Medical examiner, animal shelter, parks bonds win
Nov 05, 2024
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- Three of El Paso County's five "capital improvement bond" questions were approved and two failed to pass, according to unofficial final results released at about 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
The bonds for County parks and recreation and a new animal shelter led all evening. The bond for a new office for the medical examiner was also approved after trailing for much of the evening.
The bond for renovations at the County Coliseum was narrowly defeated.
El Paso County asked voters to approve $323.8 million in what are being called "capital improvement bonds."
The County bond was broken up into five separate ballot questions for voters to decide on individually — parks and recreation; new office for medical examiner; courthouse, sub-courthouses and County annexes; County Coliseum renovation; and a new animal shelter.
Here is a breakdown of the County bond questions and how each of the ballot questions are faring:
Proposition A -- $95.6 million for parks and recreation; yes with 122,639 or 56.30 percent; no with 95,197 or 43.70 percent.
Proposition B -- $26.7 million for a new office for the medical examiner; yes with 111,261 or 50.73 percent; no with 108,050 or 49.27 percent.
Proposition C -- $63.3 million for courthouse and annex projects; yes with 93,247 or 42.32 percent; no with 127,107 or 57.68 percent.
Proposition D -- $105.5 million for a renovation and modernization effort for the El Paso County Coliseum; yes with 111,054 or 49.84 percent; no with 111,766 or 50.16 percent.
and Proposition E -- $32.7 million for a new animal shelter that will be built next to the Jail Annex; yes with 142,873 or 63.69 percent; no with 81,439 or 36.31 percent.
County officials estimate that if all five ballot measures passed, the average homeowner would see their taxes increase by about $5 a month or a little more than $60 a year.
Meanwhile, the $396.6 million bond for University Medical Center won a big victory.
The UMC bond has 148,665 votes in favor or 65.47 percent and 78,413 votes against or 34.53 percent against.
UMC says this bond issue will be used to improve the main UMC campus, increase health-care access around the County, build the first “comprehensive cancer center in El Paso,” and develop a burn center.
UMC estimates that if the bond is approved, it will have an impact of less than $6 a month for the average homeowner over 30 years.
In the Anthony Independent School District, a ballot question asking for 12-cent property tax increase won a narrow victory after trailing early.
The tax increase had 500 votes in favor of it or 51.23 percent, while 476 votes or 48.77 percent were against.
"The district will use these funds to balance our budget, address facility and fleet needs, provide student programming and for teacher and staff salaries," it said on its website in a section devoted to the tax-rate election.
The district said the new tax will translate to about $81 more a year, or about $6.75 a month, in property taxes for the average homeowner in the district, Anthony ISD said.
Passage of the new tax rate would not cause an increase in property taxes for homeowners who are age 65 or older or those who are disabled and have applied for and received the Over 65 Homestead Exemption, the district said.