PHOENIX – Twenty school districts and trade school West-MEC will have bonds, overrides or real estate sales on the ballot on Nov. 4.
Bonds are borrowed money that the school district pays back over time, used for long-term projects like new buildings or physical repairs.
Meanwhile, overrides refer to voter-approved plans that use additional tax revenue to pay for short-term programs like teacher salaries or extra-curricular activities.
How would the bonds and overrides affect voters?
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne told KTAR News 92.3 FM most taxpayers won’t see an payments go up, as some increases are continuations of previously approved voter initiatives.
“A lot of times these are elections to maintain things that started earlier,” Horne said. “So, it would keep the taxes at the same level. If it’s something new, it would raise the taxes at the local level.”
Beth Lewis with Save our Schools Arizona told KTAR News 92.3 FM even if taxes do go up for some taxpayers, it would be minor.
“I personally, I looked mine up for my local district,” Lewis said. “My family’s paying $8 a month, which is like a cup of coffee a month, to serve 40,000 kids. To me, that’s well worth it. I want to have an educated populace.”
Lewis said if the bonds and overrides are not passed, teachers could leave the district, programs could close and more schools could close.
Election day is Nov. 4, and Arizonans can vote by mail, early in-person before Oct. 31 or in-person on election day. Residents who are mailing their ballot need to do so before Oct. 28.
Horne said bonds and overrides should be bipartisan, as schooling impacts parents and the future of the country.
“I think Republicans in general prefer to have the government spend less, but they like the schools that their kids are in and so often Republicans are also supportive,” Horne said.
Lewis said she spoke to voters from the Democratic, Republican and Independent parties, and explained the majority of people are interested in supporting their local schools, regardless of political views.
“I think that people kind of have a healthy sense that Arizona schools are deeply underfunded,” Lewis said. “And so, they’re willing to do their tiny part. They have this power locally at the city level, at the district level to help. And I think people feel really empowered by that.”
Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.
The post What’s on the Nov. 4 ballot? Will voting for school bonds or overrides increase taxes? appeared first on KTAR.
