Governing board adopts 2025‑26 expenditure budget and levies adjacent‑ways tax for Queen Creek USD

The Queen Creek Unified School District governing board voted to adopt the district’s proposed 2025–26 expenditure budget and to levy increased property taxes for adjacent‑ways projects during a public hearing held pursuant to Arizona law.

Jessica Johnson, business‑services staff, presented the budget and the truth‑in‑taxation notice. She said the budget before the board is the same version the district proposed on June 17 and noted the district included conservative enrollment growth assumptions (100 additional K–6 students and 100 additional 7–12 students), a 2% inflation factor to base per‑pupil funding (raising base level to $5,113.26 per student) and a 2% increase to the transportation support level. The proposed capital highlights included second appropriations for the high‑school additions and a proposed $3,500,000 total adjacent‑ways levy to fund fire‑lane resurfacing, bus lanes and other road improvements tied to school sites.

Johnson told trustees that one‑time funds the legislature later passed (a one‑time increase to DAA and one‑time increase tied to free‑and‑reduced rates) were not incorporated into the forms required for the July adoption; she said staff will return with a September revision to incorporate final auditor‑general forms and any one‑time funding identified by the legislature.

The presentation reviewed both the primary and secondary components of the property tax rate and reminded the board that the state determines the qualifying tax rate and most primary components; the adjacent‑ways levy is the locally levied component under ARS 15‑995 and related statutes. Johnson said the proposed adjacent‑ways levy represents about 27% of the overall tax‑rate impact and that Maricopa County will finalize rates in August.

After a motion and second, the board conducted a roll‑call vote. The board recorded the following votes: Samantha Davis — yes; Jennifer Veil — yes; Matt Riffey — yes; Kelly Anderson — yes; Patty Campbell — yes. The motion carried 5–0.

Johnson said, as required, staff will submit the affidavit of publication, the truth‑in‑taxation notice and the vote results to the Property Tax Oversight Commission and will file completed adjacent‑ways projects with the School Facilities Division for oversight.

The board’s approved budget retains an estimated general M&O revenue control limit of just over $120 million for fiscal 2026 and an estimated DAA allocation of about $8.2 million; estimated carryforward from fiscal 2025 was reported as approximately $430,000. Johnson also forecasted future budget revisions in September (to incorporate final state forms and one‑time funds) and a potential, but not required, December revision only if needed.