Legislation would let school boards increase property taxes
The Arizona House has passed legislation that would allow school boards to increase local property taxes.
The House voted thirty one to twenty six to advance House Bill 2399. It would allow school districts to set bond limits of up to twenty percent of the tax base, up from the current limit of up to ten percent. The increased tax would be used to pay for bonds that fund school construction and repairs. Supporters describe the proposed tax increase as a temporary solution, while opponents say it would hurt homeowners. More than one hundred state school districts have outstanding bonds to pay for construction, equipment and school buses. But a third of the districts cannot raise more money because they have reached the bond limit established under state law. And recent budget cuts have led to schools receiving millions of fewer dollars from the state. Steve Goldstein, KJZZ News, Phoenix.
