Ysleta ISD’s $451 million bond proposal doesn’t pass

With 53 of 53 precincts reporting, the $451 million bond proposal by Ysleta Independent School District did not pass, with 51 percent of voters voting no and 49 percent voting yes.

5,832 voted for the bond and 6,164 voted against it.

A preliminary analysis of the early voting numbers show more voters in precincts in the Hanks and Eastwood High Schools feeder patterns opposed the bond. Precincts in the Riverside, Parkland and Bel Air learning communities, as the district calls them, generally supported the proposal. Precincts in the Del Valle and Ysleta High School areas were mixed.

There are four factors affecting every single one of its 60 schools: enrollment has declined and the district is operating below capacity; the 100-year-old district has buildings that are old and deteriorating; YISD has to re-brand itself to survive the 21st century; there has to be equity for all students.

Broken down by feeder pattern, YISD wants to invest:

– $89 million in Del Valle
– $94 million in Eastwood
– $65.7 million in Bel Air
– $46.8 in Hanks
– $39.2 million in Yselta
– $26.4 million in Riverside
– and $48 million toward enhancements.

Beyond repairs and upgrades, big ticket items, include:
– Closing Hillcrest Middle andRanchland Hills Middle, and building Bel Air Middle in its place at $31.5 million
– Combining Mission Valley Elementary and Valley View Middle, and building Del Valle Middle for $67 million
– Rebuilding Eastwood High for $66 million

-A Young Women’s Leadership Academy, focusing on STEM would be built at the Hillcrest Middle location.

– Camino Real Middle and Cadwallader Elementary would close

One detail board members will have to be comfortable explaining is the tax rate increase of 10 percent.

It would be $91 more. For a $100,000 home, the total tax bill would be $975 compared to $884 taxpayers pay now.

De La Torre said that will be anywhere from $5-$12 more per month.