EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso ISD trustees are continuing discussions over a possible $445 million bond package that could go before voters later this year to address long-standing campus needs, including years of deferred maintenance.

The El Paso school board received an update this week on a long-range master plan created by the Citizens Bond Steering Committee, a group of community members appointed by trustees to review district facility needs. The committee identified district needs totaling about $1 billion, but the bond option currently being discussed is closer to $445 million and would be broken into three propositions.

“You can see that there’s a long history of deferred maintenance that really needs to be brought up to standards in order to make our schools as effective as they can be as learning environments,” said Sam Schulte, co-chair of the Facilities and Capital Renewal Subcommittee for the Citizens Bond Steering Committee.

A breakdown of the possible $445 million bond includes $175 million for deferred maintenance, $93.8 million for HVAC and cooling systems, $50 million for athletics, $33.1 million for technology and cybersecurity, and $93.1 million for other district needs.

Jordan Salas reports on EPISD bond talks continue as committee weighs in (Credit KFOX14)

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Committee member Ana Fuentes, an executive steering committee member, said the next steps include community outreach and addressing concerns about the proposal’s impact on taxes.

“The next phase is making sure that we’re out there talking to the community, that we’re debunking this. This bond will not increase the tax rate,” Fuentes said.

In a presentation to trustees, the district showed a “No I&S Tax Increase” option with an I-and-S rate of 31.08 cents.

The bond discussions come after EPISD declared financial exigency and approved a reduction-in-force plan earlier this month.

KFOX14/CBS4 asked EPISD how a possible bond could move forward without raising the tax rate and what would happen to proposed projects if voters reject a future bond. The district did not say what would happen to the proposed projects if voters reject a future bond.

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Asked about the tax rate, EPISD said it is not proposing a tax-rate increase and said any future bond discussions would be structured within the existing I&S portion of the tax rate.

“El Paso ISD is not proposing an increase to the district’s tax rate. As district officials have explained, any future bond discussions would be structured within the existing version of the I-and-S portion of the tax rate,” the district said in a statement.

Schulte said community input is key to improving transparency and rebuilding trust in the process.

“Making sure that there’s real community input improves the data overall, improves transparency, improves trust, and shows that the district is trusting the community and so the community can in turn trust the district,” he said.

Trustees are expected to review the plan again in early August, with a possible recommendation on whether to call an election later that month.

EPISD’s bond website currently includes a poll asking whether the district should consider putting a bond proposal on the November ballot.

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