The Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board voted May 16 to put two financial issues on the November ballot.
The district will ask voters to continue its 15% maintenance and operations override and allow issuance of $100 million in bonds to help address GPS’ capital needs.
An override allows the district to exceed its maintenance and operations budget limit by 15%. The maintenance and operations budget is used for a district’s day-to-day operations, including most salaries.
The district has an active 15% override. Overrides last for seven years unless renewed by voters and begin to sunset after five years, reducing the percentage by one-third each of the final two years before expiring. GPS voters last renewed the district’s override in 2019.
The district uses its override money for three purposes: attract and retain teachers and staff; employing mental health counselors, social workers and campus security personnel; and reducing class sizes.
The board voted unanimously to refer the continuance to the voters.
The $100 million raised from bond sales, if approved, would cover five capital areas:
$63 million for critical facility upgrades and replacements;
$9 million for career and technical education and extracurricular activity spaces;
$12 million for safety and security, specifically securing entryways, fencing and alarms;
$12 million for technology infrastructure on intra and interschool communication equipment;
$4 million for student transportation buses, vans and equipment.
The plan would be to use the money over four years, though Associate Superintendent Bonnie Betz said the district could control the timing of bond sales to help control the property tax rate charged depending on economic conditions.
The board voted 4-1 to refer the bond question with Board Member Chad Thompson voting in dissent.
Thompson questioned the timing of a bond question as real estate values have fallen some in the past year and residents have had to tighten their belts during an inflationary period.
Betz said the district is looking to maintain the property tax rate, but she acknowledged expiring debt without a bond would allow the rate to fall.
At its May 2 meeting, an engineering services firm reported to the board that the district had a $198 million deferred maintenance backlog, though the district is addressing $20 million of that backlog with scheduled summer projects.
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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