Chandler Unified adopts 2025–26 budget, board approves $4 million truth‑in‑taxation for Weinberg road and adjacent ways

The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board approved the district’s 2025–26 proposed expenditure budget and voted to request a $4 million truth‑in‑taxation increase to pay for roadway and adjacent‑ways projects, including safety improvements near Weinberg Elementary.

During a lengthy public hearing on July 9, budget presenter Lana Berry and district staff described the district’s budget structure, key state funding changes and the need to submit an adopted expenditure budget by mid‑July. Berry told the board the district’s aggregated expenditure budget (the part presented to the state) was about $394 million, while the district’s total budget across 59 funds is approximately $650 million. She said maintenance and operations (M&O) comprised about $349 million of that aggregated total, capital expenditures about $26 million and federal projects roughly $18 million.

Berry reviewed legislative highlights that will change the district’s funding in coming months — including a mandated 2% ongoing base increase under Proposition 301, reinstatement of supplemental funding for students on free and reduced lunch and an increase in capital inflation funding — but she said some of those amounts were approved by the Legislature too late to appear on the forms being adopted that night. The district must bring a revised budget to the board in September to include amounts that were finalized after the auditor‑general’s format was published, Berry said.

Board members asked questions about formula weights, the mechanics of federal grant reimbursements and which funds were included in the aggregated expenditure limit. Several members said they appreciated the presentation’s level of detail and asked staff to follow up with specific project plans; board members asked Tom Dunn, the district’s facilities lead, to provide design materials when they are available for the Weinberg roadway and related traffic projects.

Truth in taxation: The board also held a separate public hearing required before adopting the truth‑in‑taxation notice. Administration said the $4 million request would pay for (a) a roadway and traffic mitigation near Weinberg Elementary, where parent interest and safety concerns have grown with increasing drop‑off and pick‑up activity; and (b) a districtwide pool of funds for adjacent‑ways and infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, bus lanes, fire lanes and utility relocations. The district framed the timing as opportunistic because the bond tax rate is falling this year; staff said they had included only $750,000 for adjacent‑ways in the 2025 bond and sought the additional funds via truth‑in‑taxation instead.

Votes at a glance: The board voted on multiple items tied to the budget process during the meeting. The transcript records the following recorded votes:

- Truth in Taxation notice (requesting $4,000,000 for Weinberg roadway and adjacent‑ways): Motion to recommend approval by Boardmember Modston; second by Boardmember Mendoza. Roll‑call vote recorded as aye from Boardmember Heap, Boardmember Monson, Boardmember Mendoza, Boardmember Rohrs and Board President King. Outcome: approved unanimously.

- 2025–26 Proposed Expenditure Budget (adoption of the 2025–26 annual expenditure budget): Motion by Boardmember Heap; second by Boardmember Rohrs. Outcome: adopted unanimously.

- Consent agenda (routine approvals): Motion and second recorded; the board approved the consent agenda by acclamation earlier in the meeting.

What the vote means for taxpayers: Berry explained the district’s primary qualifying tax rate is set by the state and dropped slightly this year; the district’s combined school tax rate is projected to fall from 5.65 to 5.36 per $100 of assessed value because of assessed value growth and changes to the district’s bond schedule. The $4 million truth‑in‑taxation request would add approximately $9.92 per $100,000 of assessed value (about $9.92 on a $100,000 assessed value) for one year, the district said; staff emphasized the bulk of the district tax rate is the qualifying tax rate set by the Legislature.

Next steps and timing: The district must submit the adopted budget to the County and the State and then return to the board with a September revision to incorporate late legislative allocations (including certain Prop 123 and supplemental weights) and final grant allocations. Berry said the business office will present the annual financial report for the prior year in October and that staff will return with December and May revisions as required by law.

The board approved both measures unanimously and closed the public hearings before moving on to other agenda items.