El Paso ISD considers dipping into reserves

The El Paso Independent School district has about two weeks to ratify a budget. The fact that it’s $17 million in the hole isn’t helping. Board members continued looking at their options to make ends meet at budget workshop Wednesday.

Administrators told board members the district may have to dip into it’s reserves to pay for all it’s expenses. They are estimating they can take somewhere in the neighborhood of $8 million, before the district’s credit is affected.

The next big hurdle will be deciding how to pay their employees. Compensation takes up about 90 percent of the district’s budget. At the next budget meeting on June 17th, board members will chose between two compensation models.

The first, or Model 4, gives teachers a one percent raise, and offers a one percent raise for non-teaching employees

The second, or Model 5A, and the one board President Dee Margo is supporting, gives teachers a 2.3 percent raise, equalizes all the pay categories according education and experience, and also offers a one percent raise for non-teaching employees. This is the more expensive plan, but the one Margo said is worth dipping into the reserves for.

“Well they’re the backbone of the district,” Margo said. “They’re the ones where the rubber meets the road with our children. If that’s where you’re going to spend dollars, that’s where you’re going to spend them. Like I said, with 88 percent of our budget going toward compensation, that’s where it’s going to go.”

Margo also said the budget could grow. Revenue from property taxes could bring in more than they’re estimating. They also don’t know the impact open enrollment will have in bringing in more students and more state money.

The next and final meeting is on June 17th, so that the budget can be enforced on June 30th.