Edcouch-Elsa voters will consider in the May election a $26 million bond package meant to make needed updates and repairs to school district facilities and fund a new career and technical education building.
The district’s board voted to approve the bond order in February.
Superintendent Greg Rodriguez said Friday that if the bond is approved it will not increase the district’s total tax rate.
“If the voters would approve this bond package, the total tax rate for next year would remain at 1.2175,” he said. “So this will generate $26 million, it would allow us to not pay any tax rate increase onto the homeowners and of course those who have the over 65 exemption would be exempt from this as well.”
Improvements covered by the bond, Rodriguez said, include roof repairs to existing facilities, renovations to existing security and camera systems, and a new warehouse and maintenance facility to replace current facilities that have become outdated.
“So we want to make sure that employees have safe facilities for them to work in,” Rodriguez said.
The crown jewel of the proposed bond is a new career and technology building at the district’s high school.
“We’ve been doing a pretty good job of increasing the number of associate degrees that we have in our district and the numbers of students who go to four-year institutions have increased over time, but we also want to make sure that we’re addressing the students who are maybe not seeking a four-year degree but still need to have family sustaining wages,” Rodriguez said. “And so we want to increase the number of certifications in our career and technical education program.”
The new building, Rodriguez said, would allow the district to expand welding and culinary arts certifications, beef up health science technology programs and add new programs like cyber security. It would also provide facilities for the district’s popular cosmetology program.
“We want to address students on the four-year academic side, but we also want to make sure that if students want to have a successful career where they’re able to provide for their families, that they can also do that through career and technical education,” Rodriguez said.
Edcouch-Elsa ISD hasn’t held a bond election in several years. In 2019 the district canceled a $24.2 million bond election the week before voters went to the polls.
Rodriguez said he feels voters will likely OK the bond at the ballot box.
“We know that we want all our students to be successful, and we know that the community has always been very supportive of the school district,” he said. “And I feel that the likely voters, those voters who live and work in our school district, I think they’ve been able to see the benefit of what these certifications and needed repairs will do.”
Although he noted he can’t advocate for or against the bond, Rodriguez did encourage residents to exercise their right to vote.
