Last week, taxpayers, parents, and teachers were told by the El Paso Independent School District Board of Managers that there was an 11 million dollar budget deficit. People were understandably upset because questions about teacher’s jobs, and a renovation of Superintendent Juan Cabrera’s office came up, and the Board of Managers didn’t really answer any of them. This week, the Board says the budget deficit is actually much worse than taxpayers, and district officials, first thought. EPISD is staring into a 17 million dollar hole in their budget. The question about the Superintendent's office came up again, and the answer from the Board's president has a lot of people even more upset than they were before.

EPISD Hides Costs For Office Renovations
istock
loading...

When asked by KFOX 14 why Cabrera's office was being renovated, and how much was spent, Board of Managers President Dee Margo said they spent it because the money was already there to be spent, and the amount spent wasn't significant. Hey Dee, how about don’t spend it at all, no matter how much it was? Here’s what a listener told us about the dollar amount for the renovations:

Just because the money is there, doesn’t mean it had to be spent. EPISD is moving to new offices in a couple of years. Why not buy a desk for Cabrera if one was needed, and leave it at that?

EPISD also seems intent on keeping the office under wraps because they told KFOX to file a Freedom of Information Act to get the amount spent, and they wouldn't let a camera in to film it.

Just another example of the lack of transparency of El Paso's largest school district. If you want to let EPISD know how you feel, call the office of Superintendent Cabrera at 230-2577, or email him at superintendent@episd.org.

More From 93.1 KISS FM