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Administration, teachers and parents are hoping that the override for Oracle School District is approved by voters Nov. 4. John Hernandez | Copper Area News
Copper Area News
Five area school districts will be asking voters to approve budget overrides that will grant the district the power to secure additional funding of up to 15 percent over the allocation from the Arizona legislature through an increase in local property taxes. The Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) is asking voters for the third time in as many years to approve a 15 percent override and to approve an $80 million bond issue for new construction, upgrading of existing school buildings, and replacement of aging school buses. Enactment of both the override and the bond issue will result in a property tax levy of $1.06 per $100,000 valuation. QCUSD Superintendent Tom Lindsey is confident that the two issues will pass. The override would create $2.5 million in additional funding that could be used to restore the electives, offer full-day kindergarten in elementary schools, and provide teachers will a long postponed pay raise.
Coolidge Unified School District (CUSD) is asking voters for the first time since 2012 to approve a 10 percent override for its maintenance and operations budget. With the second lowest starting salary for teachers in the state, CUSD needs the override to offer higher salaries attract talented instructors and to provide pay raises to current teachers to retain the best ones, and to be competitive in attracted teachers for our most gifted students, said Superintendent Charie Wallace. To win approval, Wallace is undergoing a grueling schedule of campaign appearances ranging from political dinners to civic organizations to even an appearance in a local family tavern where the district’s Power Point presentation was reduced to printed cards to accommodate the location’s lack of Internet access. Voter approval of the override will boost the CUSD budget by $1.7 million, and boost the property tax only 94 cents per $100,000 valuation.
The Oracle Elementary School District (OESD), which in 2013 came only 52 votes short of approving a 15 percent override, is trying again on Nov. 4. OESD needs the full override funding to maintain the current level of instructional programs. To put the override over the top this year, the district is casting a wider net in search of voters, and OESD Superintendent Dennis Blauser is highly confident that the override will pass this year. The override will add only about 24 cents per $100,000 of property valuation.
The Superior Unified School District (SUSD) is also seeking continuation of its existing 15 percent override. As SUSD is in the fifth year of its current override, the district needs approval in November to keep its budget from being cut by $70,000 next year, said SUSD Superintendent Patrick O’Donnell. Approval of the override will keep the schools’ share of the local property tax at $1.34 per $100,000 property valuation.
The Ray Unified School District (RUSD) in Kearny is asking voters to approve a 10 percent tax override to keep from having to trim its budget and educational programs. RUSD Superintendent Curt Cook is keeping the override campaign on a low-key person-to-person level to get education-supporting voters out on election day. Approval of the Ray override will keep the schools’ share of the local property tax at $1.06 per $100,000 property valuation.
James J. Hodl is a career journalist who has worked for newspapers, magazines and trade journals. A graduate of Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, Hodl began his career as a reporter with the Palatine (IL) Herald and the Morton Grove (IL) Review before becoming editor of the trade publication Appliance Service News. In recent years, Hodl has had articles published in Consumers Digest, Good Housekeeping, Home Remodeling, Kitchens & Baths and Salute; and has contributed to trade publications serving the home furnishings, restaurant and casino markets. A native of Chicago, Hodl relocated to San Tan Valley in 2013.
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