Arizona Voters Head โto the Polls: A Guide to What’sโฃ on the Ballot
today, Novemberโ 4th, โArizona votersโ areโค casting their ballots onโ a rangeโค of measures impacting communities across theโ state, from school funding to infrastructure improvements. Here’s a breakdown of key items on the ballot:
Local Infrastructureโฃ and Public โฃSafety Funding
Several cities and districts are seeking voter approval for fundingโค dedicated to vital public services. โPeoria is requesting $123 million โฃfor advancement projects,โฃ while Glendale is asking voters โto โฃapprove $65 million forโฃ flood control and support forโ city facilities.
Fire andโ medical districts throughout the valley are also seeking funding to supportโค new fire stations,โค equipmentโข purchases, and facility maintenance.
School District bonds and overrides
A meaningful portion of the ballot focuses on education funding. Many Arizona schools โขrely on voter-approved bonds and override measures to โmaintain programs, staffing, and facilities. A total of 21 โschool districts have measures before voters today.
Bond Measures: Bonds โrequest a specific dollar amount for capital expenditures,including โคnew schools,facility upgrades,technology infrastructure,safety improvements,school buses,and equipment. Ten Maricopa โคCounty school districts are seeking bond approvals totalingโ over $1.5 billion. โEstimated yearly tax rates forโ these bonds range from 12 cents perโ $100 of assessed โproperty value in West-MECโฃ to โ$1.17 in saddle Mountain Unified School District.
The districts requestingโข bond approvals are: Buckeye Union, Chandler Unified, Deer Valley Unified, Isaac Elementary, Nadaburg Unified, Pendergast Elementary, โขSaddle Mountain Unified, Tempe Elementary, Tolleson Union, and West-MEC.
Override measures: Overrides seek to increase a district’s budget by a certain percentage for a period of sevenโ years. Often, โฃdistricts request renewal of existingโ overrides to maintainโ current funding levels. These funds are used forโฃ operational expenses like โclassroom sizes, teacher salaries, music and art programs, and full-dayโ kindergarten.
Fourteen Maricopa Countyโฃ school districts are seeking voter approval forโ maintenance and operations budget overrides and renewals.The estimated yearly cost to โคthe average homeowner ranges from $11 in Arlington Elementary School District to $383 in Higley โขUnified School District.
the districts seeking maintenanceโข and operations budget โoverride approvals are: arlington Elementary, Buckeye elementary, Chandler โคUnified, Deer Valley Unified, Dysart Unified, Higley Unified, Isaac Elementary, โขKyrene Elementary, Peoriaโ Unified, Phoenix Elementary, Phoenix Union, Roosevelt Elementary, Saddle mountain Unified, and Tolleson Union.
This report includes information contributed by โข Arizonaโ Republic reporters โSasha Hupka and Lauren Deโฃ Young.