Penny Swap Issue causes contentious battle between EPISD and a Teachers Union
A contentious battle is brewing between The El Paso ISD and at least one of the teachers unions, all over a proposed tax ratification election.
It’s a penny swap, or in this case a dime swap. EPISD saying tax payers won’t even notice the difference, but The El Paso Federation of Teachers feel they can’t trust the district.
The EPISD has posted a video on their website, explaining what the penny swap is. The district is proposing moving $.10 from the districts debt account, into the operating account.
Al Velarde, an EPISD Board Trustee told ABC 7 that , ” The tax that the taxpayers pays does not go up at all, its just a swap from buckets to be able to give us some additional money to be able to operate by.”
The debt account will go from $.24 to $.14, while the operating account would go from $1.07 to $1.17. The overall tax rate will remain at $1.31. By moving the funds into the operating account, the state would match the funds, resulting in more money for the EPISD Velarde saying, ” The state is going to give us an additional 7.5 million so the swap then results with a 15 million dollar gain.”
Money, Velarde told ABC 7, the district needs. Some are opposed to the penny swap. Ross Moore, with The El Paso Federation of Teachers said that 90% of the Union is against it.
Moore said members had a lack of trust in administration and a lack of confidence in Superintendent Juan Cabrera’s leadership saying, ” Whether it was working conditions, or unpaid hours…or the bullying of employees, members had no confidence that their students would benefit from any extra funds. What many said that with new leadership, and they would be willing to reconsider.”
Velarde told ABC 7 that the opposition to the penny swap is personal saying, “The lack of confidence in Mr. Cabrera from The El Paso Federation and Ross Moore, its President. I believe it’s personal. ”
Something Velarde said stems from the issues that have divided The Board of Trustees recently.
The last time a penny swap was proposed, in 2015, it passed easily. ABC 7’s exclusive election analyst, Robert Moore said that it was a different time.
He said, “When you think back to 2015, the elected school board just resumed power. There was a sense of optimism that after years of scandal and problems, the district was heading in a good direction.” Moore said.
Moore analyzed the turnout and results of the last two elections
