Higley Unified adopts FY2025‑26 budget, includes $2 million adjacent‑ways levy for traffic project

The Higley Unified School District Governing Board on July 10 adopted the district's fiscal year 2025-26 expenditure budget following a presentation from the district's finance director and a public hearing.

District Chief Financial Officer Tyler Moore told the board the adopted budget is unchanged from the proposed budget presented June 10 and that the district is taking a conservative approach because the state had not adopted a final budget. "There has been no change at the legislature that has had us change from proposed to adopted," Moore said, adding the district is not including speculative legislative assumptions beyond the statutorily required 2% inflation adjustment to base level support.

Moore outlined several known details: the budget assumes a roughly 3% enrollment decline (about 300 average daily membership), continues a $3,550,000 transfer for lease obligations, and proposes a $2,000,000 adjacent‑ways levy to fund the Williamsville traffic flow project. Moore said the proposed adjacent‑ways levy would carry a tax impact of about $0.19 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for one fiscal year and that adjacent ways funds are eligible for work off district property.

Why it matters: the adopted budget establishes spending and capital priorities for the coming school year and preserves the district's ability to revise the plan if the legislature later finalizes funding that changes K‑12 resources. Moore said the board could revisit the budget in September if state action creates additional capacity.

Key details and board discussion - Conservative assumptions: With no enacted state budget at the time of adoption, the district did not incorporate tentative or proposed state increases except the legally required 2% inflation adjustment to base level support. Moore said other potential one-time or ongoing items under legislative discussion were not included because they were not yet final. - Enrollment and salary pressure: Moore said the district expects a 300‑student decline (about 3%), and that the average teacher experience in the district (reported as 9.7819 years) is above the state average, which contributes to a proportional increase in the district's average teacher salary. - Capital and the adjacent‑ways levy: The board heard that the $2,000,000 adjacent‑ways levy is intended to help fund multi‑million dollar improvements related to Higley Road and the Williamsville traffic flow project. Moore said adjacent‑ways funds, which the district has levied in past years, are targeted to improvements that are not located on district property but directly affect district operations and safety. - Fund balance and deficits: Moore reported adoption-level figures showing a $9,200,000 decrease from the most recent revised numbers and projected a fiscal 2026 ending fund balance of about $17,000,000.

Public comment and next steps Moore opened the public hearing and invited comments; no substantive public comment on the budget was recorded. After discussion the board moved to adopt the expenditure budget.

Votes and formal action The board voted by roll call to adopt the fiscal year 2025-26 expenditure budget as presented. The motion passed 5-0 (President Wade: Aye; Vice President Tiffany Schultz: Aye; Board member Anna Van Hook: Aye; Board member Sarah Jarman: Aye; Board member Scott Glover: Aye). The board and staff noted the district may return with a revision later in the year if the state finalizes K‑12 funding that would materially change district capacity.

Ending note District staff said they will monitor the legislative process and return in September if there are enacted changes that would warrant a budget revision.