EPISD approves budget of nearly $500 million; does not propose tax rate increase
The El Paso school district is not proposing a tax increase. The proposed rate is 1.23 percent, the same as last year.
But property values around the district have gone up. The average homeowner is expected to pay $1,407. That tax bill is about $8.50 more dollars more than last year’s.
That means the district will be taking in more money than it did last year. That’s important because the district is experiencing declining enrollment which affects overall funds. And at the same time, EPISD is seeing a drop in the amount of state funding.
Dori Fenenbock is the president of the EPISD Board.
“We have lost students over the last 3 years. $18 million in revenue. We are expecting to lose another 1,400 students this year. That’s another $8 million in revenue. So, we have had to adjust our budget, to right-size the district. (It’s) extraordinarily difficult to do,” Fenenbock said.
Despite all that, EPISD Spokesperson Melissa Martinez pointed out the district did have some good news for employees.
“They approved about a $497 million budget with a 1.5 percent increase for employee compensation. Also for our hourly employees, the minimum wage would be $10.10 per hour, up from $7.75,” Martinez said.
The board will take a vote on the proposed tax rate at next month’s meeting. The board president said one of the reasons members did not request a tax rate increase now is because they will make a decision in August on whether to hold a bond election. If that is approved, that would mean a tax increase.
