The proposed EPISD bond issue contains approximately $24 million for things that have short life spans (buses, computers, computer networks). The bonds would also fund high school turf replacement but we don’t have those numbers.
A recent KVIA report featured one of our school board trustees. She said:
“We don’t intend to finance short term assets with long term debt, that was never the plan,” EPISD board member Susie Byrd told ABC-7. “It would not be financially prudent.” Byrd said the district would use different financing terms for different items.
Not true
If that was never the plan then she needs to explain this chart that our former city chief financial officer and current deputy superintendent presented to the bond advisory committee:
The chart shows the tax rate staying level for 25 years.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Perhaps it means that there are a series of short term bonds that take place. Fo instance, the computers have a useful lifespan of perhaps 5 years. So there is a 5 year bond purchased. After that, another 5 year bond is purchased for the replacement computers for the next five years and so on.
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Does that mean that the $4,065,000 for student laptops listed in the bond committee recommendations is intended to be spent every five years?
Are we really looking at twenty million dollars for laptops during the life of the bonds?
Brutus
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I doubt that much of what EPISD says is truth. It may be their “intent” right now. But this will change. And, it will change much sooner than later.
What is going on here, with this massive bond, is that we are caught in a tough situation. We have a district that does need some fixing. We can’t deny that. AND… The current admin KNOWS this. This need is their passport to getting all the goodies they have ever dreamed of.
So, the administration is dedicating all of their waking moments to spending money as fast as it can be obtained on all the tech they can grab (and wasting MILLIONS on other things). They say we need the Bond (and a whole lot of folks are starting to like the taste of that Kool Aid). Shiny new schools and buses, tech for everyone! It is VERY alluring, no?
Others, waking up to the reality of the situation are starting to say: “do not approve this bond and do not allow these people the freedom (and bottomless money reserves) to continue to waste. Just look at what has happened to bond funds from previous years. There is real history to consider here.
Thought point:
These folks have expended a HUGE effort to obtain this “District of Innovation” designation. Which must NOW be maintained by buying into every initiative and program (read: social experiment at our expense with the children playing the role of lab rat) that demands MORE money and technology whether it actually facilitates improved learning or not. Will they replace a few aging buses as well? Of course! Philosophy teaches us that every lie MUST be couched in a bit if truth if the people are to be fooled into believing you.
This is NOT about improving education for our children.
It IS about increasing the money flow.
It IS about putting a feather in the cap of the people at the top so that they can point to their “accomplishments” in EPISD in their resume to get their next 6 figure education job.
These are the same people who have flushed millions of dollars down the toilet as they change the district’s focus and direction seemingly on whimsical fancy.
Think about this right here: Right this moment, the district is functioning. Some of our buildings are old and in real need of repair / renovation. But, do they NEED to be demolished and then completely rebuilt as K-8’s. We have school buses without air conditioning (and some with old looking paint). And the ultimate of “tragedies”, every single student does not yet have an iPad or a computer.
And yet….. Somehow, the kids are being educated. Yes, in the current absence of $690 something million… They are being taught the curriculum.
What is actually at risk? I mean REAL risk, of not approving the Bond and handing these people hundreds of millions of dollars to feather their caps and play their social experimental games on our children to their hearts content?
Well, the district might not keep its coolest new label (District of Innovation) and the Superintendent might not get the next ‘Superintendent of the Year”. Oh, and a lot of the admin’s friends in the construction business won’t get a lot of money for their pockets and banks and investment portfolios from getting to demolish older schools and building us a bunch of bright shiny new K-8’s…
But there IS one thing that WILL happen if the Bond is refused… The children will continue to be educated.
Just think on that a moment.
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Benevelous , I posted this on my face book page hope you don’t mind but if you do tell me and I will remove.
It is very good.
Thank you
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Welcome to Eden. It’s all good. Drink up.
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Ya know, I’m an old country boy what went to school in a one room school with one teacher and 8 grades of kids. We didn’t have even a telephone nor a in door toilet. The school lunch program was ya bring yer own lunch. No computers, ya brought yer own paper and pencils. No busses, ya walked ta school or maybe rode a horse. No gym, No astro turf athletic field, no sports program, no band. After school ya went home and maybe milked some cows or chopped some wood til supper, then ya did yer homework and went to bed so you could get up early and do your chores before ya went ta school.
I guess what I am saying is that it is the PARENT”S RESPONSIBILITY to insure the child has whatever they require, including a lunch If that requires daddy to give up his beer and cigars and momma to forgo her beauty shop visits and bon bons, so be it. It ain’t the taxpayers job to provide for yer kids!
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Wow! You must be older than dirt! 🙂
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Any financial projections by CAC have to be suspected of saying what the board and Usual Suspects want said, not the reality. She demonstrated this unique talent to play ball for the stadium and QOL.
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Like they say – Figures don’t lie but LIARS do figure. Guess they learned to lie from Hillary. We need to get rid of all of them!
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Team Mountainstar has migrated from City Hall to EPISD. That alone is reason to vote NO on the bonds.
I’m surprised they haven’t found a role for Wilson, or maybe they have?
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Wilson is too busy allocating grants for Southwest University which is somehow linked to the MountainStar Sports Group.
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Let’s also remember that Susie Byrd was one of the “progressives” who led the unfortunately successful Council discussion to allow Borderplex Realty Trust to demolish a fine Trost building, overturning the Historic Landmarks Committee unanimous decision against same…without doing the slightest bit of research to verify the Borderplex claim that it was too costly to rehab the building. Borderplex also promised that the demolition was absolutely not going to lead to a vacant lot right at the corner of San Jacinto Plaza. Bingo! Check out the vacant lot at the corner of Mesa and Mills, three years now and heading into four. Thank you Susie! We won’t be fooled again.
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