Taxes

Gilbert Public Schools – Another Property Tax Override?

Anita Christy

by Patrick O’Malley
Precinct Committeeman LD12

Gilbert Public Schools (GPS) finished their zero based budgeting process some time ago and were given several budget options from which to choose.  They could have gone for steeper cuts in the budget immediately (option C), but chose less cuts this year and are now discussing asking the voters for an override to avoid the additional cuts that will come up next year. A 10% override has been mentioned, but there are no specific proposals yet.

Almost every school district has one or more property tax overrides in place. It’s the new normal. Capital improvement overrides provide additional money for a specific purpose, like a major upgrade of a school district’s computer system. Maintenance and Operation (M&O) overrides provide schools with additional money for everyday expenses. Theoretically they are used to get past a financial rough patch, but there aren’t any examples of that happening. Instead, the school spends the money like it will be there forever, and as the time approaches for the override to expire, they begin the process of asking the voters for another override to keep the money coming. That’s what is being talked about at GPS.

What Happened to the Technology Override Money?

Another issue with overrides is that the additional money doesn’t always get used the way it was sold to voters. In 2007 GPS voters passed a $57.4 million dollar capital override for computers and internet access. That’s a lot of technology, $1400 per student, but where are the results? There are a few technology bright spots within GPS, but overall the capability is fair to poor.

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Maricopa Community College District’s Security Breach Costing $20 Million

Anita Christy

No wonder the governing board raised tuition and also wants more money from the taxpayers.  In keeping with government employee tradition of no accountability, they will demand raises and probably get them!

The Maricopa County Community College District governing board has approved an additional $2.3 million in lawyers’ fees to deal with the computer-security breach that occurred last year.

The board also approved spending $300,000 to deal with records management, pushing the total amount authorized for the breach to nearly $20 million.

Last week, the governing board approved the $2.3 million allocation to the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, which has a Phoenix office, to handle two class-action lawsuits that have been filed over the breach.

Last November, the district disclosed that hackers had invaded a computer server in April 2013, exposing Social Security numbers and banking information of 2.4 million current and former students, faculty members and vendors from as far back as 30 years ago.

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Maricopa Community College District Plans to Raise Taxes (again) by Another 2 Percent

Anita Christy

As true unemployment numbers continue to rise, it isn’t the private sector that suffers.  It’s the government sector!  In keeping with tradition, Maricopa Community College plans once again to squeeze more juice out of the lemon.    

Such a small amount.  So is "death by a thousand paper cuts."

This is just the beginning.  You will probably see more calls for K-12 overrides, too, so hang on.    

Here’s the article:

The Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board will host a public hearing on May 27 to receive input on a proposed property tax increase.

The board is proposing a 2-percent increase that would raise taxes from $125.73 a year home with an assessed value of $100,000 to $128.24.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Maricopa Community Colleges District Office, located at 2411 W. 14th St. in Tempe.

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BMX Coming to Your Neighborhood? Come to the Open House April 8

Anita Christy

Some projects are just not appropriate next to a residential neighborhood, no matter how much money Gilbert thinks it’s going to make.  This is one of them.  

Isn’t it the local government’s responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens?  Should local government introduce a project with known high noise and traffic levels next to the homes of Gilbert residents who seek a retreat from noise and traffic?  

Even if you don’t live in the affected neighborhood, do you care about your neighbor’s quality of life?  Or just your own?  As Mike Webb puts it, are you a PIITBY?  (Put it in Their Back Yard)  

What about the cost of this public/private partnership?  If things don’t go quite right, who gets left holding the debt?  BMX or Gilbert citizens? 

The Town of Gilbert will be holding a second BMX Open House on Tuesday, April 8 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, at 50 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert.  It seems that, after the first open house, some residents started asking some "vetting questions" that hadn’t been asked by the Town of Gilbert or the Town Council.  Were they too mezmerized by the dog and pony show put on by BMX?  

Mike Webb asked some of those very important vetting questions ignored by others.  See Is Gilbert Really Serious about BMX?  

Here’s the news article regarding the open house:  Second BMX Open House Scheduled for April 8.  

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Is Gilbert Really Serious about BMX?

Anita Christy

by Mike Webb
Gilbert Resident

In case you haven’t heard Gilbert has been planning a public/private deal with USA BMX to build an Olympic size bike track right in the middle of south Gilbert. The track, BMX offices, and museum will be built just South of Germann Road, on the West side of Greenfield in the now empty former farm land that was part of the infamous Zinke Dairy land purchase from a few short years ago. The BMX facility would be northeast of the soccer fields already in this area. The facility being discussed will have seating for four thousand people with an expected attendance of up to eight thousand people several times a year when regional and national events are held. This deal with BMX will also include a public freestyle bike park and twenty acres of gravel overflow parking in addition to parking at the BMX track itself.

As far as I can tell, I was the first Gilbert citizen (that is not associated with any special interest groups) to find out any details regarding the facility. This was on March 7, when I met town employees Dan Henderson and M. Scott Powell from the Office of Economic Development, along with John David, COO of USA BMX. It was also at this meeting that I learned that the first open public meeting was scheduled just four days later on March 11 and that the project was scheduled to be voted on by the Town Council on March 27, just 20 days after I found out about the project. However, after expressing my concern over the timing and only having twenty days’ notice before the vote to approve the project, the Town moved the vote date to April 17.*  That’s still not much time for review by the general public.

I was invited by both USA BMX and the Town of Gilbert to attend a race event at the Black Mountain BMX track in north Phoenix on March 15. So to be diplomatic about this situation and to possibly ease my concerns, I agreed to attend. I packed up my two nine-year olds and carpooled with Mayor Lewis and his son to the event. I believe full disclosure is always important, so I will tell you that we had VIP passes and sat in the VIP tent where they provided lunch consisting of a burrito and soda.

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