I was out of town when the TUSD board passed the proposed 2015-2016 budget at its June 23 meeting. The vote was the usual 3-2 split. I didn’t see it covered in the Star, though maybe it was there and I missed it. But covered in the Star or no, it hasn’t been posted here, so I thought I’d give everyone a chance to look at the budget and comment, pro, con or somewhere in between.

The budget won’t be adopted until the July 14 meeting, so it’s not written in stone. The TUSD web page with a summary of the budget, which I put below, has links leading to more details and an email address where people can make comments or recommendations.

The summary shows that the budget has been increased for classroom and classroom-related spending and decreased for administrative costs. It also states that employees are getting across-the-board raises.

• The budget earmarks 50.8 percent of funds to be spent in classrooms or tied to classrooms as defined by the Auditor General.
• An additional 15.9 percent is earmarked for Student and Instructional Support.
• It cuts a total of 8percent from administration in the following areas:

• Executive administration, 9 percent
• Legal Services, 5 percent
• Human Resources, 6 percent
• Finance, 10 percent
• Operations, 8 percent
• Technology Services, 9 percent
• Leadership, 5 percent
• Student Services department, 7 percent 

• Curriculum and Instruction increased by 5 percent.
• The budget reduces the tax rate by an estimated 21 cents, saving taxpayers almost $5 million in 2016.
• It carries forward $14 million from the 2014-15 school year.
• The budget gives across-the-board pay raises to employees.
• The State required budget forms were created using the new ERP/Infinite Visions Accounting System.

As I’ve said before, I’m no expert on budgets. To my untrained eye, this looks pretty good, but I’m willing to stand corrected if I’m shown differently. The floor is open for comments.

This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2015.

9 replies on “The Approved 2015-2016 TUSD Budget”

  1. It looks like to past is paying for the future and sometime it is going to hurt more. I am concerned about student services department. Is that counselors, and social workers etc. I have been curious about what has happened to the library part of the budget. Is that hidden in technology? I know many high schools besides other levels to not have librarian services now, only a library assistant. Places that had 2 librarians and a assistant are now run by one untrained assistant. Schools is Arizona have taken a severe cut already. Going from 48th in the country to 50th does not show in this budget.

  2. They are not 48th in the country. Stop propagating that myth. You need to add grants, both federal and private, tax credits and gifts to know what real spending is.

    You won’t get that number from TUSD.

  4. David this budget smells like dead fish, everything likes good on paper because you can hide and move funding where ever you want it . The fact the board majority ignored their constituents when they voiced their disapproval about the superintendent’s contract, and giving a contractor $18,000 in bonuses when he isn’t even a TUSD employee ( that’s a class 4 felony) shows that the district can not be trusted. You said it was a 3-2 vote for approval , why don’t you show some journalistic integrity and contact Michael Hicks and Dr. Stegeman and find out why they voted no, post it in your comments , and let the public see what is really going . I promise you I will, and then we can have an intelligent conversation about the budget, and I wont ask you to drink the Kool-Aid first.

  5. Amen Brian. You have called him out. I would love to read the other side of the story because I know there is one and we aren’t getting it here.

  6. In order to REALLY improve TUSD, here’s what this line item should have read:

    • Executive administration, 100 percent

  7. So if AZ isn’t 48th in the country, what is the right ranking, Rat? 46th? 47th?

    What’s the number, Rat, can you admit what the right number is?

  8. I gave you the formula to figure it out and told you we would never get the truth. How else can I help you?

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