Sat, Jul 04, 2009

Northwest

CFSD asking voters to extend override

By Lourdes Medrano
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.09.2008
Residents in the Catalina Foothills School District will be asked to vote on three budget overrides on the Nov. 4 ballot.
District officials say the overrides, two of them for maintenance and operation, would preserve positions and programs.
"Without a successful override, there will be unavoidable increases in class sizes, cuts in staff and significant cuts in educational programs for students in all grade levels," Terry Downey, district associate superintendent, said in an e-mail.
"The override funds are critically needed to keep all of our schools open, to protect our K-12 student programs, teachers, curriculum and instruction that support high academic standards, and a wide array of student services."
In all, rejected overrides would translate into about $1 million in cuts from the 2009-10 budget, district officials have said.
If approved, the two maintenance and operation overrides would add roughly a combined $3 million to the budget. The overrides have been renewable since the mid-1980s, when voters first approved them.
A capital budget override for all grades would pay for new technological equipment in classrooms, such as laptops, interactive whiteboards and digital cameras, according to the district.
A successful budget override would add $2 million to an existing $600,000 override passed four years ago. With voter approval, the overrides would take effect in the 2009-10 school year, district officials said.
Lisa Hawkins, president of the Catalina Foothills School District Family Faculty Organization, said approved overrides would mean no increase in the tax rate for district residents.
"It is really unfortunate that all of the schools in our states need to constantly search for additional funding," she said.
Here are more details on the proposed overrides:
● Proposition 406/Kindergarten-12th grades: Helps maintain class sizes and extracurricular activities. Voters are asked to consider a renewal every five years because the funding starts to phase out in the sixth and seventh years of its seven-year life.
● Proposition 407/Kindergarten-through-third grade budget override: Funds teaching positions in kindergarten through third grade to reduce class sizes. It has the same renewal timeline of five years as the kindergarten-through-12th grade override.
● Proposition 408/capital outlay: Now funds curriculum, libraries and technology. Would add $2 million per year for seven years for technology for every classroom.
● Contact reporter Lourdes Medrano at 618-1924 or lmedrano@azstarnet.com.