The Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board called a budget override election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to request voter authorization to exceed the Maintenance and Operation Budget Limit by 15% of the revenue control limit to fund existing programs. The budget override will be in effect for the next seven years, or through the 2030-31 school year.
As of 9 p.m. on Tuesday, with all precincts counted, the vote was 2,917 votes in favor, or 60.82%, and 1,879 votes against, or 39.18%.
In Yavapai County, 2,395 voters, or 60.56%, were in favor, with 1,560 or 39.44% against. This includes West Sedona, the Red Rock Loop Road area, the Village of Oak Creek and the unincorporated areas east of Sedona city limits.
In Coconino County, 522 voters, or 62.07%, were in favor, with 319 or 37.93% against. This includes Uptown, the Chapel area, the Gallery Row area and Oak Creek Canyon.
Officially known as Question 460 on the ballots, the budget override has passed. This was a mail-in-only ballot election.
The override is a continuation of the existing 15% override. With voter approval the total amount of the override for fiscal year 2024-25 will be $849,213.
The estimated secondary tax rate needed to fund the full override is $0.12 per $100 of net assessed valuation for secondary tax purposes. The estimated cost to an owner of a home with a limited property value of $478,243 (the average value of a home in the SCOSD) would be approximately $57 per year.
The 15% Maintenance and Operation budget override continues funding for programs currently serving SCOSD students, including:
- Art and music programs
- Physical education programs
- School safety and security
- Smaller class sizes
- All-day Kindergarten
If the override had failed, the existing 15% override would have been phased out by reducing it by one-third $283,071 in 2024-25 and another one-third in fiscal year 2025-26. The board could have asked for another election in 2024, but still have had to cut funding in the 2024-25 school year.
The SOCSD Governing Board and Ellen Ferreira, the president of Democrats of the Red Rocks, a local partisan political club, formally wrote arguments in favor of the override. There were no formal arguments against. Budget override ballot questions have passed in every election for the last 25 years.
