Category: kvia-local-news

El Paso Matters

by Claudia Lorena Silva

The Ysleta Independent School District is asking voters to allow it to raise its tax rate beyond what is allowed by the state to save it from a dire financial status – a proposition which if approved would have little to no impact on the vast majority of homeowners’ tax bills.

The YISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to call for a voter-approval tax ratification election, or VATRE, in November that would generate up to $5.5 million a year by shifting some of its property tax revenue — currently earmarked for repaying debt — toward daily operations.

YISD Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said, if approved, the proposal could help the district address a multi-million-dollar deficit that nearly depleted the district’s savings and potentially help rebuild it.

“Balancing a budget will not solve our problem. We actually have to have a surplus. We have to have extra money at the end of the year,” De La Torre told El Paso Matters before Wednesday’s board meeting.

Trustees voted unanimously to approve a tax rate of $1.19 per $100 property valuation — higher than the $1.15 voter-approval rate it could have adopted without going to voters. That triggered the call for the VATRE election, which if rejected, would force the board to adopt the lower rate.

The proposal would shift 3 cents from its debt rate to its operations rate, also known as a “penny swap.”

The no-new-revenue rate, which would generate the same amount of revenue as the previous year on the same properties, is $1.25 per $100 valuation.

Tax bill impact

Most of the voters eligible to decide on the proposal wouldn’t be impacted by the outcome because they pay no school property taxes, an El Paso Matters analysis of data from the El Paso Central Appraisal District shows.

(Courtesy: El Paso Matters)

Made with Flourish • Create a chart

However, businesses and other commercial properties –  including Meta, which is developing a $10 billion data center in Northeast El Paso and is expected to become one of the largest taxpayers in the county – would see taxes go up if voters approve the proposed rate.

According to the CAD, more than  26,000 YISD homeowners — two-thirds of all owner-occupied homes in the district — will pay no school tax whether the issue passes or fails because the value of their exemptions exceeds the taxable value of their homes, or they are 100% disabled veterans, who are exempt from all property taxes in Texas.

All homes with homestead exemptions in Texas have a $140,000 exemption, and people over 65 have an additional $60,000 exemption. YISD adds a 20% homestead exemption, the only district in El Paso County to do so.

As a result, any home valued at $175,000 or less in the district won’t owe school property taxes this year regardless of the outcome of the election, and any home owned by someone over age 65 or disabled valued at $250,000 or less is exempt from school taxes. Such homeowners still pay taxes to the city, county, hospital district and community college.

The average market value of a home in YISD this year is $211,000, according to the Central Appraisal District.

The YISD tax bill on an average-value home, which has a taxable value of just over $14,000 after exemptions, would be about $170 if the VATRE is approved. 

If it is rejected, the homeowner of that hypothetical home would only save about $6 on their district tax bill.

If approved, a business or commercial property valued at $1 million could pay almost $12,000 in property taxes to the school district; that would drop to about  $11,500 if voters reject the tax proposal..

CAD records currently say Meta’s 1,040 acres of land for the data center site has a taxable value of just over $1.6 million; none of the improvements being built on the land currently have a taxable value. If the VATRE rate is approved by voters, the school tax on the land would be $19,476. If voters reject the tax rate, Meta’s tax bill will drop to $18,787, saving the company $689, according to El Paso Matters’ calculations.

Budget changes

De La Torre said the district has already reduced the deficit and plans to continue cutting costs.

YISD, which had less than 33,000 students last year, expected enrollment numbers to drop by about 1,250 students this year. Instead, enrolment only fell by about 900. De La Torre said this will bring in $3 million in additional revenue.

He said the district also plans to offer a separation incentive to 100 employees who are considering retiring or resigning in December, which could cut payroll costs by about $4 million for the current school year.

The tax ratification election will be held Nov. 3, with early voting Oct. 19-30. The last day to register to vote in that election is Oct. 5.

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Lauren Bly

ANTHONY, Texas (KVIA) — Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced it will close several facilities, including the La Tuna Prison in Anthony, Texas.

