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EL PASO, TX – Taxpayer money is paying for new furniture in the offices of Representative Rachel Quintana and Representative Eddie Holguin.

David Almonte, the director of the city’s Office of Management and Budget, said the money used for Quintana’s new furniture came from a capital acquisition fund. However, items bought with this money become the city’s property. Quintana spent about $3,800 on new furniture for her office.


“We usually allow the representatives to make some sort of adjustment, although minor, on their furniture purchases when first elected to office,” Almonte said.

Holguin’s furniture purchases came out of his annual allotment of $10,000 in discretionary funds. He has made about $2,500 in purchases.

Several representatives said they use discretionary funds on their constituents. “We try to use as much of our discretionary funds budget to spend on constituent issues like street lights and other neighborhood improvements,” Representative Beto O’Rourke said. “Since we got into office in 2012, we haven’t spent a dollars on office furniture.”

Quintana and Holguin both defended their furniture purchases. “Being that the furniture is as old as I am, I figured it would be nice to have something to last me at least through the time I was here,” Quintana said.

Holguin said he bought the desks for his secretaries. “Their furniture is very old,” he said. “It’s falling apart.” He has not purchased furniture for his own office, although many items are 15 years old. He added he did have his office painted recently with leftover paint from the renovation of City Manager Joyce Wilson’s office.