Summary: The Higley Unified School district is asking voters for permission to sell $83.1 million in general obligation bonds. It would be repaid, including interest, by the district charging a secondary property tax on district property owners.
The money raised would have to be spent on issues the district defines for voters: safety, security and technology improvements; essential maintenance projects, including HVAC, roofing and other repairs; school improvement projects, including classroom expansion, renovation and secure front offices; transportation and buses.
A yes vote: Would allow the district to sell the bonds and for the defined capital projects to proceed as capital funds become available.
A no vote: Would mean the bonds could not be sold and the district could not proceed on any of the planned capital projects.
Tax effect: The district’s plan would time the sale of bonds with the expiration of previous debt to keep the tax rate flat despite adding bonds. The cost is 33 cents per $100 assessed valuation, about $2.74 per month on the median-valued residence in the district. If the bonds are rejected, the tax rate eventually will fall as the district pays off previously sold bonds.
Arguments:
Pro — Because of two previously rejected bond questions, the district already has stalled capital projects and the needs for projects are high. This can be achieved without raising the current tax rate.
Con — The need for the projects does not outweigh the imprudence of taking on additional debt to the burden of the taxpayer.
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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