Peoria Unified board sets Nov. 4 vote on 15% maintenance-and-operations override

The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board voted 5-0 on March 27 to call a Nov. 4, 2025 election on a proposed 15% maintenance-and-operations override to provide ongoing funding for staff, programs and school safety.

District budget officer Melissa Myers presented the board with two options the board had directed staff to prepare: continuing the district's current 13% override or asking voters to approve a new 15% override. "Statute allows a district to exceed its maintenance and operations budget revenue control limit for up to 15% if that district's community has approved an override," Myers told the board, and she summarized estimated first-year revenue and program categories the override would support.

Myers said a continued 13% override would yield an estimated $31.6 million in the first year of a continuation based on projected enrollment, while a new 15% override would be expected to yield approximately $36.4 million that first year. She said the override funds are levied through secondary property taxes and are used for positions and operating programs, not capital projects, naming nurses, assistant principals, athletics, art, band, choir, gifted programs and full-day kindergarten as examples of services the override supports.

Paul Gales, outside counsel for the district, told the board about legal limits on district advocacy once an election is formally called: "Once the election is called, Arizona Revised Statute 15-511 will come into play," Gales said, and district publications and staff time on the clock may not be used to attempt to influence the outcome. He added that elected board members themselves retain the right to speak in a political capacity.

Public commenters and district staff urged unified board backing and clear, factual communications to voters. Teacher and parent speakers told trustees the district needs the revenue to avoid cuts to special education and classroom supports and to maintain staffing and programs.

After discussion the board approved the 15% resolution. The resolution sets the ballot language for the 15% option as "budget increase, yes/no;" Myers noted that a 13% question would read "budget override continuation, yes/no." If approved by voters, the 15% override would be assessed beginning in the fiscal year following the election.

The board and administration said they plan factual voter information about the programs supported by the override and urged coordinated outreach; several speakers told trustees that a split board message would make passage more difficult.

The board approved the resolution by voice vote; the motion passed 5-0.