Monday, July 30, 2007

Driver Responsibilty Law

Senator Eliot Shapleigh wants to review the Driver Responsibility Law that was implemented in 2003 because so many people face large surcharges for their moving violations. The story in the El Paso Times quotes a young lady saying she has 11 warrants that total over $5000 in fines and surcharges for charges that include driving without insurance, invalid registration and speeding. She says she can't pay the fines because, in part, she has to pay to have her car fixed since someone hit her. Well she doesn't need to get her car fixed until she can afford to be a responsible driver.

I guess Senator Shapleigh thinks the fact that people don't have the money to pay their fines and surcharges is a valid excuse to just ignore them and continue to drive unlicensed and uninsured.

Well Senator, perhaps you would prefer that we just eliminate the traffic laws altogether? That will kill two birds with one stone. No more unreasonable fines for license or insurance scoflaws and drunk drivers and we will be able to stop paying law enforcement personnel to issue traffic citations.

How about if we don't worry about whether they have the money to pay and hope they get caught and thrown in jail? It may just drive home the point that they shouldn't be driving if they can't afford the insurance or don't have "time" to get a drivers license.

I propose that if you get pulled over and can't show proof of insurance your car be impounded on the spot. Give them 30 days to get their car out of impound after paying the fees and showing proof of insurance or sell it at auction.

Drunk driving should result in loss of driving rights for a long time, if not forever. Prison should not be out of the question.

Senator Shapliegh, quit trying to give people an out for not being responsible and quit wasting our tax dollars having your staff research how to help them be irresponsible.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

County Commisioner's Court

Wow, that was quick. I thought it would be a few days at least before I got going.

How in the world can the Commissioners Court justify approving a contract with a company that was underbid and that changed their bid specifications after the fact?

According to the article in the El Paso Times, a committee recommended that the county deposit contract be awarded to Wells Fargo, but the court elected to use InterNational Bank against the committee's advice.

The county court is out of control. Every contract awarded is suspect right now as it is and when the court makes a move like this it just adds fuel to the fire.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Welcome

Welcome to the El Paso Connected Blog. I will post about business, politics, religion, okay not religion, the state of the city as I see it, the state of the county as I see it(that one may get ugly) and what ever else I feel like. I will try not to offend, but no promises if you are deetdedee.

I have several websites related to the El Paso community that I will refer to from time to time and I encourage one and all to go check them out. Let's start with www.ElPasoTexasGolf.com
and www.WestElPasoLiving.com

They are both still in the construction phase so bear with me. I also blog at ElPasoTexasRealEstate and at TheRealEstateTrainer

Talk at you soon...