MESA, AZ — Voters will decide on two propositions in November that could reshape the future of the district's aging buildings and unused properties.
Mesa Public Schools is asking voters to consider two ballot propositions in November, one that would fund repairs and upgrades to aging school buildings, and another that would give the district's board authority to sell, lease or trade five district properties.
Proposition 419 asks voters to approve $449 million for building repairs and upgrades across the district. The district says that figure is less than half of what it actually needs — more than $1 billion — to bring every school building up to standard. Priorities include building maintenance, air conditioning, roofing and plumbing.
Norine Neilson, who spent more than 20 years as a Mesa Public Schools employee, supports the measure.
"To upgrade the buildings, I'm all for that," Neilson said.
Neilson says she saw firsthand the conditions inside some of the district's older buildings.
"Some of the buildings I was in at Jordan Elementary School were in the back by the trailers. They had asbestos in them. There were breathing problems -- a lot of asthma people," Neilson said.
Proposition 420 would authorize district leaders to sell, lease or trade five district properties, including the district's community outreach center. The district says any money generated from those transactions would be used only for approved capital purchases. A district spokesperson says the measure would allow Mesa's school board to vote on each sale individually, without returning to voters each time.
Superintendent Matthew Strom spoke with us in July about Proposition 420.
"The first step is getting voter approval. We can't do any of this without voter approval," Strom said.
Strom said the board would work with a realtor to make informed decisions on any property sales or leases.
"If you're asking me, will we get fair market rent, the answer, if the board decides to lease, the answer to that is yes. We will get fair market value. We're required by law to do so. That will be able to offset some funds on the capital expense side of maintaining our other buildings," Strom said.
We also spoke with a neighbor near the community outreach center, who said he believes it would benefit everyone if the district could sell that property.
The five properties listed under Proposition 420 are:
| Property | Address | Size |
|---|---|---|
| McKellips Learning Center | 325 E. McKellips Road, Mesa | ~2.96 acres |
| Riverview | 1731 N. Country Club Drive, Mesa | ~6.60 acres |
| Student Service Center | 1025 N. Country Club Drive, Mesa | ~3.90 acres |
| Administrative Service Center | 63 E. Main Street, Mesa | ~0.41 acres |
| Sunridge Learning Center | 737 W. Guadalupe Road, Mesa | ~3.22 acres |
Election Day is Nov. 3. Voter registration opens Oct. 5.
Find more information on the school district’s website here.
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
Want more news in your community? Add ABC15 as a preferred source on Google below:
