is not likely, while state Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas) Chairman of the House Higher Education Committee says, “It’s a very tough budget with limited funds, so it’s a long shot,”

Another victim of the impasse is the Tigua tribe, which owns Speaking Rock Casinos. The Tigua tribe is one of the three Indian tribes in Texas recognized by the Federal government. They live in the sovereign Ysleta del Sur nation, between El Paso and Socorro cities, and have their own governing body, led by an elected governor and a tribal council. Prior to its closure in 2002, the Tigua tribe operated a casino, Speaking Rock, for 9 years. The business appeared to be of great benefit to the tribe and to El Paso as a whole. The casino gave employment to the members of the tribe, and raised property values in the area. Speaking Rock Casino, it is reported, brought $50 million to $60 million per year to the community and employed 785 people with an annual payroll of about $14 million. This enterprise gave new life to an area that was, and still is, extremely impoverished. However, citing violations of Texas gambling laws, the casino was shut down in 2002 by then Attorney General John Cornyn. The reopening of the casinos has been an ongoing battle for the tribe. The income from slot machines and gaming tables, it was argued, would help mitigate the state’s financial problems, not just at present but also in the near future. Even with assistance from the state delegation of El Paso, the attempt appears headed for failure during this session.

The legislature which is now controlled by conservative Republicans is vehemently against any effort to legalize gamb;lng. Some legislators like House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie) initially voiced some support for the move, only to be opposed by persons like State Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) who refuses to even consider any bills related to gaming. Tigua Lt. Governor Carlos Hisa admits that their efforts to reopen the casinos will not succeed, saying, “It would be a miracle if anything gets through that has gaming in it.” With time running out, it seems that El Paso will have to go the way many states and cities in the country are going, at least for the time being.