Unofficial final results from the Maricopa County Elections Department show voters rejected the Gilbert Public Schools' 15% maintenance and operations override continuance and $100 million bond questions.
The margin is about 53%-47% on both questions.
“We are thankful for everyone who voted and of course disappointed with the results,” Superintendent Shane McCord said in a statement released last week when it became apparent the issues would not pass. “However, our focus will remain on continuing to provide academic excellence for our students in safe and supportive learning environments where they thrive.
McCord said the district is proud to serve families and called GPS the “very best choice for education.”
“In our district and on our campuses, students are at the center of everything we do, and the community support we receive contributes directly to their success,” he said. “Again, thank you for your support. We appreciate you!”
The override continuance was to keep the current 15% override in place before it begins to sunset in fiscal year 2025-26. The governing board could choose to put it on next November’s ballot, but if it were rejected again, the override would go to 10% in fiscal year 2026 and then 5% in Fiscal Year 2027 before expiring.
The override money helped the district pay competitive employee salaries, maintain smaller class sizes and pay for additional counselors and social workers. If continued, it would also help pay for additional security measures.
The no votes were 16,272 for 53.03% to 14,410 for 46.97% in the final release of votes.
The $100 million bond had four aims: $72 million for critical facility upgrades and replacements, including $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, again mostly aimed at safety and security; and $4 million for student transportation buses, vans and equipment.
As the district has used its previous bond money, the district will have to prioritize its maintenance updates to the most critical projects. A consultant’s study shows the district has a $178 million maintenance backlog.
The no votes were 13,975 or 53.58% while yes votes were 12,108 or 46.42%. There were 533 undervotes and 10 overvotes.
Turnout was 24.22%.
All results are unofficial until the vote is canvassed.
We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X.
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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