Gilbert Values Schools

It was another small turnout at the polls yesterday, but it looks like all 4 items on the ballot passed. The one that interested me most was the one concerning the budget override and the bonding for the new schools.

Those who are new to Gilbert may understand that the town is very committed to its schools, but they may not understand that this has been true for a very long time. Many folks have had the perception for years that a school board position in Gilbert holds more power and prestige than the normal governing positions. So when the rules changed for how schools are built and maintained in Arizona, Gilbert adapted in order to maintain that high standard.

Here is the background of that rule change, from the website of the AZ School Facilities Board:

In 1994, Arizona’s system of school capital finance was declared unconstitutional because it failed to conform to the state constitution’s “general and uniform” clause. That system relied on the secondary property tax, driven by the property wealth of a school district, and general obligation bonding. In 1996, the Arizona Superior Court imposed on the state a deadline of June 30, 1998 to develop a constitutional system of school capital finance or risk closure of K-12 public schools. On July 9, 1998 Governor Jane Dee Hull signed legislation that dramatically reformed the way K-12 schools are constructed in Arizona. This ended the four-year legal and legislative battle and established Arizona as the nation’s school finance reform leader. This legislation/law is known as Students FIRST (Fair and Immediate Resources for Students Today). On November 18, 1999, the Board adopted Building Adequacy Guidelines that now serve as the minimum standards for existing and new school facilities in Arizona.

So when Gilbert failed the Board's formula test to build a new high school, they took it to the voters, and the voters said, "yes, we will fund a new high school and elementary school."

The vote was by a narrow margin; but the town is still committed to schools.