Override
from both sides
Friends,
foes discuss issue
Anne
Ryman
The Arizona
Republic
Feb. 28, 2003
SCOTTSDALE
- Supporters of the
upcoming budget
override election in
the Scottsdale
Unified School
District say that it
may not be a slam
dunk despite their
high-profile
campaign - and that
they're taking
nothing for granted.
Although there is no
organized
opposition, a number
of dissenting voices
spoke out at a
community forum on
the override at
Scottsdale Community
College and said
they plan to vote no
at the polls March
11.
The one-hour forum
Wednesday night was
sponsored by the Scottsdale
Republic. In
addition to critics,
the forum also drew
a number of
supporters from the
Scottsdale Parent
Council, the largest
districtwide parent
group in the
Scottsdale School
District.
Critics say they
have various reasons
for opposing the
override. While all
say they support
education and the
schools, some
disagree with the
way the school
district spends
money. Others don't
want higher taxes at
a time when the
economy is bad.
Overrides allow
school districts to
spend 10 percent
more than
state-imposed
spending caps. The
Scottsdale district
has had an override
in place since the
late 1980s, but
voters in November
2001 didn't approve
an extension of it.
The override is
being phased out
over three years
unless voters
approve the ballot
measure next month.
Joseph Mistovich,
78, is a retired
electrical engineer
who said Arizona
school districts
should do a better
job managing their
utilities. He said
he will vote no on
the override for
this reason.
If he voted yes, he
said he would feel
that "it's a
reward for
incompetence, poor
management, and it
gives them no
incentive to
improve."
Supporters, however,
say the override is
essential. Two years
ago, the override
was paired with a
bond issue, and
though there was no
organized
opposition, both
failed by a wide
margin. This time,
supporters are
trying to keep their
message out there.
They plan another
push next week to
prospective voters
by running telephone
banks on Tuesday,
Wednesday and
Thursday evenings.
"We're still
doing everything we
can to make sure
people understand
the issue,"
said Joan
Agostinelli,
president of the
Scottsdale Parent
Council, which
supports the
override. But she
recognizes that
"some people's
minds are made
up."
Overrides fund many
valuable programs,
said Bob Flach, the
Scottsdale
district's chief
financial officer
and a panelist at
Wednesday's
community forum.
District officials
have said they may
have to cut up to
179 teaching
positions and raise
class sizes. Art,
music, physical
education and
athletics also could
be cut or
eliminated.
Michael Hunter, one
of Wednesday's
panelists and vice
president of the
Arizona Tax Research
Association, said it
is a common tactic
for school boards or
municipalities to
mention cuts in
essential services
if voters don't pass
an override.
Hunter said he is
not suggesting
Scottsdale is up to
any chicanery but
said people should
hold supporters
accountable for
their rhetoric.
Questions at
Wednesday's forum
also touched on the
number of assistant
principals and
Scottsdale's
administrative
costs. A recent
Arizona Auditor
General's report on
administrative
expenses said
Scottsdale spends
$536 per student,
compared with the
state average of
$599. The district
puts 59 percent of
its dollars in the
classroom. The state
average is 58
percent, according
to the report.
Neighboring Paradise
Valley Unified
School District puts
64 percent of its
dollars in the
classroom while Mesa
and Deer Valley put
62 percent.
Not counted in the
59 percent spent in
the classroom is
money spent to pay
support staff, such
as nurses,
librarians and
school resource
officers, Flach
said. He said the
district's central
administrative staff
makes up 2.3 percent
of the budget. Even
if all the central
administration was
cut, it wouldn't
solve the financial
problems, he said.
Clerical staff also
isn't included in
the classroom
instruction
percentages.
The Scottsdale
district has been
criticized for its
number of assistant
principals. Last
year, a survey of
neighboring
districts showed
that Scottsdale had
43 assistant
principals at 32
schools, more than
twice what the
larger Paradise
Valley Unified
School District has
at its 36 schools.
Flach said some
school districts use
the term
"teacher on
assignment"
when a teacher is
working as an
assistant principal.
Scottsdale has cut
its assistant
principals by 4.5
positions this year,
he said. Some are
serving more than
one school. The
number of assistant
principals is an
area district
officials will
continue to examine,
he said
