El Paso County Coliseum bond proposal may head back to voters in May

Yahoo

06-02-2025

EL PASO, Texas (EL PASO MATTERS) — More than $100 million in improvements to the El Paso County Coliseum may be placed on the ballot in May – just six months after voters narrowly defeated the bond proposal.
El Paso County Commissioner David Stout on Thursday pushed for the proposal to be placed on the May 3 ballot and for staff to prepare an outreach strategy 'to help push it across the finish line.' While the court took no action, the county judge and the three other county commissioners expressed support for putting the proposal on the ballot.
The County Commissioners Court would have to vote whether to call for an election by Feb. 10 for the proposal to be placed on the May ballot, which will also include various school board races.
The coliseum discussion came during a capital planning meeting where commissioners also reviewed funding options for public works projects such as flood control, first-time water and wastewater services, and technology and security updates that were not included in the November bond proposals.
The county's financial advisors presented various funding options to pay for the projects – including issuing up to $35 million in tax notes and up to $100 million in certificates of obligation (COs) this year. Neither of those debt plans require voter approval but are both paid through taxpayer dollars.
Commissioners Court would need to vote whether to issue a public notice on their intent to issue COs in early March. The notice is required to give taxpayers time to provide input or petition for an election instead.
The $105.5 million bond proposal for renovations to the coliseum and its adjacent buildings on the November ballot failed by fewer than 700 votes, with 50.2% of voters opposing the project. The proposition included renovating seating, improving ADA accessibility, installing a new roof and air conditioning system. It also called for renovating the Sherman Barn next to the coliseum into an event and music venue, reconstructing the roller rink into an open air pavilion.
Deputy County Administrator Jose Landeros told El Paso Matters that if the court calls for a May bond election, the proposition would likely be for the same amount and for the same work. Back in November, it was estimated the coliseum proposal would raise county taxes on the average-value home of about $200,000 by about $20 a year.
Voters in November also turned down the $63.3 million proposal for new county annexes.
However, voters approved $155 million in bonds for an animal shelter, park improvements and a new medical examiner's office. The approved projects were estimated to result in a $29 increase to annual property taxes on a $200,000 home.
County leaders had previously indicated that any proposals that voters rejected could be brought back in a future election. The coliseum doesn't fall within approved uses of certificates of obligation.
Commissioners on Thursday expressed interest in putting the coliseum on the ballot as soon as possible because of a Senate bill before the Legislature that seeks to limit local governments' ability to ask voters to reconsider failed bond propositions for five years.
County leaders have been discussing funding sources – including general bonds, certificates of obligation – for its multi-year capital plan since at least fall of 2022 when the court waded through a slew of quality of life and essential public projects they wanted to address.
Under state statute, counties cannot use COs for any failed bond proposal for three years. COs typically are used for larger-scale public works projects, though bills before the Legislature seek to amend the definition of public works to exclude public safety or judicial facilities and administrative office buildings. Other bills seek to limit the use of tax anticipation notes for projects voters turn down in a bond election.
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