The Maricopa Unified School District’s governing board will decide Wednesday night whether to re-send a 10 percent budget override to the ballot in March. “When we heard from the state's attorney general Friday night that we could bring back the measure in its entirety, we decided to move forth with it,” said Jeff Kleck, MUSD superintendent. The district originally brought the budget override to the public on the Nov. 3 ballot, only to see 76 percent of the 2,128 94 voters who turned out vote against it. “If only the teachers in our district and their spouses would have turned out to vote for the measure, this thing would have passed,” Kleck said. However, Kleck said the primary reason the measure failed was a lack of knowledge on the override issue. “Many people think this measure is the district asking for more money, but we are simply asking to continue operating at our current funding level,” Kleck said. “The portion of the property tax the district collects will actually decrease next year if this passes because of the bonds we have paid off.” An override allows a district to collect property tax from homeowners in an amount equal to 10 percent of its maintenance and operations budget. Currently, the district is collecting this tax from homeowners, but it is set to begin a three-year phase out in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The phase out would reduce the amount paid out by homeowners by one third, or essentially 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation per year. The existing override netted the district approximately $2.6 million this year, which helped fund teacher salaries, all-day kindergarten and specialty programs. If the override is not approved, Kleck said many of the district’s non-academic programs could see significant drops in funding or possible cancellation. “These are programs like elementary P.E. and music,” he said. However, high school programs could also be affected by having to increase the pay-to-play component or reduce the selection of classes at higher grade levels, he said. While Kleck has pledged to keep the cuts as far away from the classrooms as possible, an impending cut to the district’s soft capital of nearly $1 million, coupled with the possible failure of this override, would make the proposition “extremely difficult.” To help spread the word about the importance of the override, the district is looking into the formation of a political-action committee. “The committee can do things the district cannot, like post signs and spread information about the importance of this measure,” Kleck said. Once a measure is placed on the ballot, the district is, by state statute, essentially unable to discuss it. However, Kleck can talk now and wants the public to know the district has been prudent with its funds. Kleck says the district has already been working to offset a shrinking budget, including restructuring janitorial schedules, not filling vacant administrative positions and even freezing salaries. “We are looking at the positions that open up through retirement and asking ourselves if we can do without that post,” he said. In addition to tightening the belt, Kleck said the override money can help support the community. “We are one of the largest employers in Maricopa; 75-80 percent of our staff live and shop here,” Kleck said. “Much of the money goes to employ people in the district, who then, in turn, spend money in the community.” Photo by Michael K. Rich |