Deer Valley Unified OKs almost $300M 2024-25 budget

By Steve Stockmar
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The Deer Valley Unified School District has a 2024-25 operating budget, even with a couple financial uncertainties looming.

The governing board on July 9 voted to adopt a working budget of $293.6 million for FY25, which is a jump from FY24’s total of $281.4 million.

What remains to be seen is voters’ decision on a district override initiative appearing on the Nov. 5 election day ballot, a measure Deputy Superintendent Jim Migliorino this week called “a high stakes affair.”

Maintenance and operations budget overrides provide for the district’s operating resources, which includes staff salaries. Overrides last up to seven years, though they begin to phase out in the sixth year.

In the case of Deer Valley Unified, should the override fail at the ballot this November the district would have to cut $33 million from its budget with the first one-third of that cut, $11 million, coming in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Two more $11 million cuts would follow in subsequent Fiscal Years.

Also, the district – as well as all other Maricopa County taxing authorities – waits to see how the recent Qasimyar judgment will impact Deer Valley Unified. The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld a ruling that the county overtaxed a group of property owners going back to 2015.

DVUSD must refund revenue previously received or budgeted due to excessive property valuations for tax years, which for the district comes out to just under $5 million it will need to pay. The mechanics of how the amounts will get paid back have yet to be finalized, although Migliorino estimates that refunds are expected to be disbursed sometime over the next six months.

The district budget approval caps an effort that took 10 months to complete. The new budget includes $3.3 million for staff salary increases, including on average a 3.7% pay hike for teachers and a 2% raise for classified and administrative employees.

Steve Stockmar
News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment YourValley.net

sstockmar@iniusa.org

Meet Steve
Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.

Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.

Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.

Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.

Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.