El Paso City Council Agrees To Second Christmas Display

The Grinch’s heart grew 3 times at Tuesday’s El Paso City Council meeting. City Rep. Eddie Holguin will get his 25 thousand dollar Christmas lights display in the Lower Valley. But I have a few questions about why he wanted to do an alternate lights display this year, and a few suggestions for the illustrious Mr. Holguin about next year’s holiday lights display….

Mr. Holguin, you say the City has the money and the manpower to put on the display. That may be so, but why do you consistently vote 'no' on everything, and then whine like a 3 year old when you don't get support for your ideas? Work and play well with others, Mr. Holguin - most of us learned that in kindergarten, time for you to learn it, too.

You also say you want lights in Shawver park because 'Christmas is for everybody'. Who do you think goes to the San Jacinto Christmas lights display? Do you think only non-Lower Valley, north of the freeway El Pasoans enjoy the Christmas tree and lights downtown? What is it about the downtown Christmas lights display that makes you think it's NOT for everyone?

You kicked and pouted and called people names on Tuesday when it looked like you weren't going to get your 25 thousand dollars(go to 8:50 in the video). Here are a few things that might make next year's lights extravaganza go a little easier for you:

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1. Get your act together earlier – Two weeks before you want thousands of lights strung is not the time to go stamping your feet in Council and complaining that you never get what you want. A good rule of thumb? Start planning 6 months out.

2. Stop voting ‘no’ on everything - You always vote no because you say voters didn't get to have their say. I didn't get to vote on your Christmas lights request. I'm pretty upset about it.

3. When you say you’ll get corporate funding, don’t say you don’t know how to do that – You are a City Rep. You have a staff. Have your City Rep. staff make some phone calls. Here’s a suggestion of what they can say, "Hi, I’m from City Rep. Eddie Holguin’s staff. We are looking for corporate sponsors for a Christmas lights display in the Lower Valley. Would you be interested in helping out?" Feel free to cut and paste that for your staff to use. I won't even charge you a consultant's fee.

4. Understand that the City’s lights display is Downtown because it’s the City’s center. The lights are not in Downtown just to hack you off – Downtowns, all downtowns, are considered the center of a city. Downtown El Paso wasn't built to mock you. You should stop making it seem like you think that. It makes you look silly.

5. Be honest about your motives – You have been on Council for 3 terms, so I wonder where your outrage about an equal opportunity lights display has been all those years. I understand you don’t like the Downtown ballpark, but the ‘not everyone likes downtown’ nonsense is getting old. You didn't care where the Christmas lights were last year, or the year before, or the year before that. You care this year because the ballpark is being built. Just 'fess up already.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Holguin.