Fri, Oct 10, 2008

Tucson Region

Bond issues, overrides exceeding $215M OK'd

By Andrea Rivera
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.07.2007
Voters approved more than $215 million in separate bond and override money Tuesday to build new schools and fire stations, renovate existing schools, and buy textbooks and buses.
Bond elections for Amphi and Sahuarita school districts as well as bond elections for Picture Rocks and Rincon Valley fire districts all passed.
Budget overrides for Sahuarita and Altar Valley school districts also passed, according to unofficial results.
Voters also approved Sahuarita Unified School District's capital outlay budget override and a bond investment income question.
Sahuarita had a lot to gain with four questions up for votes.
Early ballots did not favor the district's request for a $1 million K-3 budget override, a $1 million capital-outlay budget override and a $14.7 million bond issue, but all four passed — two by close margins.
The budget override question passed with just under 52 percent or 952 of the votes, 881 voters said no. The capital-outlay budget override passed with 943 to 894.
"It was a little too close for comfort," Sahuarita Superintendent Jay St. John said. "We are thrilled."
The district's rapid growth is why the district asked voters for additional money, St. John said.
Among other things, bond money will supplement the construction of two schools, renovate gymnasiums and improve athletic and playground fields.
The K-3 override money will reduce classes sizes and fund enrichment programs.
Sahuarita will pay for the basics — such as books, computers, and buses — with capital outlay budget override money.
Amphitheater Public Schools will get the $180 million after voters approved the bond issue.
All 29 precincts had reported by midnight Tuesday. Almost 68 percent of voters approved the bond money.
Some of the money would be used to replace aging facilities, purchase new buses and possibly build two new schools.
While early ballots rejected Altar Valley's request to reauthorize an existing budget override, when the precincts closed, the question passed with barely 50 percent of the votes, or 155 yes votes to 153 no votes.
The override money provides students with fine arts, athletics, elective classes and other extracurricular programs.
The district will exceed its budget by about $431,000 for the 2008-2009 school year.
New fire stations will go up in Picture Rocks, which is on the south side of Marana, west of the Tucson Mountain, and Rincon Valley fire districts because of Tuesday's elections.
A little more than 77 percent of the votes supported Picture Rocks' bond issue.
Rincon Valley, which serves Vail, will use the $17 million it asked voters for to build and furnish fire stations and acquire land.
● Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at 806-7737 or arivera@azstarnet.com.