$701M operating budget for Mesa Public Schools approved
Includes tax levy for infrastructure improvements
Posted
While many disagree with this tax, it is the only vehicle for us to address these types of improvements. We’d love to see a different solution provided so that the local taxpayers weren’t responsible, but this is by law the only way that we can address property that is adjacent to (district property). So, whether it is street improvements, fire lanes, electrical connections, plumbing connections — these are the only funds available to use for that purpose.”
Scott Thompson, MUSD assistant superintendent of business and support services
Mesa Unified School District’s budget for fiscal year 2023-24 includes an adjacent ways levy to raise $2.9 million to help pay for parking lot, fire lane and bus lane improvements at 22 schools.
MUSD — also known as Mesa Public Schools — is the largest public school district in Arizona and has six high schools, nine junior high schools, 50 elementary schools and 17 choice and success schools. Students start back at school Aug. 3.
The MUSD governing board voted unanimously July 11 to approve an adjacent ways levy and also the budget of $701,465,451 for the next school year. It includes a $3.5339 primary tax rate and $3.4668 secondary tax rate for a total of $7.007.
The addition of the adjacent ways levy causes the district’s primary property taxes on a $100,000 home to be $30.79. Without the levy, the total taxes that would be owed would have been $23.47, according to a truth in taxation public notice.
The $2.9 million raised in the adjacent ways levy is to go toward the $5.1 million cost for parking lot, fire lane and bus lane improvements at the following schools: Edison, Kerr, Pomeroy, O’Connor, Whittier, Field, Kino JHS, Redbird, Shepherd JHS, Whitman, Holmes, Lindbergh, Red Mountain HS, Sirrine, Johnson, Mendoza, Robson, Taylor JHS, Keller, Mountain View HS, Roosevelt and Washington.
Scott Thompson
As the public infrastructure improvements are on city of Mesa property, an adjacent ways levy is needed, Scott Thompson, the district’s assistant superintendent of business and support services, said at the MUSD governing board’s July 11 meeting.
“While the notice does read that this is a new tax, it is not a new concept to our budget or to the taxpayers of Mesa Public Schools. We have been levying for adjacent ways for many, many years,” he said.
Board member Rachel Walden later asked why $2.9 million was needed for the $5.1 million adjacent ways project.
“The budget for adjacent ways is $5.1 million but we do have cash already collected from previous taxes in the adjacent-ways budget so we only have to levy for $2.9 (million). And $2.9 (million), it just worked out this year that it’s exactly the amount that we levied the year before,” Thompson said.
Walden asked if it was the only way for the district to pay for the work.
“And this is per Arizona revised statutes there is no money given by the legislature, grants or any other funding for adjacent ways — so this is in the law, this is how we collect money to fix and improve those areas that we cross over with the city, correct?” she said.
“Yes, That is an important note. While many disagree with this tax, it is the only vehicle for us to address these types of improvements. We’d love to see a different solution provided so that the local taxpayers weren’t responsible, but this is by law the only way that we can address property that is adjacent to (district property). So, whether it is street improvements, fire lanes, electrical connections, plumbing connections — these are the only funds available to use for that purpose,” Thompson said.
Classroom spending
A total of $469,747,095 from the budget is to go into the classrooms, Ken Alexander, the district’s chief financial officer, said at the MUSD governing board meeting.
Of that, $390,113,826 is for instruction, $58,806,535 for student support and $20,826,734 is for instructional support, according to a district document.
Funds for classroom spending come from the $534,433,260 maintenance and operations fund and $89,982,837 classroom site fund budgets, it states.
“An important part of the budget is how much is going into the classrooms, so between the (maintenance and operations) fund and classroom site fund budgets we can see 75.2% is going into the classroom, with a large portion of that — 62.5% — in instruction followed by student support and instructional support,” he said. “This is important because we have a (key performance indicator) that we put 70% or more spent in the classroom. So that 75.2% will help us achieve this KPI.”
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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