EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County voters have approved more than $150 million in bond funding for capital improvement projects.

Three of the five bond proposals placed on the November ballot by county leaders will move forward, while two proposals were rejected by El Pasoans.

Proposals approved by voters:

• County’s first animal shelter – El Paso County will soon have its first dedicated animal shelter, intended to meet the region’s growing needs.
• County Parks – Funding will be used to rehabilitate and upgrade county parks.
• New medical examiner’s office – A new, larger facility for the medical examiner’s office will allow for more efficient operations.

County leaders, including Judge Ricardo Samaniego and Commissioner David Stout, praised voters for prioritizing these projects, which they say will have a lasting impact on the community.

“This reflects the priorities of our people,” Judge Samaniego said.

Proposals rejected by voters:

• Improvements to the El Paso County Coliseum – The project to renovate the performance hall which generates significant income for the municipality.
• Courthouses and secondary courthouses – Included renovations to jury rooms and HVAC system.

Although both proposals were close to approval, they did not meet the thresholds required to move forward.

County officials have pledged to find alternative funding sources for rejected projects.

“We can’t fund these big projects with the regular maintenance and operations budget,” Stout said.

“While I would have liked to see the Coliseum modernized, it was not a priority based on what voters approved,” Samaniego said.

With $150 million in new funding secured, the county will begin work on approved projects as soon as possible. County officials said they are committed to keeping those promises and will continue to look for new ways to fund future projects.

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