PHOENIX — Nearly two dozen Maricopa County school districts are asking for money this November election. Some are asking for bonds, others are asking for an override and several are asking for both.
When school districts ask for bonds, that money goes toward buildings like new schools as well as any building renovations, capital projects and school security.
An override continuation is money that goes toward staff salaries and funding student academic offerings like P.E., music and full-day kindergarten, in some instances. Overrides can help districts increase their budget by up to 15%.
Some districts say they are in need of both a bond and an override, like Mesa Public Schools and the Queen Creek Unified School District.
“Over half our schools are over 40 years old and we need to keep repairing, replacing and upgrading those campuses,” said Scott Thompson, the assistant superintendent for business and support services with Mesa Public Schools.
The Queen Creek Unified School District is asking its voters for a bond for the third year in a row. Voters rejected a bond for the past two years. But this year, it’s asking for a significantly lower amount at $98 million for over the course of five years compared to the $198 million last year.
“We're going to have to delay some construction projects because of the amount changing and having to come down to a smaller bond,” said Samantha Davis, the governing board vice president of the Queen Creek Unified School District.
In the Queen Creek area specifically, the population growth has exploded with new homes continuing to pop up. According to the school district, the number of students has doubled since 2017.
“If the bond doesn’t pass, classroom sizes may go up. Things will get a little tighter,” Davis said. “We have breakout spaces that have turned into classrooms in the hallways.”
However, not every voter wants an increase in taxes. There are more signs popping up across Maricopa County saying to vote no on school bonds.
The way education is funded in Arizona, districts can go to the voters and ask for additional funding.
“If we don't want to have these elections, then we need to look at increasing our state funding. There's only two sources for this, either locally or at the state level. I think if you're concerned about it and would like to stop voting on it locally, then you need to have a conversation with your legislator at the state level,” Thompson said.
Taxes may or may not increase with the bond initiatives depending on the district. For more information on how much a certain district is asking for and if it will increase taxes, visit the respective school district’s website or find more information from the Maricopa County School Superintendent’s website here.
