Government Watchdog Group Applauds Rejection of Proposition K in El Paso

For Immediate Release                                                 Contact: Abigail Graham: (202) 417-7235

May 8, 2023                                                                            

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, voters in El Paso, Texas, rejected by a more than 4-to-1 margin an effort by outside environmental groups to create a climate charter for the city, which would have included using taxpayer money to deprivatize the area’s electric company.

As part of Proposition K, advocates wanted to convert El Paso Electric to municipal ownership with a goal of 100 percent clean renewable energy by 2045. The utility, which has served the areas for 120 years, has already developed initiatives for responsible environmental practices, including striving to reduce its carbon footprint with a goal of going 100 percent coal free.  

In response, TPA Director of Telecom Policy Johnny Kampis offered the following comments:

“We applaud voters for rejecting this gross overreach. As the El Paso Chamber of Commerce noted, the charter could have cost local taxpayers billions of dollars in lost revenue, and thousands of people could have lost jobs.

“The vote against the plan is not a vote against responsible environmental practices. Voters already approved Proposition C last year, which will create a city climate action plan. But with the initial study for that not expected to be completed for 12 to 18 months, it was irresponsible to rush Proposition K onto the ballot.”

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Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.