The DOJ said La Tuna had a backlog of pending maintenance jobs worth more than $4 billion. The prison is set to close in March 2027.

Thursday at noon, a group of protesters were expected to gather outside of the facility to protest the closure. While not many showed up, their message was clear that the prison shouldn’t close.

Juan Fernandez, who worked at La Tuna for almost 25 years, said the building may be old, but it’s well maintained. He said closing it while citing maintenance issues doesn’t make sense.

“It’s like an old car. You get an old car, you’re going to put some money into it and make it work,” Fernandez said. “They just got to maintain it and invest the money and save this.”

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar also visited the prison Thursday. In a video statement sent to ABC-7, she said she didn’t see any evidence of why the prison needed to shut down.

“It’s going to require $80 million of investment. Just for context, Camp east, Montana, across town is a $1.2 billion facility. Budgets are about our values,” Rep. Escobar said. “My focus is keeping these jobs and making sure we have a safe facility here at La Tuna.”

ABC-7 reached out for the BOP about the closure date, but it didn’t respond.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-Claudia Rosales is joining ABC-7 at 4 o’clock to announce that The El Paso Chamber will be giving its State of Education and Workforce speech on August 19, 2026, at the Hotel Paso Del Norte.

The event will include Leila Melendez, CEO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex, as well as the superintendents Dr. Josue Borrego, Dr. Brian Lusk from El Paso ISD, James Vasquez from Socorro ISD, and people from Canutillo ISD. This signature event brings together new superintendents from our region, local employers, and students to discuss how our region is preparing the next generation forcareer success.

The State of Education and Workforce event gives attendees a firsthand look at how ourregion’s schools and employers are working together to prepare talent for jobs. There will be some work on workforce preparation, and Leila Melendez will also give a keynote speech containing useful insights. She will discuss the initiatives, partnerships, and investments that are driving education and workforce development across the Borderplex.

The event also gives the business community a chance to better understandhow education policy and workforce development directly impact economiccompetitiveness in the Borderplex.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Location: Hotel Paso Del Norte, Pershing BallroomRegistration is currently open and will end on August 14; sponsorship options are also offered.Participation is open to any organization that wishes to support this major event.

If you would like further information or wish to register, you can go to www.elpaso.org/events or send an email to epc@elpaso.org.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — One person went to a hospital with life-threatening injuries after a near drowning in Northeast El Paso Wednesday.

El Paso police said the near drowning happened at an apartment pool on Edgar Park Avenue, which is near Hercules Avenue and the US 54.

The El Paso Fire Department’s FireSTAR helicopter was dispatched to the scene, which cleared by 8:30 p.m., officials said.

At the scene, ABC-7 saw the apartment pool taped off.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-Would you like to serve your community as one of the members of the Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees?

According to Gustavo Reveles the deadline for applying for a spot on the ballot is on Monday, August 17th, and Election Day will be on Tuesday, November 3rd.

For more information on candidate eligibility, the filing procedures and the important election dates, please go to the CISD 2026 Board Election portal at www.canutillo-isd.org/school-board/election.

Canutillo ISD 2026 School Board Election

The board of trustees of the Canutillo ISD is made up of seven community members who are elected by the district’s voters. They serve without receiving any payment and have the responsibility of offering leadership and oversight for the benefit of students, staff, and taxpayers.

The board members have four-year terms which are staggered in order to secure continuity in governance and leadership, and trustee elections take place every two years as part of the general election cycle held in November, together with the state and county elections.

ELECTION

Tuesday, November 3, 2026, is Election Day.

The polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

The El Paso County Elections Department will post the polling locations.

In-person voting will be available from Monday, October 19th to Friday, October 31st, 2026.

The El Paso County Elections Department will post the early voting times and locations.

Monday, October 5, 2026, is the final day on which one can register to vote in the November 3 election. You can download a postage-paid voter registration application from here.

