Friday, October 16, 2009

November 3rd Override-Casa Grande HS District

Last year's failure of the override cost students in the Casa Grande High School district dearly, especially when it came to the arts. The Fine Arts department was hit hard when the drama teacher, and choir teacher were laid off and the remaining programs were significantly cut back.

At the time we thought the override failure was the worst thing that could happen and then came the budget cuts from the state legislature. This district now has two major high schools and guess what the first cuts to be made are? The remaining drama and choir programs at two schools, the dance programs at three schools, art and some music.

As it is, many of us continue to work beyond the school day without extra duty contracts, our pay has been frozen and our health benefits cut way back. We are enduring class sizes of 40+ only for those to become even larger if this override fails again.

Like last year I volunteered to call registered voters and encourage them to vote for the override. Although many are supportive, there were many that were not because they don't want to see taxes go up.

Here are the facts:
The override has been in place for twenty years prior to its failure in 2008.
The decrease of taxes due to the failure was less than $32.00 a year per household.
The need for the override is not due to schools mismanaging money, but due to extremely poor funding in our state, which has just become much worse in the past fiscal year.

Please get out and vote on Nov. 3. Toltec and Casa Grande Elementary Districts also have overrides on the ballots. Please support the schools and all of our futures by voting Yes! for the overrides.

Aren't our kids and our future generations worth it?

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