Chandler Unified study session: committee urges continuation of 15% override and forwards two scaled bond options

The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board heard a study-session presentation on district tax overrides and bond-authority options, and a citizens advisory committee formally recommended continuing the district's existing 15% maintenance-and-operations (M&O) override and forwarded two scaled bond packages to the Board for consideration.

District staff said the Board must decide by June 11 whether to call elections for a continuation of the M&O override and for new bond authorization. "You'll have the opportunity to have any comments or give us feedback because on June 11 will be the time when the board makes a decision whether to call for an election for both a maintenance and operation continuation override, and then also for a new authorization of bond authority," district presenter Mrs. Barry said during the presentation.

The advisory committee voted at its May 1 meeting to recommend continuation of the 15% override and to forward two bond options. Committee leadership reported that the bond committee "voted unanimously to recommend option 2 at $271,500,000, and option 3 at $199,400,000," and that the committee "unanimously recommended the continuation of the 15% maintenance operation override." The recommendations are advisory; the Board must adopt a resolution and call the election if it chooses to proceed.

Why it matters: The M&O override provides locally approved property-tax revenue the district uses mainly for…