Current Canutillo ISD Elected Officers

Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees Elected Members:

Sergio Martinez (unexpired term ends November 2026)

Lilia Maldonado (full term ends November 2028)

Cindy Zuñiga (full term ends November 2026)

Breanne Barnes (full term ends November 2026)

Lucia Borrego (full term ends November 2026)

Carolina Ortega (full term ends November 2028)

Armando Rodriguez (full term ends November 2028)

Positions on the November 2026 Ballot

These four positions will appear on the ballot on November 3, 2026:

Three full four-year terms (positions currently held by trustees Cindy Zuñiga, Breanne Barnes and Lucia Borrego)

A single term which has not expired, lasting two years (the position currently occupied by Trustee Sergio Martinez).

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Eligibility Requirements

The criteria for qualification are set out in Canutillo ISD Board Policy BBA (LEGAL). You can view the policy by clicking here.

Filing Period

Note that Canutillo ISD might not be able to offer notary services; therefore, if your documents need to be notarized, please get them notarized prior to coming.

Calendar

The first day on which people can file to get a place on the ballot is Saturday, 18 July 2026. However, since the district is closed at weekends, prospective candidates will be able to start filing on Monday, 20 July 2026.

The deadline for applying for a spot on the ballot is on Monday, August 17, 2026.

The deadline for filing a declaration of write-in candidacy is Friday, August 21, 2026. (Note: A declaration of write-in candidacy must meet the same requirements as an application for a place on the ballot.)

Filing Methods

All the applications have to be handed in person at the Office of the Superintendent of the Canutillo Independent School District, whose address is:

CISD Administration Building7965 Artcraft Rd.El Paso, TX 79932℅ Adrian Cerros, Administrative Assistant to the Superintenent

The following should be noted: the Office of the Texas Secretary of State requires that the person who is filing must have the application in their possession by the deadline.

FORMS

Request for Confidentiality for Candidates Under Texas Government CodeIn accordance with Section 552.1175 of the Texas Government Code, anyone who is eligible can ask that certain information from your candidate application—such as your home address, home telephone number, details of your emergency contact, date of birth, social security number, or whether you have any family members—be kept from public view. When you complete and send this form to the filing authority to whom you submitted your candidate application, you are making the request for the kind of confidentiality mentioned above. You must attach a photocopy of the documentation proving that you are eligible for confidentiality with your written request. If you wish to withdraw this request for confidentiality, you have to do so in writing to the filing authority to whom you originally filed your candidate application.

Appointment Of A Campaign Treasurer By A Candidate (Form CTA)According to the Texas Ethics Commission, every candidate is required to file Form CTA even if they have no intention of raising or spending any money on their campaign; the form must be filed before the candidate submits an application for a position on the ballot, before they raise or spend any money as part of their campaign, or before they announce their candidacy. For more information regarding these guidelines and the form, see the Texas Ethics Commission’s Form CTA–Instruction Guide.

Application For A Place On The Ballot For A General Election For A City, School District Or Other Political Subdivision

Campaign Finance Report (Form C/OH)Every candidate must submit semiannual reports on Form C/OH even if they have had no campaign activity or have not been successful in the election. The annual filing deadlines and schedules can be obtained from the Texas Ethics Commission’s website. The forms should be sent to Cindy Anderson, the Elections Coordinator for Leander ISD. In order to terminate your filing responsibilities, you have to stop all campaign activity and file a Final Report using Form C/OH together with Form C/OH-FR (Designation of Final Report). The Designation of Final Report form is on the last page of Form C/OH. For more information regarding Campaign Finance Reports, see the Texas Ethics Commission Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders. Further campaign finance resources, such as how to start and how to end a campaign, are available on the Texas Ethics Commission website.

Even though it is not necessary, a great many of the candidates also submit a Code of Fair Campaign Practices (Form CFCP).

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-The El Paso Zoo will be hosting an event for International Orangutan Day to honor one of the world’s most intelligent and endangered primates. You’ll find out about the measures being taken to protect orangutans, the difficulties they experience in their rainforest habitats, and that the term ‘orangutan’ actually means ‘person of the forest’.

