(C) El Paso Matters.org This story was originally published by El Paso Matters.org and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . New schools, debt payoff on Canutillo ISD bond ballot Saturday [1] ['El Paso Matters Staff', 'El Paso Matters', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar'] Date: 2024-05-03 This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso. Canutillo ISD Bond Election Saturday The Canutillo Independent School District’s $387 million bond election is Saturday. El Paso County Elections Department figures show just over 5% of district voters – or 1,182 people – cast ballots during early voting April 22-30. An El Paso Matters analysis showed that 56% of early voters were from the 79911 and 79932 ZIP codes, areas that heavily opposed prior bond issues. The majority of early voters also cast ballots in the two previous bond issues, which were overwhelmingly rejected by Canutillo voters. About 82% of early voters cast ballots in the 2022 election, and 51% voted in the 2021 election. If approved, the bond would be used to replace three schools with new campuses in fast-growing neighborhoods, build a permanent facility for the Northwest Early College High School, pay off $7 million in debt, and fund other general improvements districtwide. District leaders say the bond will help increase enrollment and help save it from financial crisis as Canutillo ISD deals with a $6 million deficit. The bond would increase school taxes on the average $288,000 Canutillo home by $38 a year, according to the school district. Homeowners with a qualifying senior citizen homestead exemption would not see an increase. The city of San Elizario and the Lower Valley Water District will also hold elections on Saturday. In San Elizario, the seats for mayor and five alderpersons are up for grabs; while the water district has a $35 million bond on the ballot for an array of projects. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Registered voters can vote at any polling location on Election Day. Information: Canutillo ISD or El Paso County Elections Department El Paso Matters will provide election results starting at 7 p.m. Saturday. Mayor Requests Sun Bowl Contract Audit Mayor Oscar Leeser has requested an audit of the city’s contract with the Sun Bowl Association and allowed uses of the rental car tax. The local 5% rental tax – added on the state’s tax – is a major funding source for the annual Sun Bowl game and other events put on by the association, including to pay college teams playing at the bowl game. The request was approved by the city’s Financial Oversight and Audit Committee during its Wednesday meeting. No timeline for the audit was provided. The mayor didn’t respond to requests for comment on the audit. Leeser is president of Hyundai El Paso, whose national corporation sponsored the game from 2010 to 2018, branding it the Hyundai Sun Bowl. City Seeks Feedback on Services, Budget The city of El Paso is looking for the community’s feedback on what services are most valued by residents and businesses. The Chime In! online survey provides public input on what the City Council should prioritize in next year’s budget, the city said in a news release. The city last year approved a general fund budget of about $579 million – an increase of $66 million over the previous year, much of which was to cover salary increases for police and fire department employees as part of a collective bargaining agreement. The city has to adopt its fiscal year 2025 budget by Aug. 31. The fiscal year begins Sept. 1. The survey is available in English and Spanish at www.ElPasoTexas.gov and clicking on the Chime In! banner. [END] --- [1] Url: https://elpasomatters.org/2024/05/03/canutillo-isd-bond-election-voting-sun-bowl-rental-car-tax/ Published and (C) by El Paso Matters.org Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-ND 4.0 International. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/elpasomatters/