Gilbert Public Schools’ proposed maintenance and operations funds for fiscal year 2023-24 is a $15.72 million reduction from its latest revised budget for the current fiscal year.
But Associate Superintendent Bonnie Betz told the governing board that the reduction is really from the impact of budget balance carry forward — the unexpended balance at the end of a prior fiscal year that has been rolled forward to the next fiscal year.
Taking out the carry forward, the maintenance and operations budget actually increases $5.47 million from $268.77 million to $274.24 million, according to district documents.
The proposed maintenance and operations budget for the coming fiscal year will be $286.22 million when it goes before the board June 20 in a public hearing at the next board business meeting.
The maintenance and operations budget covers the day-to-day operations of the budget, including most salaries.
The capital budget increases from $46.1 million to $52.78 million with budget balance carry forward included. In fact, nearly half of the capital budget — $25.95 million — is carry forward.
Betz’s presentation to the board June 6 showed $17.72 million comes from the state on “District Additional Assistance” plus a one-time payment the Arizona Legislature approved with the state budget of $8.76 million. Another $350,000 is earned interest.
The result is the district’s capital budget is up to $26.83 million from $17.44 million when the carry forward is not considered, Betz said.
The district plans to keep $7.99 million of that in reserve, Betz said, against unexpected capital expenses, as happened this year with several HVAC units in the district.
Classroom Site Fund — money from a voter-approved education sales tax in the state — also will go up from $42.47 million to $48.36 million.
The combined property tax rate is expected to fall from $5.8127 to $5.7513 per $100 assessed valuation.
The board also spent time editing its pro-statement to voters for continuing its 15% maintenance and operations override on the November ballot and approved a performance pay bonus for Superintendent Shane McCord. Each board member praised McCord, who in turn, thanked the board for the way its conducts itself and supports the district.
Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on Twitter. We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Tom Blodgett Senior News Editor | Gilbert @sp_blodgett
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
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