Sunday, August 16. 12:30 p.m.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Businesses and contractors wanting to contract with government agencies had the opportunity to connect at El Paso Community College Wednesday.

The Contract Opportunities Center APEX Accelerator hosted the 19th Annual Procurement and Contracting Symposium. More than 175 vendors and more than 50 exhibitor booths registered and represented a wide range of industries.

With the summit, EPCC’s opportunities center reflected its goal in helping businesses learn about contracting opportunities to increase local competitiveness and job creation.

Some of the visiting agencies included the Holloman Air Force Base, the Texas Department of Transportation and El Paso school districts.

EPCC called the event Far West Texas and Southern New Mexico’s “premier networking event” supported by federal, state and local governments and their contractors.

For the first time, EPCC combined the conference with a Veterans business conference.

Apex Accelerator Director Pablo Armendariz said attendees could “go and talk to the agents and see what they’re looking for and see the product that they have.”

“The service they have will help that agency, meet their goals. That’s the main thing about it,” Armendariz said.

The EPCC Contract Opportunities Center APEX Accelerator helps businesses develop through procurement technical assistance. EPPC said the center has an emphasis on helping small, minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses.

The opportunities center has workshops centering around contracting basics, project proposals and other topics.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — When a U.S. Navy sailor from El Paso left the Borderland to serve, she found more than a career. The opportunity to serve overseas led to the discovery of a second family in Yokosuka, Japan.

Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Noelia Granados hoped the Navy would bring challenges and self-discovery. The El Dorado High School graduate decided to divert from the traditional path to college.

She was assigned to Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center (NAVSUP FLC) in Yokosuka. NAVSUP said she supports logistics operations in the Pacific while serving with sailors from around the world.

Granados said her parents’ sacrifice inspired her to take her own leap of faith.

“My parents built a life for us from very little,” Granados said. “Everything they sacrificed motivated me to work hard and build something that would make them proud.”

El Paso’s community also influenced the way she approached relationships in the Navy, NAVSUP said. She remembered the unity the Sun City had after the Aug. 3 shooting.

While serving, Granados said the greatest reward has been the people she met.

“The Navy changed me into a completely different person,” Granados said. “I’ve grown so much, and everywhere I’ve been I’ve found another family.”

She said her Navy family encourages each other during difficult and successful times.

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Carpio Griego

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — Wednesday, Congressman Gabe Vasquez toured La Mancha Wetlands Restoration Project in Las Cruces to explore solutions for water conservation along the Rio Grande and water-related issues across New Mexico.

Prolonged droughts, snowpack and climate change impacted the river, Rep. Vasquez said.

“As it’s getting hotter, the evaporation rates are also increasing, which means we’re losing a ton of water just because of those 105-degree days that we have here,” Rep. Vasquez said.

He said the county, state and federal governments should invest in a plan for a “living rio” that provides habitat and opportunity for families.

Rep. Vasquez said the dams in Elephant Butte and Caballo Lake are supposed to help with agricultural production despite New Mexico’s desert landscape. He said his office to get the Elephant Butte Irrigation District money to conserve more water along the route that ties the reservoir to local farms.

He also said irrigation seasons shrunk and that we’re seeing water in the Rio Grande for up to two months compared to six or seven.

His last visit to La Mancha took place five years ago.

“It had a lot more water,” Rep. Vasquez said. “There was fish in there, there was a beaver in there, there was turtles in there. Today, we see the impact of drought on the wetlands, but still people are hard at work trying to restore the habitat.”

La Mancha is part of a restoration project by wildlife ecology students at New Mexico State University and non-profits.

“This is a great way to explore a community partnership of how we can create permanent habitat right along the Rio Grande,” Rep. Vasquez said.

Volunteers have been working to make the area a family-friendly environment with opportunities for outdoor activities, he said.

