About Sam

My name is Sam Armijo, and I’m asking for your vote for El Paso City Council.

I was born and raised in El Paso. I attended St. Mary’s Grade School and graduated from Cathedral High School, and Texas Western College. Like most El Paso families, my parents believed in God, hard work, education, living within our means and helping our community whenever possible.

Those values have guided me and my wife, Raquel, through life, and now guide me as I seek to give back to my community at our city council.

After earning a degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Texas Western. I joined the United States Army and served at Ft. Hood Texas and Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md. After military service I earned a master’s degree in Metallurgy from the University of Arizona, and a PhD in Materials Science from Stanford University.

I spent my professional career with General Electric’s civilian and defense related nuclear power businesses, helping to solve some of the toughest engineering challenges in those businesses.

Along the way, I published numerous engineering and scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and received 14 national and international patents. I have held Department of Defense Top Secret and Department of Energy Q clearances, and served as a federal regulator within the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Now, you might be wondering - what does an engineer/businessman/regulator want to do on the City Council?

The answer is simple. I spent my career solving engineering, business and regulatory problems with facts, data, and common sense - not politics. When something wasn’t working, I didn’t make excuses. I found solutions.

I’m not a career politician. I’m an engineer and businessman. Engineers are trained to look at problems, understand the facts, and build solutions that last. That’s the kind of leadership El Paso needs today.

Our families are feeling the pressure of rising costs. Homeowners are paying more and getting less. That’s why I prioritize sensible city spending and reducing tax burdens on homeowners and small businesses wherever possible. City government should live within its means, just like El Paso families do.

I also believe we need to focus city spending on what matters most: public safety, waste and storm management, and repairing our streets. Too often, City government spends money on projects and programs that are totally discretionary while essential city services are routinely underfunded. For example, let’s talk about our streets. I’m tired of seeing temporary repairs that don’t last. El Paso deserves long-term street maintenance policies that save taxpayers money and deliver better results. We should fix roads right the first time instead of paying to repair the same problems over and over again.

I oppose widening the downtown portion of I-10. Many El Pasoans have serious concerns about the impact of this project on neighborhoods, commuter traffic, and quality of life. I believe we should listen to residents and carefully evaluate alternatives before supporting massive and unneeded expansion projects.

I oppose spending taxpayer dollars to plan, design, promote or build the Deck Plaza. If private investors want to fund this entertainment facility entirely on their own without taxpayer subsidies or entanglements, that’s a different conversation. But with so many pressing city needs, public funds should be spent on essential services and not on projects that will inevitably increase our property taxes.

As the Meta data center project moves forward much has been said in opposition to or in support of the terms of the agreement between Meta and the City of El Paso. I believe the public deserves a complete and accurate document explaining (in plain English) the key issues related to the project. I will work to get accurate answers to important questions about infrastructure, resources, and the long-term impact on our community.

Large projects should benefit El Paso residents - not create new, long-term financial burdens for our taxpayers.

My campaign is built on a simple idea: Use common sense. Ask tough questions, listen to the answers get to the truth, and focus on solutions. My top priority will always be the protection of El Paso’s taxpayers. They, not politicians, are the source of our economy, our culture and our future.

I’ve spent my life solving complex engineering, business and regulatory problems. I believe the El Paso city government needs people with proven ability to think critically, manage resources responsibly, and make decisions based on facts instead of emotions or politics.

If you’re tired of politics as usual and want someone who brings real-world experience, independent thinking, and a problem-solving mindset to City Hall, I would be honored to receive your vote.

Together, we can build a stronger, more responsible future for El Paso.

On Election Day, vote Sam Armijo for City Council, I won't let you down.