The Mingus Union High School District has called a special election for a maintenance and operations 10% override to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
A school district override is an initiative allowing a district to exceed its state-mandated budget limit in order to provide additional funding for staffing, resources and educational programs. Schools use overrides to help their district expand programs and maintain services that would otherwise be cut due to budget constraints.
There are three types of overrides: A maintenance & operations override that funds operational expenses such as salaries, student services and instructional programs; capital overrides fund capital expenses such as technology and textbooks; and special overrides that fund specific needs such as full-day kindergarten and other specialized programs.
This election will allow voters to decide on a proposed M&O override for the district. The override must be approved by a simple majority of voters in the district and lasts for seven years with a two-year phase down period if voters choose not to renew it.
In 2017, Mingus voters passed an override by 60.52% to 39.48%, and the district held a special election in 2021 to ask voters for a continuation of that override, which narrowly passed by a mere 54 votes, or 50.37% to 49.63%. At the time of the last successful override in 2021, the tax impact associated with the override was about $24.77 per year per $100,000 of residential taxable property value.
In April, the Mingus Union High School District Governing Board called for a special election 10% M&O override for November. Voters will be deciding on a continuation of this 10% override which is set to expire in 2028. There is no tax increase, the override will only continue the current tax.
“Arizona State Funding model for public education allows for bonds and overrides to support a district’s budget,” MUHSD Superintendent Melody Herne said.
Property owners in the district pay an additional amount in property taxes each month to fund the override.
“Property tax for an override is assessed on the limited property value, not the market value,” Herne said. Based on the average home valued at $100,000 in the district with a tax rate of $0.24, this override will cost taxpayers roughly $2 a month.
These funds will be used to attract and retain teachers, reduce class sizes, offer Advanced Placement courses, music, art and theater programs, run extensive bus routes and provide transportation support for extracurricular activities, support athletics and extracurriculars without having to pay to play and provide alternative education and dropout-prevention programs.
Both the Clarkdale-Jerome Elementary School District and Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District will also have override elections, so voters will have two on their November ballots, depending on which elementary school district they reside in.
For more information, visit mingusuniondistrict.com.
