MUSD should rescind override decision

In July the Maricopa Unified School District governing board voted to ask Maricopa taxpayers – for the third time in 12 months – to approve an override to the district’s maintenance and operating budget (see related story). I was inclined to support the action then, but am questioning the wisdom of it now.

During the July meeting, the superintendent seemed noncommittal, there was much discussion about the timing of the request, how much to ask for, and the board’s vote was split with the board’s president offering a “nay” vote.

In addition to the absence of complete buy-in from the board and staff, I was extremely disappointed that not a single teacher, parent, student or community member spoke in support of having an override election during the Call to the Public. The primary reason the override didn’t pass last November or in March was the MUSD family itself. In March, 1,388 people voted to continue the additional funding for the schools, and 1,408 people voted against it. MUSD has about 600 voting-age employees who live in the area and more than 10,000 parents of children who would have directly benefited from the funding, which would have been used primarily to pay for teachers. The measure lost by 20 votes. You do the math.

It would have been the easiest decision of the year for the governing board had a stream of parents and teachers – whose jobs were on the line – stood up at the meeting and said, “We sat on our hands the last two elections, but we are now committed and excited to volunteer our time and energy to ensure the community supports quality education in Maricopa by voting ‘yes’ for the override on November 2nd!”

Based on the current attitude of the MUSD family, what made the board think the outcome would be different this time?

Even with leadership’s reluctance and teacher and parent apathy, putting the override back on the ballot may have been the right thing to do given the uncertainty surrounding MUSD’s finances at the time. But, thanks to Gov. Brewer, poker players, the feds and all of us who answered the door for a census worker, the muddied economic waters are clearing now.

In late spring MUSD hurriedly slashed $7.5 million from its maintenance and operations budget; and a grave budget crisis had the potential of getting worse due to the state’s increasing budget woes. Since then:
• Prop 100, the one-cent sales tax increase, was approved by Arizona voters. It is expected to generate $2.9 billion through May 2013, two-thirds of which should filter directly to schools. MUSD expects to see approximately $2.5 million annually (see related story).
• Ak-Chin Indian Community committed to give MUSD $3.2 million over the next two years. The grant is from the “12 percent funds” (i.e. casino money mandated by Prop 202 for the Arizona Benefits Fund) and is earmarked primarily for a Turnaround Project and teachers at MUSD’s five underperforming schools (see related story).
• Keep Teachers Working Act, part of a federal stimulus package, was announced. It is expected to provide more than $1 million to MUSD to hire and retain teachers (see related story).
• U.S. Census surveys have been conducted, which will provide an influx of cash to MUSD due to the exponential growth the city and district experienced last decade. This should add close to $2 million annually to the coffers beginning next school year.

Amazingly, the end result is MUSD’s budget will decrease by only about 5 percent this year, from $37 million to $35 million, and it will likely increase next year. And, if MUSD makes a dent in attracting the thousands of Maricopa kids who go to school outside the local public school system, millions more could be generated.

To be fair, much of this revenue is short term, and a permanent fix to the rollercoaster budget must be put in place. This is not just about identifying revenue sources but also responsibly and effectively spending every dollar. Last year’s budget crisis aided this as it forced MUSD to analyze how and on what it spends money, resulting in many cost-cutting measures which will help the district’s financial situation now and, hopefully, in perpetuity.

MUSD faces an 0-2 count and a strikeout on Nov. 2 will jeopardize the district’s ability to get taxpayers to commit to an override for quite some time. MUSD was “caught looking” on the first two pitches – in November 2009 and March 2010 – and, as further evidenced by no individual or committee stepping up in formal support of the measure, it appears MUSD will suffer the same fate this time around. 

Fact is, we don’t need it now, but we may in two years, and it would be a shame if our apathy today prevents us from having all options at our disposal tomorrow.

So, if I were the board, I’d remove the override from the November ballot. And if that’s not procedurally possible at this date, pull a Dean Martin and “suspend” the campaign. None of us are buying “wants” in this economy; we’re hunkered down and focused on “needs.” MUSD doesn’t need the money this year, and it shouldn’t be asking the taxpayers for it.

Scott Bartle is InMaricopa’s publisher and a candidate for school board. For more informaiton, visit www.VoteScottBartle.com.  

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