During my time as president of the El Paso Independent School District Board of Managers and later as mayor of El Paso, one challenge followed us year after year: how do we grow our tax base enough to support the services and infrastructure our community needs?
El Paso is now the sixth-largest city in Texas and one of the largest cities in the United States. Yet our tax base has long lagged behind our population growth. For decades, roughly 70% of our property tax base has been residential and only 30% commercial. That imbalance places enormous pressure on homeowners and limits the resources available to schools, healthcare providers, roads, public safety and other essential services.
That’s why I believe El Paso City Council’s decision to maintain its agreement with Meta is good news for our community.
When completed, Meta’s $10 billion investment is expected to more than double El Paso’s commercial tax base. Think about that for a moment. Opportunities of this scale do not come around often.
The timing could not be more important. El Paso ISD is currently facing a devastating $52.8 million budget shortfall. School districts rely heavily on student attendance and local revenue projections to plan for the future. When revenues fall short, difficult conversations follow, including the possibility of consolidating campuses, reducing staff and services.
A stronger commercial tax base helps address those challenges. Meta will be paying substantial property taxes in full to support local schools, El Paso Community College and University Medical Center. Those revenues will support education, healthcare and public services for years to come.
I understand why residents want a voice in projects of this scale, and I welcome efforts to keep the public informed. But we should not lose sight that this project did not arrive overnight. The questions many people are asking today about water use, infrastructure and community impact are the same questions local officials, El Paso Water and community leaders were asking years ago. Those conversations led to safeguards, agreements and long-term planning that are already in place. Today’s discussions should build on that work, not overlook it.
Meta’s project is also a boon for the job market. Local union leaders estimate that construction of the Meta facility will create roughly 4,000 jobs. More than 1,800 workers are already employed on current data center projects. These are good-paying jobs for electricians, plumbers, construction workers and other skilled trades. Many include apprenticeship opportunities that allow young people to earn a paycheck while learning a career.
For a city that too often sees talented young people leave in search of opportunity elsewhere, those career pathways matter.
Of course, questions about water and energy use deserve thoughtful discussion. But those discussions should be grounded in facts.
El Paso Water has spent years planning for future growth and established requirements for large water users long before construction began. Meta agreed to those terms in 2023, and residents can review the details publicly. Data centers represent a small share of overall water usage (EP Water estimates only a 1% increase), while newer facilities continue adopting technologies that improve efficiency and reduce resource consumption.
We should continue asking questions and planning responsibly. That’s what good government does. But we should also recognize opportunity when it arrives.
For years, El Paso leaders have talked about diversifying our economy, expanding our commercial tax base and creating more opportunities for local workers. Data centers help accomplish all three. That’s why I believe we should be celebrating this investment — not just today, but for years to come.
Dee Margo is former mayor of El Paso.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: OPINION: City Council’s decision to maintain Meta agreement is good news
Reporting by Dee Margo, Guest columnist / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dee Margo, Guest columnist | USA TODAY Network
