ECISD could have $427,155,000 bond without raising tax rate

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - ECISD could have a $427,155,000 bond without raising the tax rate.

“By paying down the bonds we’ve saved the Ector County taxpayers $27 million in future taxes because we’ve been able to pay off our debt which then has put us in a better financial situation which then allows us to do what we’re trying to do now,” said Board President Christopher Stanley.

Stanley says as a community they need to make a vote for the future.

“We’re going to be building thing potentially in the next five years that will be here into the 22nd century,” said Stanley.

10 different items were recommended by the bond committee, including a career and technical education center, a new middle school, maintenance items, security requests and other extracurricular related items.

“When a student is participating in extracurricular activities, they’re gonna stay in school,” said Stanley.

You’ll remember in November of 2022, the board appointed a bond committee made up of parents, staff and community members, including ECISD mother of two and local business owner, Jeanette Fierro. Fierro wanted to be a part of the committee after watching her son enter middle school.

“The crowding, he would come home and say things like mom there’s a hole in the roof and the science class he’s like it stinks in there so I’m like what and you know it’s an older building and the sewer lines are like 60 years old,” said Fierro.

Fierro says seeing the campuses and being a part of the discussions was eye opening.

“That ability to not raise that interest rate was a big deal and I think that’s really going to help voters make their decisions as to yes or no on this,” said Fierro.

The board will have a series of community meetings. So far two dates are set for August 3rd and August 7th but time and place is still up in the air.

Stanley says the board will meet two more times before calling an election.

“My biggest thing is to just push people to show up, whether you pick ye or you pick no, just show up,” said Fierro.

Stanley says they want to hear what the community thinks about the proposal and how they should change it before making the final vote.

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