Mesa’s $449 million school bond measure draws criticism
(The Center Square) – A potential bond measure that would cost Mesa taxpayers $449 million is drawing criticism from education analysts across Arizona. A potential $449 million school bond measure in Mesa, Arizona, is being criticized by education analysts due to concerns over the potential cost of Proposition 419, which would fund roughly a third of the $1.4 billion in Mesa Public Schools' capital needs. The district, which is seeing an enrollment decline of 51,093 students, has projected a 25% drop in enrollment by 2035 and could drop further to just under 39,200 students if current rates don't change. The majority of Prop. 419's funding would go towards improving facilities, site-based projects, and technology infrastructure. The remaining 5% would go to the district’s Career and Technical Education program. To fund the bond, the district plans to impose an 81-cent tax on $100 of home value, meaning a $400,000 house in the district would be assessed an annual increase of $324 per year. Katie Ratlief, executive director of non-partisan research organization Common Sense Institute of Arizona, said that Mesa residents will have to consider the $449m bond carefully. She also suggested that the companion proposition, Prop. 420, would sell five of the district's administrative facilities, a move that would help close funding loopholes.
Опубликовано : 4 дня назад от By Christopher Boan | The Center Square в Politics Finance
(The Center Square) – A potential bond measure that would cost Mesa taxpayers $449 million is drawing criticism from education analysts across Arizona.
That’s because Proposition 419, which would chi... [3892 symbols]
