Override a ‘tipping point’ for MUSD, Maricopa

48
InMaricopa Publisher Scott Bartle

Maricopa is at a tipping point. Are we going to be the flourishing community with quality amenities, local jobs, great educational opportunities and low taxes many of us envision?

Do you want to have more stores and services in Maricopa?
Do you want to have employers bring more jobs to Maricopa?
Do you want your property values to increase?
Do you want your tax burden to decrease?
Do you want our kids to have the best educational opportunities possible?

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, you should vote YES on Maricopa USD’s override proposal.

A key to attracting industry to Maricopa is great schools. Businesses will not locate here if they cannot recruit talent, and one of the first questions potential employees – a.k.a. moms and dads – ask is “How are the schools?”

The same principle holds true for homebuyers. Great schools increase the demand for and value of homes in the area.

Improving education in Maricopa will result in more businesses locating in the city providing services and jobs. The increase in commercial development will also increase demand/value for our homes. Importantly, it will also bring in more and larger taxpayers, decreasing the tax burden on Maricopa property owners.

Often overlooked in the override debate is the impact of quality education itself. Maricopa Unified School District is developing our community’s future doctors, police officers, mechanics, teachers and paramedics. I do not want my family to be beneficiaries of such services with these professionals having received a less-than-optimal education.

The Arizona Legislature, led by our own District 11 legislators Sen. Steve Smith, Rep. Mark Finchem and Rep. Vince Leach, will continue to do everything in its significant power to divert our public schools’ limited financial resources to private and charter schools. Passing this override will help protect our investment in public education and ensure Maricopa’s neighborhood schools have the resources to be successful.

MUSD is a “B” district. Let’s do our part to give them the ability to become an “A” district and totally transform our community. We – kids, parents, taxpayers, property owners, employees and employers – will all win when our community flourishes with quality services and amenities, local jobs, great educational opportunities and low taxes.


Scott Bartle is InMaricopa’s publisher and former MUSD governing board president.

4 COMMENTS

  1. What is this? The shock and awe angle? If you don't pay more taxes our city is doomed, the children will all transfer to Charter Schools or be bused out to Kyrene and Mountain Pointe (worked out for mine) and we'll never get past having a Walmart. Lighten up Chucky. We've seen steady improvement every year for a decade. No more bandaids…..those went out with 85239.com.

  2. Why are there empty classrooms? Remember when our Board tossed around the idea of closing some schools with low enrollment? I copied this from councils last meeting.

    Council also directed staff to explore the option of utilizing rooms that are vacant during the day at some of the Maricopa Unified School District (MUSD) properties. "MUSD has rooms that are sitting unused during the day. We need to find a way to work within the intergovernmental agreement that the City currently has with MUSD to use that space. Whether it's the City paying a little bit here or there or them donating that space because they know that the City needs it," said Councilmember Vincent Manfredi.

  3. Riddle me this oh high and mighty Bartle. Has or, has not MUSD continually improved over the last 7 years without the Override funding or prop 123? If the answer is yes, why should we increase our taxation with a temporary tax that will expire and cause teachers to be fired(50 wasn't it?)