As the General Election approaches, the VPN has been hard at work on several issues. They are all equally important to the wellbeing and success of our schools.
Override – First is the override (Prop 449). The override that has led to Vail’s success is about to expire. It needs to be renewed by voters, or we will lose the 100 teachers it funds.
We encourage all Vail residents to vote yes on Prop 449. This will renew the current 10% override as well as provide a 2.5% raise to teachers and non-administrative staff, which is desperately needed to combat the Arizona teacher crisis. We need to attract and retain quality teachers in Vail.
We are still 50th for educational funding, even after Prop 123. We are still last place! This is simply unacceptable. Prop 449 will help keep our PE, Music, and Art programs, and keep our classroom sizes from increasing.
Governing Board – Another issue that will be on our ballots for the Vail residents is filling three open seats on the school board. The Vail Parent Network has endorsed Allison Pratt, Callie Tippett, and Mark Tate for the Vail Governing Board. These three candidates have served our schools in numerous capacities over the years. They are dedicated to keeping Vail Schools strong and to working together with the current board members to do what’s best for our children. Please vote for the three most qualified candidates this November for Vail Governing Board… PRATT, TIPPETT, and TATE!
Legislature – Finally, LD14 has two open seats in the House and one in the Senate. The Vail Parent Network has met many times with the candidates, and there are three strong candidates who value public education and have promised to fight to improve things in Arizona. The Vail Parent Network has endorsed Drew John and Mike Holmes for the House and Jaime Alvarez for the Senate. Arizona children deserve better than our current legislators have been giving.
Strong schools make strong communities. Please exercise your right to vote this November!
