Brague: Supporting students and teachers supports our community’s future

As a former Queen Creek Unified School District governing board president, a father of five, and a long-time Queen Creek resident, I know the tremendous impact our schools have on our children and our community. We need safe and secure facilities, high quality programming and dedicated staff to ensure our children have a bright future. We’re fortunate in Queen Creek to host some of the best K-12 schools in the state right within our own neighborhoods. Queen Creek schools have been a magnet, attracting new residents who have spurred vibrant business growth and expanded living options in the area. As a homeowner personally invested in the prosperity of this community, I know that if we are to continue this success, we need to support the foundation of our education – our students and teachers.

Arizona public schools are almost the lowest funded in the nation. This is because our state gives local control over school district funding, with mechanisms in place to ensure you have a say in how your tax dollars are spent. (In November), I’m excited to join QCUSD voters in exercising that power to decide two ballot measures: a bond and an override.

The QCUSD override has been in place since 2015 and it allows the district to increase salaries and benefits for teachers, add security staffing, elective offerings and keep athletic and AP course fees lowered. In order to continue the override, state statute requires local voter approval. This is not a new tax measure, nor will it increase the tax rate. As a property owner and fiscal conservative myself, I value the opportunity to decide how my money is spent. Supporting teacher salaries, desirable class sizes and security staffing are priorities we can’t ignore. Continuing this override will support our students and teachers and in turn secure a better future for our community.

The QCUSD bond is another mechanism that gives voters control over how their money supports local education. While the district has worked incredibly hard to secure limited funding from the state to build new facilities and expansions to accommodate our growing population through the School Facilities Division, there are significant funding gaps. In fact, we can’t find another example of a school building funded solely by the School Facilities Division without having bond resources in place. I know district staff work tirelessly to make the most of every dollar, but in a rapidly growing community, space is not an option, and neither is safety and security. Previous efforts to pass a bond failed, and the district is now three years behind in construction for a community that’s only halfway to buildout.

In addition to the new construction, the bond will fund renovations to Queen Creek High’s campus to reduce traffic on Ocotillo Road. It’s a project that can’t be funded through other state means. The bond would also fund priorities including security cameras on buses, access controls for schools and cybersecurity upgrades.

If we can’t support our schools, they can’t continue the excellent work they’ve been doing to support our community. This is a unique opportunity to have a say in our education system without an increase in our tax rate. The future of our students, teachers and our community is in our hands.

Ken Brague
Former Queen Creek Unified School District governing board president