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WestMEC audit flags $155,000 Phoenix Raceway sponsorship and other spending that may have violated gift‑clause rules
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Summary
Two Auditor General reports on WestMEC found operations and internal‑control problems and identified about $200,000 in potentially wasteful spending, including a $155,000 sponsorship with Phoenix Raceway whose student assignments largely did not demonstrate program‑relevant technical work.
The Auditor General reported to JLAC that Western Maricopa Education Center (WestMEC), a large career and technical education district, had operational weaknesses and spending that in some cases appeared wasteful or potentially inconsistent with the state constitution’s gift clause.
Alexa Tovasi, deputy director for school audits, summarized findings from two reports: the May 2025 report (11 findings, 42 recommendations) and a September 2025 follow‑up that focused on roughly $200,000 of questionable spending. The AG’s office flagged a $155,000 sponsorship agreement in FY2024 with Phoenix Raceway that branded WestMEC as an "official technical school of Phoenix Raceway" and provided tickets and other benefits. Auditors said their review of two raceway events showed 97% of participating students (200 of 206) were assigned duties unrelated to their CTE technical programs and that many premium event benefits (VIP lounge tickets, complimentary food/alcohol) did not demonstrably serve a legitimate district educational purpose.
Tovasi said auditors found insufficient documentation of who used tickets and that the district did not reduce its financial obligation to the raceway after declining future ticket benefits. The AG recommended WestMEC consult legal counsel to determine whether distributions or ticket allocations resulted in a gift of public monies and to report any determinations to the Arizona Attorney General’s office, and to adopt procedures for assessing sponsorship costs and benefits before approving agreements.
WestMEC representatives — assistant superintendent for business Ryan French and HR/operations assistant superintendent Kathy Mays — told JLAC the agreement was a multi‑year package and that the district has since stopped accepting raceway tickets and will document sponsorship benefits going forward. They said WestMEC agreed with many recommendations and has already increased pass‑through funding to member districts, improved procurement controls and established processes to document sponsorship value and to report findings to the attorney general as recommended. WestMEC officials also defended the district’s broad CTE offerings, pointed to high industry credential pass rates in many programs, and described capital and campus expansions funded from accumulated fund balances and a recent bond.
Committee members pressed for more details about ticket distribution, VIP benefit use, membership upgrades and whether any staff had sought or received preferential access tied to sponsorships. Members also asked for clearer fund‑balance policies and tighter purchasing controls to ensure bond and fund‑balance money is spent as intended.
Next steps: Auditor General staff said they will follow up in early 2026 on the sponsorship, membership upgrades and other spending; WestMEC agreed to provide additional documentation and to implement recommended procedures to evaluate future sponsorships.
