Fountain Hills board unanimously delays M&O override until 2026

The Fountain Hills Unified School Board voted unanimously March 5 to defer seeking a Maintenance & Operations (M&O) override in November 2025, opting instead to revisit the question in 2026. The board cited current one‑year funding in place, an upcoming property sale with restricted use of proceeds, and the roughly $40,000 cost of running an election as reasons to delay.

Board member (Speaker 1) argued the district should wait so it can implement budget reductions and demonstrate responsible stewardship before asking voters for more revenue: “In short, I think we should delay it since we still have funding for this coming year,” the member said. Other trustees agreed, saying a later campaign would allow the district to show concrete progress and to better explain needs to voters.

Board member (Speaker 3) said a 2025 campaign offered little net benefit given increased expenses this year and the risk of voter fatigue: “I don’t think it’s worth risking our relationship with voters or our reputation,” they said. Speaker 12 added that clearer audit results, the timing of a property sale and flat student counts meant the district could better prepare for a future request.

Speaker 3 moved that the district not pursue an M&O override in November 2025; the motion was seconded and approved by a unanimous voice vote. The board did not record individual roll‑call tallies in the public transcript; members described the vote as unanimous.

The board asked staff to continue outreach and fiscal work over the coming year so trustees can present a clearer case to voters if they choose to run a campaign in 2026. No specific ballot language or a new timetable was adopted at the meeting.