Mesa Unified District approves 2024-25 annual financial report; board hears key budget highlights

The Mesa Unified District Board of Trustees approved the 2024-25 annual financial report at a special board meeting on Feb. 24, 2025. The vote followed a presentation from district finance staff that summarized the district’s budget- and cash-controlled funds, capital spending and reserves. The report is required by state statute and will be submitted to the Arizona Auditor General and the Arizona Department of Education.

Board President Davis opened the meeting and noted the agenda included the annual financial report. Finance staff member Mister Moore led the presentation and said the annual package contains five reports that must be filed with state authorities. Moore told trustees the AFR shows the district carrying forward $47,000,047.05 in budget capacity while the cash balance tied to that budgeted capacity is approximately $33,000,000, creating what he described as a cash deficit relative to the budgeted carry forward. “That 47,000,000 represents 9% of our budget,” Moore said, noting best practice is often a 10–12% reserve given economic uncertainty.

Why it matters: the AFR documents how the district used state,…