From Xavier Miranda

April 9, 2015

Xavier Miranda sent this in:

In the Best Interest of Our Children

Concerted efforts to privatize our public schools are being implemented with potential calamitous consequences for our children.
Business-reform models discussed on the golf course continue to be applied without any verified empirical evidence or tangible framework. The rationale provided is classic “policy-based evidence,” that is rarely challenged. Such reforms stimulate the private sector by creating profitable ventures at the expense of our children.
Here are a few condensed examples:
  • Our children are gradually becoming 1 of 200+ students on a high school teacher’s roster. Personalized instruction, wherein the whole child is taught, will be relegated to a one-size-fits-all model, under the guise of online learning enhancements and blended instruction. This model is not effective, yet district administrators hired Tom Vander Ark, who is instrumental in the privatization movement of public education. Below are a reference number and a link that provide insight.
    • EPISD Solicitation: RFQ #15-028 Strategic Planning Services for Getting Smart, LLC for $125,000
  • Based on the Jacobs Engineering Firm report, the Board of Managers has recommended the consolidation of  some elementary and middle schools, and subsequent conversion toKindergarten through 8th grade settings. This transition disregards the emotional, physical, and social development of our children.
  • The Board of Managers has yet to resolve the ongoing TEA investigations associated with the Lorenzo Garcia scheme. Yet, punitive economic and personnel measures are passed on to employees, while accumulating a district-level administrative team that averages approximately $100,000.
  • The Board of Managers, led by Dee Margo and Carmen Candelaria-Arrieta, have publicly stated that our district will be facing a $17 million shortfall, yet they award  an exorbitant $1.4 million to MNK Architecture, Inc. to merely design a new Central Office—yet the Board recommends the closure of schools to save money. 
  • Through the formation of the Public Corporation, the Board of Managers has effectively circumvented the democratic process of allowing taxpayers to vote on the aforementioned construction, and burden our tax-base with a $29 million bill.The Board of Managers also found $1.3 million to pay the Jacobs Engineering Firm to provide a study, which contradicts the Texas Education Agency’s projected population growth, while recommending the closure of 22 schools. All these expenditures in the shadow of a $17 million budget shortfall. 

 

These developments beg the question, How do these reforms best serve our children? 
Such concerns can be effectively addressed, at our community-generated forum for all EPISD School Board of Trustees candidates. Given the number of individuals running, the current Board of Managers will likely be in power until July when run-off elections conclude. Meanwhile, vital decisions will continue to be made without community input. Meetings will accommodate for the Managers’ schedules, without any regard for the rest who work a typical 9-5 day, essentially muting our voice.
Please plan on attending this forum on Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 9 AM to 12 noon at Cafe Mayapan, located at 2000 Texas Avenue. 
 
(The Facebook link below provides detailed information and allows you to spread the word to interested folks.)
 
https://www.facebook.com/events/1598489520365484/

It is requested that our elected officials attend, as these issues affect the economic outlook of our community. It would be of great benefit to students from UTEP’s College of Education to attend and catch a glimpse of how education is being directed. Lastly, it would be of immense value to have the Board of Managers attend and acknowledge the insight of our community.
On a personal note, I invite all to take time from their busy schedules to visit and shadow our teachers, coaches, and administrators to gain a valuable perspective to what we do for the children of our community. Feel free to contact me to make the necessary arrangements. 
Best Regards,
Xavier Miranda
El Paso Grassroots

 

9 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Why Brio?

April 8, 2015

Part of the story that we were told when the city decided to build the BRIO system was that the busses needed special stops because of their length and the damage that their weight would do to the streets at the bus stops.

In Brio madness getting worse we wrote about the new busses that only carry 10 more passengers than our regular busses and how the new ones cost $260,000 each more than the regular ones.

Not really

While downtown the other day I saw one of the new articulated busses arriving from El Paso’s east side.  The bus was painted blue and white and did not have the Brio designation on it.

I then saw the bus stop at regular stops, not the Brio stops.

Now we know that the special Brio bus stops were not necessary.  In fact being about a mile apart they serve to reduce ridership.  If the city wants to increase bus usage they should put more regular busses on their route so that the busses arrive more frequently.

We deserve better

Brutus

10 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Paying our debts

April 7, 2015

City staff made a presentation the other day where they explained that the money the city spends to service it’s debt amounts to one third of the property taxes it collects.

Actually, the situation is worse–much worse.

city2014debtservice

This page from the city’s 2014 comprehensive annual financial report shows that the city collected $73.8 million in property taxes in fiscal year 2014.  The numbers are in the “Actual Amounts” column.

It also shows that we paid out $84.6 million in interest and principal payments.

We deserve better

Brutus

8 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Taxing your couch

April 6, 2015

One of our regular readers let us know the other day that the Central Appraisal District is now demanding that businesses that  have property stored in self storage warehouses must file rendition forms.

Are the landlords turning over their rent rolls?

The result will be that those who file will have to pay additional taxes to each of the taxing entities.

For those that live in the EPISD the tax will amount to about 2.74% of the value of the personal property, every year.

We deserve better

Brutus

10 Comments | City government, El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

San Jacinto Stalled

April 5, 2015

With March having come and gone I thought I’d look to see how the destruction is going at San Jacinto Plaza.

They have been working on the project since January of 2014 so we are now 14 months into it.  The original completion date was set for January of 2015.

As of the end of March 2015 this is what the city’s web camera showed:

sanjacinto03292015

The city is working diligently on this project.  Here is what the camera showed in January of this year :

sanjacinto01122015

We deserve better

Brutus

9 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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