The Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is asking for a continuation of the 15% 2019 Maintenance and Operations Override totalling $22,350,888.

- If you aren't already registered to vote, the last day to register in order to be eligible to vote in this election is Tuesday, October 10th, 2023.

• Check your voter registration status at ezaz.org/vote

- Ballots will be mailed on October 11, 2023. The last day to request early ballot October 27 

- VOTED BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 7 p.m., November 7th. MAIL ballots by October 31st.

All registered voters that reside in the SUSD will receive a ballot by mail with voting instructions in the envelope.

- Hides Child's Transgender Status from parents. - SOURCE 

- Controversial RFID Trackers In Student Badges - SOURCE 

- Scottsdale Unified publicly releases unredacted names of parents who request review of their child’s school curriculum - SOURCE 

- The School District's Superintendent, Scott Menzel previously stated, “There’s a misperception that educational equity is really only for ethnically and racially diverse districts. But white people have racial identity as well, and in fact problematic racial identity that we typically avoid." He goes on, “White people need to feel comfortable and quite frankly we shouldn’t feel comfortable. We should feel really, really uncomfortable, because we perpetuate a system by ignoring the realities in front of us, and living in a mythological reality.” Menzel also said he has an "obligation" to tear down the system. - SOURCE 

- Has at least 5 teachers who have signed a pledge to teach Critical Race Theory (CRT) and all other social justice-oriented curriculum to children, regardless of the law or the wishes of parents. - SOURCE 

- Critical Race Theory teaches that systemic racism is part of American society - from education and housing to employment and healthcare. - SOURCE 

- Dedicated to ensuring equitable programs. - SOURCE 

- Equity teaches people and children that there is systemic racism, they are entitled to reparations and more because of the color of their skin. - SOURCE

- 94.25% Graduation Rate 

- 61% of students are proficient or highly proficient at English Language Arts 

- 56% of students are proficient or highly proficient at Math 

- 57% of students said their school has issues with theft or violence - SOURCE 

- More than 50% of respondents reported that students experience bullying based on their physical appearance (59%), gender identity or expression (57%), and sexual orientation (53%) a few times a month or more. - SOURCE

- SUSD pays an average of $59,061 per teacher. 

- The average salary in Scottsdale is $65,000

Voters will be asked to say yes or no on one measure: 

- A 15% Budget Override

- The Override is an estimated tax rate of $0.3318 per $100 of net assessed valuation. According to the State and County Abstract from the Arizona Department of Revenue, the value of an average home in Scottsdale is $523,750. The estimated net assessed valuation of this home is taxed at 10%, or $52,375. With an estimated tax rate of $0.3318 applied per $100 of net assessed valuation, the owner of this home would pay $173.78 per year to support the renewed Maintenance and Operations Override. 

- Shows up on your tax bill as secondary property tax. 

- Property taxes combined add up to thousands of dollars! 

- To view your current property tax liability, visit https://treasurer.maricopa.gov/Parcel/ParcelSearch.aspx

- SUSD spends $13,555 per student 

- Has $18.4 million Covid Funds to spend by Sept. 30, 2024

- Once any outstanding Bonds and Overrides are repaid, you won't have to continue paying Secondary property taxes related to the bond. 

Comparing to the 2018-2019 School Year Performance to the 2021-2022 School Year Performance 

- Drop in Enrollment of 846 Students [Nearly 4%] 

- Drop Out Rate Nearly Doubled from 1.3% to 2.39% 

- 1% Drop in Math Proficiency 

- 1.95% Increase in Graduation Rate 

- 5% Increase in English Proficiency 

- Reported Instances of Violence More than Halved, going from 1,076 to 441 [Nearly 2.5 Instances per Day Based on 180 Days per Arizonan School Year] 

- Total Students Reported as Harassed or Bullied Increased from 0 to 5 

- Total Students with Chronic Absenteeism Increased from 3,795 to 4,471 

- Total Students Enrolled in at least One Advanced Placement Course Increased from 1813 to 1,917

- Once any outstanding Bonds and Overrides are repaid, you won't have to continue paying Secondary property taxes related to the bond. 

- If the measure passes, the current Secondary tax rates will remain the same; however; 

- If the measure passes, the total amount of taxes paid will likely go higher if there is continued inflation related to property values.

SUSD is legally allowed to call the override a continuation even though we will vote to approve it as if it is new.

If this Proposition passes, the voters are supposed to be Supporting: 

- Staff 

- Smaller class size ratios 

- Competitive teacher compensation 

- All-day Kindergarten. 

- Professional Development 

- Athletics 

- Extra-Curricular Activities 

- World Languages 

- Fine Arts

- If the override measure is defeated, your landlord’s taxes will go down and could mitigate future rent increases. 

- Irrespective of being a property owner, we all want to see the kids receive a quality education. 

- To view your current property tax liability, visit https://treasurer.maricopa.gov/Parcel/ParcelSearch.aspx