East Valley school districts pass overrides (Mesa, Scottsdale: tax credit, budget, education)

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by stevek64

Results:

Election Results

Looks like several districts/bonds(not sure which one) in Scottsdale didn't get passed.

Those weren't for schools. They were bonds for various projects to be pursued by the city of Scottsdale, not the Scottsdale Unified School District.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

66% is barely passing? Pretty sure that is overwhelming support...and we passed our Bond a couple years back as well. If the State won't help out CUSD...we as citizens will.

Okay, I guess I stand corrected. However, it did take two tries for Chandler to pass its override, since the first time (in 2012) the override failed.

[ScottsdaleMark]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Those weren't for schools. They were bonds for various projects to be pursued by the city of Scottsdale, not the Scottsdale Unified School District.

The city voters passed bonds for pavement maintenance/repair and to build/repair/upgrade fire stations.

The voters declined to bond: some park maintenance and efficiency measures; some technological improvements like improved wifi and better data storage/emergency measures; what I would call tinkering with the design/layout of several intersections and pieces of road; and renovating and enlarging the city jail. (more info if you're really bored: City of Scottsdale - Proposed 2015 Bond Program.

To me, it seemed like a very underwhelming and not particularly "sexy" or convincing slate of bonds, which is probably why only two of them passed. It seems like all the school bonds usually pass.

Generally speaking, a lot of times once an override fails "for the first time in a long time" parents/citizens will see the results that occur at their kids' schools from the budget decline and then get behind the next attempt with more vigor and commitment. However, if the overrides traditionally fail, the voters may not realize what they're missing, so to speak.

[asufan]

One thing that I like about the Chandler Unified School District (and others may do this as well), is to make parents to pay a fee for the students field trips, unless they did the $400 tax credit donation to the school. This creates much higher participation IMO. They also do "Check-a-thons" throughout the year for certain things the school wants to raise money for with the average donation being in the $50 range, it seems.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Okay, I guess I stand corrected. However, it did take two tries for Chandler to pass its override, since the first time (in 2012) the override failed.

So the one in 2012 was just extending the 2008 override to the tune of $28M...we passed the 2013 override that increased the 10% to 15%...and this one is for $198M. Just because a district is typically pretty conservative doesn't mean we don't care about our kids education or stepping up when our idiot government won't.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Now lets see if there will be lawsuits seeking to overturn the results of these elections.

And on what basis would THAT happen? Let's not just make stuff up.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

So the one in 2012 was just extending the 2008 override to the tune of $28M...we passed the 2013 override that increased the 10% to 15%...and this one is for $198M. Just because a district is typically pretty conservative doesn't mean we don't care about our kids education or stepping up when our idiot government won't.

I guess partisanship isn't always what it makes out to be. The more liberal areas of Chandler are primarily in the Kyrene Elementary District and the Tempe Union High School District, rather than CUSD.

[ScottsdaleMark]

Originally Posted by asufan

One thing that I like about the Chandler Unified School District (and others may do this as well), is to make parents to pay a fee for the students field trips, unless they did the $400 tax credit donation to the school. This creates much higher participation IMO. They also do "Check-a-thons" throughout the year for certain things the school wants to raise money for with the average donation being in the $50 range, it seems.

That's interesting...I wouldn't have thought a public school could get away with that, but good for them if they do. There's no reason for anyone not to do the tax-credit donation unless economically they can't spare a few hundred dollars for a few months, which a significant number of parents may not be able to do. So, I guess my main concern would be that the school be very careful not to make it a public thing or "shame" any of the students whose parents couldn't (or wouldn't) give the tax credit donation, since it's not the kids' fault either way.

I do give my tax-credit donations every year, you can do one for school districts and one for organizations that help people in need.

Here is a list of qualifying charitable organizations for 2015 donations if anyone's interested: LINK.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

There were four area districts that voted down overrides: Cave Creek Unified, Deer Valley Unified, Nadaburg Unified and Liberty Elementary.

Nadaburg "Unified" is two elementary schools. I'd never even heard of that district until there was some sort of controversy with one of their administrators awhile back. Why in the world do they have their own district? The high school those kids feed into is in Dysart district. The opposition to consolidating the fiefdoms known as small school districts continues to baffle me. Everyone wants their power trip.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by asufan

One thing that I like about the Chandler Unified School District (and others may do this as well), is to make parents to pay a fee for the students field trips, unless they did the $400 tax credit donation to the school. This creates much higher participation IMO. They also do "Check-a-thons" throughout the year for certain things the school wants to raise money for with the average donation being in the $50 range, it seems.

We were told this was a statewide requirement going forward...not that it matters since we do the Tax Credit donation every year...just FEELS like they are telling me I HAVE to this year.