This page will answer some commonly asked questions about the Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) override election:

Proposition 488, 489, and 490 FAQ’s

1) What are bonds and overrides?

Bonds and overrides are voter-approved funding measures that the CFSD school board has used for decades to supplement the insufficient funding provided by the state. They are important because Arizona’s expenditure on public education is about 48 or 49 out of the 50 states.  See where Arizona ranks in education here: https://scholaroo.com/report/state-education-rankings/

Bonds and overrides supplement teacher and staff salaries which is why CFSD has the highest starting salary of any other southern Arizona District and why teacher/staff salaries have increased each budget year since at least 2013.

Bonds and overrides also keep the district schools open and safe, with clean air, running water, functioning heating and cooling, stable roofs, up-to-date learning materials, and 21st century technology.  This may seem a given, but there are other school districts in our state that have inadequate school infrastructure.

Without CFSD district voters’ support in approving these funding measures, CFSD schools would not be as competitive as they are today.  We thank our voters every day for their long-standing support in building our beautiful community.

2.) Can you tell me the specifics of the propositions?

Proposition 488: School Improvement Bonds– 115 facility projects across all campuses + vehicle replacement.  They cover building renovations and improvements, improvement of grounds, energy efficiency upgrades, and maintenance and purchase of the bus fleet, trucks, and vans.

Find out more here https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1202?meeting=525070 and go to Section 5.3 Bond Project Proposal.

Proposition 489: District Additional Override– Renewal of current $2M override (in place since 2008).  It covers technology equipment, software, and infrastructure; as well as curriculum and library resources.

Find out more here https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1202?meeting=525070 and go to Section 5.4. District Additional Assistance (Capital) Override Proposal

Proposition 490: M & O Budget Override- Renewal of current 13.3% Override.  This is part of CFSD’s annual baseline operational budget (adds $4.1M to this fiscal year) and has been in place since 1984.

Find out more here https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1202?meeting=525070 and go to Section 5.5. Maintenance and Operations (M&O) (Capital) Override Proposal

3.) Will my property taxes go up if we pass the propositions? 

Answer: No, voting YES will NOT increase property tax rates. The tax rate you pay will remain the same.  The District Additional Assistance Override (proposition 489) has been in place for 15+ years, and the M &O Budget Override (proposition 490) has been in place for 30+ years.

4.) Why is the school district asking you to vote to approve the propositions, I thought the state provides money for schools?

Arizona is an equalized funding state. So, every school gets  the same amount of state funding per type of student (high school, elementary school, a student with a physical or learning disability, etc.) regardless of the district they live in.

Find out more here: https://ade.az.gov/schoolfinance/faqs/funding/equalization%20formula%20funding.pdf

5.) What will happen if the propositions on the ballot do not pass?

In the event that propositions do not pass, CFSD will have a reduced budget.  This means the following will happen:

1. One elementary school, and potentially more, will close.
2. One middle school will close.
3. Class sizes will increase
4. Unexpected maintenance needs will not be met.
5. Technology equipment will be outdated.

If you have any other questions we haven’t addressed, send us an email at cfsdfriends@gmail.com.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.