Socorro ISD<\/p>\n
SISD Superintendent James Vasquez said the funds would be used to give employees raises, reduce class sizes, and maintain heating and cooling systems, among other initiatives, while maintaining the financial stability of the district.<\/p>\n
The district last year laid off dozens of teachers<\/a> and eliminated its elementary school fine arts program to balance its budget after years of spending more money than it took in.<\/p>\n If the tax ratification proposal fails, Vasquez said the district may need to continue to slash expenses as enrollment declines.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have good options. We\u2019re looking at reductions in programs, reductions in staff, and possible school closures in the near future. Those would really be my only options in being able to sustain our financial position,\u201d Vasquez said.<\/p>\n Socorro ISD voters last year rejected a similar VATRE<\/a> proposition by about 6 percentage points, or 850 votes.\u00a0<\/p>\n The district in May contracted with edVANTAGE Strategy Group for $260,000 for communication materials to educate voters on the VATRE proposal. Under state election laws, school districts can share factual information about the election, but can not encourage people to vote in favor of or against the tax ratification.<\/p>\n Members of SISD\u2019s Finance and Operations Advisory Committee, which was formed in 2025 to help the district develop a long-term financial strategy, formed a political action committee in support of Proposition A.<\/p>\n The Support Socorro ISD Schools PAC, which was established as a 527 nonprofit political organization in 2025, has collected over $31,500 in contributions and spent over $13,800 through the second quarter reporting period that ended in June, according to IRS filings.<\/p>\n Its largest donations include $5,000 in November 2025 from First Financial Corporation, which manages the district\u2019s employee benefits, and $3,500 in June from Parkhill, Smith and Cooper, the architecture firm that designed the SISD Student Activities Complex II. The PAC reported about $5,600 from SISD trustee Manuel \u201cManny\u201d Rodriguez through several in-kind contributions in his role as government affairs manager with the El Paso Chamber, according to campaign finance reports.<\/p>\n The PAC reported a $5,000 contribution from the Socorro AFT teacher union in September on its campaign finance report filed with the district Monday. It also reported spending under $100 from July to September. Michael Apodaca, the PAC\u2019s treasurer, said most of its expenses for campaign materials came after Sept. 24 and will be included in the next report due Oct. 26.\u00a0<\/p>\n PAC chair Joe Espinoza said the organization is focusing on encouraging seniors who won\u2019t be affected by the proposition, and families who can benefit from it to approve the VATRE. Texas law freezes school property taxes for homeowners 65 and older.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a lot of people just weren\u2019t aware of what the VATRE actually was. We had some data come in, and it looks like a lot of people that wouldn\u2019t have been affected were the ones voting against it,\u201d Espinoza said about the previous tax ratification election.<\/p>\n Ysleta ISD<\/p>\n YISD Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said the tax rate proposal is part of a larger plan to stabilize the district\u2019s finances, prevent layoffs and begin rebuilding its savings after adopting a more than $391 million budget with a $12 million deficit for the current school year that would nearly deplete its reserves.<\/a> The plan includes offering separation incentives to employees looking to retire in December.<\/p>\n \u201cThe $5.5 million is not going to save the district from the delicate financial situation we currently are navigating. It is not a silver bullet, but rather it is part of silver buckshot. It is one of several strategies that are happening concurrently at YISD that over time will help us pull out of it without having to reduce the (workforce),\u201d De La Torre said.<\/p>\n The elections were triggered after both school boards adopted tax rates in August above their voter-approval rates \u2014 the highest they could have adopted without going to voters under state law.<\/p>\n The SISD board adopted a tax rate of $1.05 per $100 valuation for the 2026 tax year. The district\u2019s voter-approved rate is 93 cents per $100 valuation.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/CB_JamesVasquez-0752.jpg\")
Socorro ISD Superintendent James Vasquez says the district may need to conduct more layoffs and cut programs if the tax ratification proposal fails in November. (Corrie Boudreaux \/ El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/CB_DeLaTorreYISD-2363.jpg\")
Ysleta ISD Superintendent Xavier De La Torre says the tax ratification proposal alone won\u2019t save the district from its financial situation, but is part of the overall strategy to dig itself out of a hole. (Corrie Boudreaux\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/CB_SISD-17.jpg\")
The Socorro Independent School District headquarters. (Corrie Boudreaux\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/CB_YISD-9223.jpg\")
The Ysleta Independent School District headquarters in East El Paso. (Corrie Boudreaux\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n