Partial votes are in for two local education measures.
According to preliminary results from the Yavapai County Elections Department, voters in the Mingus Union High School District appear to have passed a $5.9 million bond by 3,094 to 2,841 votes, or 52.13 percent to 47.87 percent, however about 150 late votes still needed to be counted of 8:15 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4. Polls closed at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Clarkdale-Jerome School District voters appear to have approved a budget override, 507 to 275 votes, or 64.83 percent to 35.17 percent, however a handful of votes still needed to be counted.
The MUHSD asked voters for a $5.9 million bond to pay for infrastructure and repairs. The bond will cost district taxpayers around $1.50 a month per $100,000 of property valuation.
In the face of years of budget cuts at the state level and due to the failure of state legislators to funds schools following the 2008 Great Recession, schools statewide had cut back on infrastructure projects to keep money in classrooms and for teacher salaries. Since 2008, the legislature has cut Mingus’ budget by $979,000 annually, of which $522,000 was cut from the capital budget, according to the district. Capital cuts total over $3 million, not adjusted for inflation.
Check the Wednesday, Nov. 4, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra for updated election results.
