Chandler Unified reviews bond and override spending; 2019 bond nearing close and 2025 proposal trimmed

Ms. Berry, a district presenter on finance and capital planning, reviewed the Chandler Unified School District #80 bond and override history and offered details on remaining 2019 bond projects, the voter pamphlet for a 2025 bond and the district's capital-planning process during the board's Oct. 8 study session.

"We have been very thankful for, our voters, who have approved, overrides for the last 3 decades," Ms. Berry said as she opened the presentation, noting the district's long history of voter-approved overrides and the statutory requirement to publicly review bond and override spending.

The briefing covered two linked topics: the maintenance-and-operations (M&O) override that supports salaries and programs, and capital bonds that fund construction, renovation and equipment. District staff described how prior bond proceeds were spent, what remains from the 2019 bond, and which projects the district would hold or begin if voters approve a proposed 2025 bond.

Why it matters: The override and bonds are the district’s main locally raised operating and capital revenue sources. The override funds teacher and staff salaries and programs that district officials say help retain personnel; bonds fund campus HVAC, roofs, parking and major renovations. The board must weigh taxpayer impact, unfunded needs and the district's capital strategy.

Key points from the presentation

- Override history and mechanics: The district has used voter-approved overrides since 1990. The current 15% M&O override (approved by voters in 2021) funds competing priorities such as security personnel, competitive class sizes, teacher pay and technology. Ms. Berry showed an estimated secondary tax rate connected to assessed values; she said the override tax rate was $1.10 in 2024–25 and was about $1.09 at the time of the presentation.

- 2019 bond status: The 2019 voter-approved bond was $290,250,000; including interest and related amounts the pool available was roughly $292 million. The district reported roughly $267 million in completed projects and purchase orders, leaving about $25 million remaining. Of that, staff listed about $9 million in identified projects plus roughly $15 million that the district said it would hold in reserve until the outcome of the November 2025 bond election is known.

- Projects being held pending election: Tom Dunn and facilities staff flagged several HVAC, roofing and safety projects and said project timing could depend on state School Facilities Division grants; the district said it will apply for School Facilities Division (formerly School Facilities Board) building-renewal grants while also planning bond-funded replacements. Adjacent-ways projects listed included a traffic signal at Rice Elementary, road reconstruction by the transportation facility and utility work related to Hartford Elementary.

- 2025 bond proposal (reduced from 2024 proposal): Ms. Berry said the 2025 package had been substantially trimmed after public input and committee review, falling from an earlier $487 million request to about $271 million. The revised proposal reduces the number of reimagining projects and cuts the construction and renovation line items significantly. A priority named in the presentation was a full rebuild of Hartford Elementary, estimated in the presentation at roughly $40 million.

- CTE (career and technical education) funding and JTED: The district described multiple funding sources for CTE, including JTED funds and local bond capital. The district said JTED revenue for the year was about $8.2 million and that immediate equipment and facility needs total about $4.9–5.2 million, while a longer wishlist totaled roughly $41 million. Officials said some programs depend on approval of outside partners or additional capital.

- Comparative tax context and credit rating: Ms. Berry showed comparative secondary tax rates for nearby East Valley districts and noted the secondary tax varies with assessed value. She also said the district holds a top credit rating (AAA from Fitch and Moody's) and highlighted that strong reserves and financial controls underpin that rating.

Board discussion and clarifications

Board members pressed staff on how the bond dollars had been spent, why some line items changed, and what was considered "must have" versus "nice to have." Several members urged clearer, easily accessible public materials about where dollars are allocated and asked for year-over-year project lists and the district’s detailed line-item spreadsheets (available on board docs and the district bond/override information pages, Ms. Berry noted).

One board member noted that 80 percent of typical bond dollars go to construction (repair, refurbishment or replacement) and suggested framing public communications to emphasize that major, unavoidable facility work — roofs, HVAC, athletic surfaces and parking — consumes the largest share.

Ms. Berry and other staff described the capital planning cycle, which brings facility, technology, transportation, CTE and other needs into a single planning process and coordinates applications to the School Facilities Division for building-renewal grants.

What the board will see next

- If the November 2025 bond is approved, district staff said they would move forward with priorities including Hartford Elementary work, selected reimagining projects, preventative maintenance and prioritized HVAC and roofing projects.

- The district will continue to apply for School Facilities Division grants and will hold roughly $15 million from the 2019 bond as contingency until election outcomes are final.

Ending

Ms. Berry closed by reminding the board that all bond and override materials are public on board docs and a district election web page and by thanking voters for prior support. She also previewed a related agenda item later in the evening: the annual financial report (AFR) required by statute, which the board would be asked to publish and approve.