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Grand Canyon School override election on the horizon

Grand Canyon School. Clara Beard/WGCN

Grand Canyon School. Clara Beard/WGCN

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Area voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether or not Grand Canyon School (GCS) will continue to receive override funds from property taxes.

Every Arizona school has the opportunity up to a 15 percent override election, meaning an increase of 15 percent to the maintenance and operation budget.

The school is looking for 9.3 percent increase to its maintenance and operation budget, the sum of which is $155,891.

"The goal of the school is to be a good steward of the financial burden that we've already placed on the taxpayers, so we're asking for the exact same dollar amount that we've received in the past," Dickerson said. "Even though our maintenance and operations budget has gone up slightly, our goal was the exact same dollar amount."

Dickerson said if the override passes, like it has in the past, it won't affect anyone's taxes, "because they're already paying that amount."

However, if the override doesn't pass, the school's budget will stay the same this year, including the override portion. Next year it will be reduced by 1/3 of the amount, and then another 1/3 the year after. In three years, the money would disappear and the school wouldn't be able to continue music, art and P.E. classes.

"With such a strong support of those programs in the past, the school district has asked for the override," Dickerson said.

Coconino County Community College override

With a $15 million reduction in state aid in the last seven years, Coconino Community College (CCC) is also seeking financial help through a budget override.

If voters approve the seven-year override, it would generate about $4.5 million per year from property taxes. Based on the average home value in Coconino County of $170,000, residents would pay an additional $4.20 per month or about $50 per year in property taxes if voters approve the override.

The college's district governing board unanimously approved pursuing the override at its June 25 meeting. The override election will take place Nov. 5 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. People can request an early mail ballot until Oct. 25.

Jack Hadley, a CCC District Governing Board Member, said he was unsure of what would happen if the override does not pass, although he assumed it would cause additional cuts across the board.

"You can't run a business on a loss year after year," he said.

Hadley said CCC is dipping into its reserve fund this year, which could last about a 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years. Once the reserve funds are gone, college officials would have to discuss potentially losing some of their programs if voters do not approve the override.

CCC serves more than 10,000 students, offering arts and science courses, career and technical education and workforce training.

In 2007, CCC was getting 23 percent of its budget from state aid. The college now receives 12 percent of its funding from state aid, 45 percent from tuition and fees, 42 percent from property taxes and 1 percent from other sources.

Besides the cut in state funding, property taxes also play a role in CCC's budget shortfall.

CCC's property tax rate has virtually stayed the same since 1991, while enrollment has grown. The current rate is the lowest of all the community colleges in the state, at about $0.36 for every $100 of property value.

To cope with these dwindling funding sources, the college has had to raise tuition every year in the past few years. Tuition has increased 89 percent since 2007, and is now at $2,760. CCC's tuition is now the highest of any community college in the state.

The college has also reduced staff by 15 percent, cut 20 percent of classes, eliminated 30 percent of programs and closed its Williams campus.

CCC has never had an override in place. The college asked for one in 2006, but the voters did not approve it.

CCC officials will put on an open house to answer questions about the override election from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Williams High School Annex, 636 S. Seventh St. More information can be found at www.coconino.az.gov/elections.


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