Letter to the Editor:
VVREO Supports Our Schools

By Mary Chicoine, VVREO Chairman,
Robyn Prud’homme-Bauer, Past VVREO Chairman
(October 18, 2013)

Quality Jobs – Quality Education – Quality of Life – Support Our Schools

Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization (VVREO) believes a vibrant and economically strong region begins with quality education for all children who live in the Verde Valley. We believe we have high quality schools in all of the communities of the Verde Valley. So it is important to insure our schools have the resources necessary to maintain the quality education they provide for our children and grandchildren. Besides excellent teachers and staff, adequate facilities, and a broad based curriculum – it is essential to have sufficient financial resources to maintain the excellent schools we have in the Verde Valley. This is the main reason VVREO is supporting the school overrides for the Sedona-Oak Creek School District, Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District and Mingus Union High School District.

Quality schools are also important to attracting or expanding businesses that offer high wage jobs into our communities. These businesses look closely at our schools to see if they have the educational programs to prepare a workforce for their business’ future. Businesses also look closely at our schools to see if they have a quality education program for their employee’s families! VVREO supports investing in our schools.

What does this investment cost? For the Cottonwood-Oak School District the average homeowner’s home valued at approximately $100,000, it is about $3.58 a month. For Mingus Union High School District, it is $1.92 a month. And the overrides will not increase your tax rate because the percentages are already reflected in your current tax rate.

For those who live in the Sedona-Oak Creek School District, it is the restoration of 17 years of override funding. The average Sedona homeowner will pay $61.00 a year on an assessed home value of $297,940.

VVREO believes this is a modest investment that will insure smaller class sizes, intervention and enrichment programs, music and the arts, technology to prepare the digital learner for college and career, physical education, fitness, health support and counseling, athletics and electives.

VVREO says YES to quality schools, YES to quality jobs and YES to quality of life in the Verde Valley. When your mail-in ballot arrives at your home VOTE YES – SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS– Support the School Overrides for Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District, Mingus Union High School District and Sedona-Oak Creek School District.