Catalina Foothills and Flowing Wells school districts are getting what they asked for from voters, while Sunnyside and Sahuarita now need to find other ways to address their needs.
Catalina Foothills asked for $40 million in bonds, which would be paid out over five years and also a 10 percent capital budget override.
The bond money would be used for renovation projects for school facilities and grounds. The override would help the district equip each student with an Internet-access device.
Flowing Wells’ proposal for a 10 percent maintenance and operations budget override was approved. The override will help the district hire more teachers, fund full-day kindergarten and specialized programs.
Both districts have enjoyed community support for about 20 years with ongoing override and bond project approvals.
Sunnyside and Sahuarita school districts fell short on votes in favor for their requests.
Sunnyside, Tucson-area’s second largest district, asked for a 15 percent override in its maintenance and operations budget, which would have generated $11.8 million over five years.
That money was needed to raise pay for teachers, fund full-day kindergarten and maintain the district’s early childhood programs, including the Ocotillo Early Learning Center.
Sahuarita wanted $40 million in bonds to build a new K-8 school, renovate old ones and buy new school buses to add to its fleet that covers about 3,000 miles on a daily basis.
Superintendents of both districts expressed disappointment in their measures’ defeat, but said their districts would reach out to community members soon.
With Pima County saying it would not finish counting the remaining votes until Friday, the fate of the Continental Elementary School District’s 15 percent maintenance and operations override request was too close to call.
Fewer than 2 percentage points separates that vote. The override, if approved, would generate $515,000 annually for seven years for the Green Valley-area district.
