County superintendent accepting opinions on PUSD’s override request

Coconino County’s superintendent of schools is seeking written arguments for and against the Page Unified School District’s proposed override that will appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

Those arguments will be included in an informational pamphlet mailed to registered voters in the district, according to a July 17 news release from the superintendent’s office.

The school board unanimously voted June 28 to place the override — an increase in residential and business property taxes — on the ballot again this year after it was rejected by voters last November.

If approved, the measure would generate about $2.1 million annually for the school district beginning with the 2013-14 fiscal year, according to an estimate by the district’s business manager Lana Berry.

A resident with an average priced home which was estimated to be around $142,260 would pay an additional $174 per year in taxes for the override, she said. The tax bill for the average commercial property valued at $423,060 would be approximately $1,033 annually.

The district’s 2012-13 operations budget was adopted earlier this month at $16.2 million.

Voters rejected the district’s request for a 15 percent override in last November’s election, leading to a dozen teaching positions being terminated or left unfilled and partial closings of the Cultural Arts Building and Page High School pool. There also were cuts to supplies, services and travel budgets.

Berry said the district currently has a 10 percent override that helps fund kindergarten through 12th grade. It begins to phase out July 1. A 5 percent override supporting kindergarten through third grade expires in 2014.

The prospective override is similar to the one defeated last year and would be the first time that the district would be able to combine both overrides into a 15 percent package. It would also have a wider range of areas it would be able to fund.

Arguments for or against the override are to be 200 words or less and be typed or printed and signed by the author. The arguments shall include the name of the district, author’s name, the name of any entity submitting an argument, address, telephone number and the author’s signature. The entity and author’s name will be printed in the informational pamphlet.

The superintendent will review all factual statements contained in the written arguments and correct any inaccurate statements of fact, but will not change any portion of the arguments identified as the author’s opinion.

Arguments must be received by 5 p.m., Aug. 13, at the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Office, Ponderosa High School, 2384 N. Steves Blvd., Flagstaff, AZ 86004. Faxes will be accepted at 928-679-8077, but original, signed copies of the written argument must be mailed to the superintendent’s office.

For more information, call the superintendent at 928-679-8070 or the Page school district at 928-608-4157.

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