This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.
Montana Avenue Receives $100 Million for Phase II Eastside Expansion
The Texas Transportation Commission on Wednesday approved $100.5 million in funding for the second phase of the Montana Avenue project in East El Paso.
Phase II of the project would construct the six-lane expressway and two-lane frontage roads from Tierra Este Road to Zaragoza Road, reconstruct the six-lane road from Lee Treviño Drive to Global Reach Drive and reconstruct frontage roads from Global Reach to Tierra Este Road, according to Texas Department of Transportation documents.
The funding accounts for more than half of the estimated $182.5 million project cost, Sen. César J. Blanco, D-El Paso, said in a statement announcing the allocation. The funding comes from the 2027 Unified Transportation Program and represents the Texas Department of Transportation El Paso District’s top priority for this funding cycle, Blanco said.
“This funding is a major win for El Paso and for everyone who has worked for years to move the Montana Avenue project forward,” Blanco said in a statement. “This project will improve mobility, help address congestion, and provide a safer, more reliable connection for the families, workers, and businesses that rely on this corridor every day.”
The second phase of the expansion is scheduled to be put out for bid in September 2030, though that could move up to July 2028 if the project is fully funded.
The first phase of the expansion created the expressway and frontage roads from Global Reach to just west of Loop 375 at a cost of about $144 million. The work on the first phase, which began in 209, is expected to be completed in spring 2027.
The 2027 Unified Transportation Program provides $95 billion in project funding from state and federal sources for projects throughout the state over the next decade.
City, WestStar Bank, Subsidiaries Reach Contract Agreement
WestStar Bank Holding Company, Inc. and subsidiaries doing business as WestStar Title LLC, will maintain their contract with the city of El Paso for title services.
In a news release Wednesday, the city said the company and subsidiaries addressed title service-related concerns and will not cancel its existing contract.
The City Council on Aug. 18 postponed an item that would have asked the city to terminate its contract with WestStar Bank Holding Company Inc. and subsidiaries under a “termination for default” clause. City real estate staff noted multiple instances where the contractor allegedly acted on behalf of the city beyond the scope of services under the contract, exceeding its authority and leading to a failure to comply with the terms and conditions.
The city said WestStar took actions on the city’s behalf that required prior authorization by the city, but the company submitted an action plan to address the concerns.
WestStar did not immediately respond to El Paso Matters request for comment.
WestStar was awarded the contract in October 2024 for an initial term of three years with one, two year option to extend, for a total contract amount of about $300,000.
If the City Council had voted to terminate the contract it would have been effective immediately and the company would not have been able to qualify for other city contracts for three years.
EPCC Trustees Approve $173 Million Budget, Property Tax Hike
The El Paso Community College Board of Trustees approved the 2027 fiscal year budget of about $172.7 million, which included a 2% raise for eligible district employees, during its monthly meeting Wednesday at the college’s Administrative Services Center, 9050 Viscount Blvd.
The amount is about $1.3 million less than last year’s budget and comes with an 8% property tax rate increase that will bring in an additional $6.2 million in property tax revenue. The adopted rate translates to an increase of $20 on EPCC’s portion of this year’s tax bill on the average El Paso home valued at $240,564.
The college needed the additional revenue after the state decided in June to not pay the state’s community colleges the money the districts’ earned by outperforming projections based on the funding formula the Texas Legislature approved in 2023.
“We build budgets that are sustainable by having more predictable conservative revenue estimates,” said Fernando Flores, EPCC’s vice president of Finance and Administration, who gave a brief presentation to the board.
The 2% salary increase will benefit about 2,450 eligible college employees. It will cost the college about $2.2 million. The board approved a 3% employee raise last year and a 4% raise in 2025. The budget leaves $6.1 million in the college’s reserve fund.
Most of the projected revenue will come from three sources. The college will get $82.4 million from property taxes, $42.5 million from state appropriation and $37.8 million from tuition and fees.
The additional property tax revenue will help offset the 14.6% drop in state appropriation, or $7.3 million. The college also expects a 3%, or $1.2 million, decrease in tuition and fees due to more enrolled dual‑credit students who do not pay for their college courses.
The college’s main expenditures will be $55.9 million for instruction, $53.5 million for institutional support, and $21 million for academic support.
Board chair Brian Haggerty and board vice chair Bonnie Soria Najera did not attend the Aug. 26 meeting. The new fiscal year starts Tuesday, Sept. 1.
The post Montana Avenue expansion gets $100 million; EPCC adopts budget with tax hike appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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