Fountain Hills Unified School District board adopts 2026–27 budget, lowers primary tax rate

Fountain Hills, Ariz. — The Fountain Hills Unified School District Board unanimously adopted its 2026–2027 budget after a brief public hearing on the plan and a motion to publish the adopted budget summary.

Dr. Allen presented the adopted fiscal 2026–27 budget and highlighted two changes from the proposed version. He said the district’s projected primary tax rate for fiscal 2027 is 1.1969 and that, as a result, the district will collect roughly $1 million less in property taxes than in the prior year. He also said the audit-services line was split in the adopted document: $48,500 charged to the non-federal maintenance and operations fund and $3,300 to federal/all funds, replacing a single $52,000 total that appeared in the proposed budget.

The board paused its regular meeting to hold the public hearing required by state rules before adopting the budget; no members of the public attended to comment. During the presentation, a board member asked whether the adopted budget accounted for Proposition 123; Dr. Allen replied that Proposition 123 has expired and that he was not yet able to identify any replacement funding, noting new state budget forms have been released and that a revised adopted budget would be presented with more detail by about Sept. 15.

After questions, a board member moved to approve the 2026–2027 adopted budget as presented and to publish the required adopted budget summary. The motion was seconded and carried by unanimous voice vote. The board signed the budget documents and adjourned.

What happens next: The district will publish the adopted budget summary as required; Dr. Allen said staff will prepare a revised adopted budget using the new state forms and present details on any replacements for expired programs by mid-September.