Page 31 - The EDGE Winter 2022

question on the ballot multiple times a year,” she said. Thirteen of 16 passed, and the three that failed – all in
“Now, it can only go once a year. Also, the number of Maricopa County – will be back on the ballot, she said.
M&O questions dropped pretty precipitously, from 53
in 2003 to 23 in 2021.” Starting in 2015, DAAs are only funded with property
taxes. Since then, of 34 overrides, 31 passed. Two of
those that failed were new and one was a continuation,
“Certainly by the first of the year according to Stein.

you should be organized.”
Stein said 2021 was not a good year for bonds with a
50% passage rate. Over the past 20 years, bond issues
Stein tracks whether M&O overrides are new, an that failed generally were what Stein called “on the
increase or a continuation of an existing issue. There larger dollar side.”
were no new overrides in place for fiscal year 2021-22. From 2015 to 2019, school bond elections were on
“This was the first year, 2021, that there were no new the high side – requests totaled $5.8 billion, with $4.6
questions on the ballot and only one increase,” Stein billion approved, Stein said.
said.
Stein offered some random thoughts, wondering
Regarding early-continue M&O overrides, she whether BC means Before Covid (or 2020) and AP
explained that the request for FY 2022-23 is same as means After Pandemic (2020) – and what it means.
FY 2022-23 override percent. “If the election fails, you
get a second bite at it – you can still have it in FY 2023. “We’re all mulling over what’s going on regarding
There is much interest in early-continue. The typical the outcome of school district elections,” Stein said.
passage rate is 70%.” “It could be a terrible economy, but if you’re in one
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