CCUSD
– Voters approved the Cave Creek Unified School District
budget override last week by a margin of 2,235 to 1,632.
The
special election asked voters to approve a 10‑percent
override of the revenue limit set
for school districts by state statute. The override amounts
to $2.7 million for fiscal year 2007‑2008.
“I
am very pleased to see the override pass and continue
providing as full an education as possible for the students
of CCUSD,” said Rees Candee, parent of a district student.
In
the event the ballot measure failed, the district had
sent notices to 10 elementary teachers which they planned
to lay off, according to Linda Garvin, president of the
Cave Creek Education
Association.
“The
staff is literally the heartbeat of the school district.
This is a critical victory for the kids,” Candee said.
Garvin,
also a member of Vote Yes for Cave Creek Students, a
political action committee that
supported the override, related that PAC volunteers contacted
voters by telephone prior to the election.
“It’s
nice to know we can continue the current level of funding,”
Garvin said. “I’m not jumping up and down, though, because
there’s no additional money to make the schools the best
they can be.”
Garvin
stated the state’s school funding process is “ridiculous,”
referring to the override election requirement. Although
the 10 elementary teachers will be retained, the election
was extremely upsetting to those who received notices
in April.
“The
state of Arizona fails to support public education and
makes it very hard to do anything,” Garvin said.
“It
would have been the kids in the classroom who really paid
for it,” should the measure have
failed.
Marti
Marino, member of Take Back our Schools, a political action
committee that opposed the override, did not respond to
an e‑mail sent by The Desert Advocate seeking comment.
According
to a district press release announcing the election results,
“Most districts operate with a 10‑percent budget
override in order to supplement their budgets and provide
the best opportunities for students, amilies
and the community.”
Dr.
Tacy Ashby, superintendent of CCUSD, said: “(I am) elated
that the override passed. This is
a vote for students and staff.
It
shows that the public appreciates the job that our schools
are doing and wants to support them in their quest to
inspire excellence each day.”
