Ysleta ISD hosts first round of community bond meetings
Editor’s Note: The Ysleta Independent School District superintendent was referring to the 2004 bond when he said it would be paid off in eight years. The current bond proposal, if it passes in November, would take 25 to 30 years to pay off.
The Ysleta Independent School District is back at it again, hosting seven community meetings to get the word out about November’s bond election.
The YISD’s bond in May barely failed by just over 300 votes. The breakdown shows many of Ysleta’s older residents voted against it. Some of that animosity was in action Tuesday night.
The De Valle High dance team gave YISD Superintendent Dr. Xavier De La Torre a hard act to follow. But what came after his bond presentation will be harder to seek.
Senior-citizens, such as 50-year El Paso resident Enrique Ramirez Jr. who voted against the bond in May. During the Q&A portion, Ramirez didn’t feel the need to ask De La Torre any question in particular, but took the opportunity to share he and his peers are thinking
“‘Why can’t we,'” Ramirez said. “That’s his slogan. ‘Why can’t we’, ‘Why can’t us,’ and ‘The children’. I got up and told him because we, us and the children can’t afford it.”
But they can, according to De La Torre, who promises taxpayers will see lower taxes next year. He also said the bond will be paid off in eight years.
“The proposed increase to the Homestead exemption would, in this case, pass a bond that would allow us to increase property taxes and see taxes go down,” De La Torre said.
Property taxes will increase $0.12 cents if the bond passes, but the annual bill would go down by about $80, according to De La Torre. Even so, Ramirez, who being a senior would see no impact to his tax rate, isn’t buying for the sake of his city.
“If we pass all these bond elections, for the city for the county, commissioners, the hospital, on and on and on, at the end all the total taxes are going to affect our children and our grandchildren,” Ramirez said. “And they don’t see the long run and its going to affect all of them.”
De La Torre countered that saying in the long run it will cost the district more waste millions to operate old, failing and empty school buildings. He also said in addition to the seven community meetings, he will be making presentations around the city, targeting senior citizens who are just as concerned as Ramirez.
YISD Community Meetings:
– Saturday, Sept. 26 at Bel Air High School, Health Professions Auditorium, 9a.m.
– Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Parkland Middle School, 11 a.m.
– Monday, Oct. 5 at Constance Hulbert Elementary School Gym, 6 p.m.
– Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Glen Cove Elementary School Gym, 9 a.m.
– Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Eastwood High School Theater, 6 p.m.
