Agua Fria reports nearly $80 million in bond funds remaining ahead of override vote

By Stacy Mantle
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The Agua Fria Union High School District has nearly $80 million remaining from its 2024 voter-approved bond as construction continues on major school projects, while voters prepare to decide whether to continue a separate funding source supporting teachers, school safety and academic programs.

District officials presented their annual bond and override financial report to the governing board Oct. 14, detailing spending on school construction, renovations and operating programs ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Proposition 438 asks voters to continue the district's existing 15% maintenance and operations budget override, which provides approximately $12.2 million annually for educational programs and staffing.

The measure would continue an existing funding mechanism rather than establish a new override.

Tom Huffman, deputy superintendent of operations, said the current override, approved by voters in November 2022, provided $11.4 million in fiscal year 2026.

The funding supports school safety and security personnel, career and technical education, teacher recruitment and retention, teaching positions, class sizes, special programs and costs associated with district growth.

The annual update is required under Arizona law, but district officials said they regularly report financial and construction progress throughout the year.

"We really enjoy bringing very regular updates to the governing board on how our dollars are being spent and sharing updates on projects," Huffman said.

The presenter also thanked voters for supporting the district's bonds and overrides, which finance different categories of school spending.

Bond funding supports construction

According to the district's annual report, voters approved a $197 million bond in November 2023.

By June 30, 2026, the district had spent the full authorization, including $75.4 million during fiscal year 2026.

Projects funded through the bond included construction of Goodyear High School, renovations at Desert Edge High School and improvements to the cafeteria and auditorium at Agua Fria High School.

"That bond balance is now at zero," Huffman told the board. "So we will not be reporting on that one next year."

A separate $138 million bond approved by voters in November 2024 had approximately $79.9 million remaining as of June 30, 2026.

The district reported spending $27.7 million from that authorization during fiscal year 2026, following approximately $30.5 million in expenditures through June 2025.

The remaining funds are designated for capital improvements, including renovations, construction, safety and security upgrades, air conditioning, technology and equipment.

District officials identified ongoing work at Millennium High School and the Hilltop School for the Arts Theatre and Concert Hall among the major projects supported by the funding.

"So those bonds are being spent down," Huffman said. "You see we still have about $79 million left in those bonds."

The balance is expected to decline as the district makes additional payments for construction and design work.

"That number will go down considerably in the next year as we finish paying the contractor and architect for the Hilltop and as we move further along with the Millennium project," Huffman said.

Officials also shared construction progress at Millennium High School, where crews completed a major overnight concrete pour Oct. 2-3. The work continued into the following morning, and crews began installing concrete blocks shortly after the slab had time to cure.

The district expects to provide additional construction updates as the project advances.

Proposition 438 would continue operating funds

Unlike bonds, which finance construction and other capital improvements, maintenance and operations overrides provide additional funding for ongoing school expenses.

Proposition 438 would extend the district's existing maintenance and operations override for seven years, maintaining the 15% authorization for five years before reducing it to 10% and then 5% in the final two years. 

The district estimates the continuation would generate approximately $12.2 million during its first year.

If voters reject the measure, the existing override would not immediately disappear. Instead, the authorization would begin a phased reduction, falling from 15% to 10% and then 5% before expiring.

The district would eventually lose the full amount of the additional operating revenue unless voters approved another override.

According to election information, the estimated tax rate associated with the continuation is $0.4173 per $100 of net assessed valuation. The estimated annual cost for a residential property with an average limited property value of $258,390 is approximately $108.

Those figures describe the estimated override tax burden, not necessarily an additional $108 in taxes resulting from its continuation.

The distinction is important because the district's remaining bond funds cannot simply replace the operating revenue generated by the override.

District officials emphasized the relationship between voter-approved funding and their broader strategic goals during the meeting.

"So many of those items and action items take bonds and overrides to make those things accomplished, like the amazing work you've seen at the Hilltop," Huffman said during the strategic plan presentation.

The district also reported completing all of its stated strategic plan goals for the 2025-26 school year.

The five areas addressed by the plan include community, academics, workforce development, student wellness and connectedness and fiscal responsibility.

The annual bond and override report was presented for informational purposes and did not require governing board action.

Voters will decide Proposition 438 in the Nov. 3 election.

Editor’s note:   A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.