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Phoenix Elementary School District seeks voter OK for long-term leases; parents warn enrollment loss could worsen
Summary
The Phoenix Elementary School District No. 1 board heard a presentation explaining a November ballot proposition that would allow long-term (21–99 year) leases, sales and exchanges of district property and drew public comment from parents and community members worried about enrollment declines and past leasing transparency. The board discussed how lease revenue — currently about $1.1 million annually — might be used and voted to adjourn to executive session on unrelated personnel matters.
The Phoenix Elementary School District No. 1 governing board on an evening meeting reviewed a proposed November ballot measure that would give voters permission for the district to enter long-term leases (21–99 years), to sell property with restricted use of proceeds for bond debt repayment and reinvestment into buildings, or to exchange land with other parties.
Sarah Sims, executive director of strategic initiatives, told the board the measure would expand the district’s options to generate revenue from property while keeping restrictions on how sale proceeds are used. Sims said some existing voter-approved long-term leases include Booker T. Washington, Fillmore and Monterey Park, and that current real-estate lease revenue across the district is about $1,100,000 per year. She described examples of allowable uses for lease revenue, including supplementing preschool, expanding after-school programming, transportation contracting for field experiences and training for family and community engagement specialists.
Public commenters pushed for more transparency and raised concerns tying leasing and closures to declining enrollment. Allison Gulick, a district parent, said the district lost “over 10%” of its enrollment in the most recent 40-day count after closures at Heard and Dunbar and urged the board to stop consolidating resources and to prioritize classroom programs. Paul Booth, an electronic commenter, urged the board to publish detailed lease terms — who pays rent, whether utilities are included and who maintains buildings — and warned that opaque deals could erode voter support for future bond measures. April Pettit, president of PECTA, urged supporters to join canvass events for an override and described program areas the override would protect, saying the override is “not a tax increase.”
Board members asked whether the ballot measure would enable school closures. Sims replied that long-term lease authority is separate from the formal legal process required to close a school and that closures require separate public-notice and hearing steps. She described a review committee that screens prospective lessees for community benefit, student access and alignment with the district mission and said leases are reviewed by legal counsel. Sims offered long-term lease examples — including a commercial lease with periodic CPI-based escalators and potential land leases to enable affordable housing or community centers — and said developers often require long-term rights to secure financing.
The board did not take a final vote on the ballot question at this meeting. The board did move to adjourn into executive session at 6:02 p.m. for legal advice on an unrelated personnel matter before returning to other agenda items later in the meeting.
What’s next: The ballot language and recommended properties remain part of the public packet and the district staff said they will continue community forums and provide more detail on lease terms and projected revenues in future board updates.