Nuestra Tierra is a non-profit working to protect the La Mancha wetlands. Executive Director Angel Peña said five years from now, he hopes the wetlands become more sustainable for biodiversity and families.

“They can build the confidence and competence to be outside, to be active, to make memories, to have a carne asada, to have a discada,” Peña said.

Peña said La Mancha is open 24/7 for families to explore. Those who want to volunteer with Nuestra Tierra can contact the non-profit.

Peña said one way other can help the non-profit is by finding students at local colleges to research management plans for the wetlands.

Rep. Vasquez also touched on an ongoing water crisis in Tularosa, which prompted a state of emergency declaration and water restrictions. The village’s water storage tanks reached critically low levels. Officials said the low levels pose a threat to public safety, fire protection and basic needs.

“Tularosa should know that our office has its back, and we’re going to continue working with county and state officials to get them the water they need,” Congressman Vasquez said.

Rep. Vasquez is running for re-election in the November Election to represent U.S. House District 2 in New Mexico. He faces Republican candidate Greg Cunningham.

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Max Zepeda

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office could face a $2.5 million budget shortfall by the end of the fiscal year.

El Paso County Budget Director Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria said the sheriff’s office only has has $23.4 million left to spend for the fiscal year. She said the money would have to go to salaries, overtime and a contingency request for meals.

This comes as more than $6 million was added to the sheriff’s office budget this year, as Arrieta-Candelaria told commissioners Monday.

ABC-7 reached out El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte to discuss his next steps, and why his department needs more than what is being provided.

In a public statement released Wednesday, Sheriff Ugarte said:

In response to reports regarding the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office’s projected budget shortfall, I want to provide the people of El Paso County with information about what is driving it and what we are doing to address it.

First, this is a projected year-end shortfall, not the amount the Sheriff’s Office is currently over budget. It is based on current spending and estimated costs through September 30, and that number can change.

A significant part of the projection is related to overtime and staffing. The Sheriff’s Office operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including two detention facilities that must be safely staffed around the clock while we continue providing law enforcement services throughout our areas of responsibility. When we do not have enough employees available to meet required staffing levels, overtime becomes necessary.

The reality is that providing effective public safety services requires substantial resources and carries significant costs. Operating detention facilities, putting deputies on our streets, investigating crimes, responding to emergencies, training our employees, and maintaining the equipment necessary to serve our community require significant resources. But every taxpayer dollar must also be justified and spent responsibly.

Since taking office, I have raised concerns about whether our authorized staffing levels reflect the actual needs of today’s Sheriff’s Office. That is why we are requesting a professional, independent staffing assessment of our detention and law enforcement operations. I want the data to tell us what we actually need—whether that means additional staffing or identifying areas where we can operate more efficiently.

We are also working closely with Commissioners Court, County Administration, and the County Budget Team to control expenses and reduce overtime wherever it can safely be reduced. But simply cutting overtime without addressing why it is necessary is not a long-term solution. I will not compromise the safety of our employees or our community simply to make a number on a spreadsheet look better.

I care deeply about the men and women of this Sheriff’s Office. Since taking office, we have reduced vacancies, improved retention, and worked to strengthen employee morale by showing our employees that they are valued and supported. Taking care of our employees is not separate from taking care of our community—it directly impacts the quality of public safety services we provide.

And we are seeing results. During my first year as Sheriff, crime in our areas of responsibility decreased by 14 percent. I am proud of that accomplishment, but the credit belongs to the men and women who serve this community every day. That progress came through hard work, accountability, supporting our employees, and keeping our focus on public safety.

As Sheriff, I accept responsibility for the decisions made within this organization, and I take our responsibility to taxpayers seriously. We will continue looking for efficiencies, controlling expenses, and making responsible decisions while advocating for the staffing, equipment, training, and resources our employees need to safely do their jobs.

We must protect our community. We must support the men and women who serve it. And we must be responsible with taxpayer dollars. 

El Paso County is our home. I am proud of our employees, proud of the progress we have made, and committed to being transparent with our community as we work together toward responsible, long-term solutions.

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