Voters narrowly approved the Canutillo Independent School District’s $387 million bond proposals on Saturday.
About 51% of voters cast ballots in favor of the proposal to build new schools and renovate existing ones – winning approval with a margin of 32 votes. The proposal to issue bonds to pay off debt was approved with just over 50% and a margin of 13 votes.
This marks the first bond proposals Canutillo ISD voters approve after voting down two others in four years.
“We’re excited that the community of Canutillo has chosen to place their trust in our ability to manage the future of their community,” Canutillo ISD Superintendent Pedro Galaviz told El Paso Matters in a statement.
“We know our potential is great, and now we have the tools we need to finally have our facilities match the high level of teaching and learning that has been happening inside our classrooms for years.”
Canutillo ISD district leaders have said the projects will help address declining enrollment and save the district from financial crisis as it deals with a deficit of $6 million. The district is preparing to approve a budget for the coming school year with an even higher deficit.
Proposition A asked voters for $379 million to build four new schools: A permanent facility for the Northwest Early College High School; new campuses to replace Deanna Davenport Elementary and Alderete Middle; and a new school to replace Canutillo Middle School.
Some of that will also be used to pay for repairs, safety and security improvements, new roofs, heating and cooling systems, and to upgrade its career and technical education services.
Proposition B asked voters for $7.2 million to repay maintenance tax notes – or debt that did not require voter approval – which were used to provide students with laptops during the COVID-19 pandemic.
School district officials have said that the bond will raise school taxes on the average $288,000 Canutillo home by $38 a year. Homeowners with a qualifying senior citizen homestead exemption will not see an increase.
