And now we know the rest of the story

In my column from August 29, I shared the story of how Sue and I visited Sun City West, Arizona to obtain additional information on how that community was able to reduce their property taxes by being removed from the surrounding school district. I concluded that article with the following statement:

“From our discussions with the [Sun City West, AZ] staff and the research librarian, they attributed the exemption to the “unincorporated” status of the community.”

If you recall, my wife and I were unsuccessful in gathering much additional information related to the details of how the exemption from school taxes transpired.

I subsequently received information from a Sun City West, AZ resident who was a member of the Association Board at the time the exemption transpired. I received permission to quote them, but I am not at liberty to disclose their identity. Here is an extract from their communication:

“I am an Illini transplant to Sun City West since 1994. I served as a director and legal chair of RCSCW for several years. Consequently I am generally familiar with the procedures that resulted in the majority of the SCW community being removed from the Dysart School District. Prior to the redistricting of DSD boundaries authorized by Title 15 of ARS (Ch 4, Art 3, Sec 15-460), a few residents of RCSCW were elected to the DSD Board. This was feasible primarily because the RCSCW residents outnumbered the number of residents in the DSD boundaries. Following their election, they were able to restrict the funding activities of DSD. Subsequently, the DSD board voted to change the DSD boundaries to eliminate RCSCW residents pursuant to referenced statute. This required a vote of the majority of the residents of RCSCW and a majority vote of non-RCSCW residents.

“Presumably non-residents voted to exclude the RCSCW residents because they recognized the board and would continue to incur financing difficulties, if the RCSCW residents remained in control. Subsequently, the developer acquired additional land, which was not included in the previous boundaries change. Primarily due to the fact the population of DSD had substantially increased and outnumbered the population of the RCSCW residents in the new area, the residents of the newly acquired land attempted a similar scenario without success. About 40 percent of RCSCW residents live in the new area and are assessed approximately twice the school taxes paid by the RCSCW residents after the boundaries were changed. Those residents pay only a state imposed educational tax.”

The Arizona statute referenced above is a 472 page document entitled “School District Unification and Consolidation Commission: Final Report,” wherein the local school boards were given the power to redistrict schools. Accordingly, the “unincorporated” status of Sun City West, AZ, had nothing to do with the redistricting of the schools to eliminate residents of Sun City West, AZ, from the school district. The main intent of the referenced statute was to reduce the number of school districts in Arizona and thereby reduce administrative costs.

Governor Quinn had earlier this year proposed a similar initiative for Illinois, but apparently it fell on deaf ears. Is there hope that a similar initiative in Illinois might provide a means for us to eliminate/reduce school taxes for Sun City Huntley? In any case, now you know the rest of the [Sun City West, AZ] story.

• Send in your questions and ideas to: Sun Day, Frugal Forum Column, P.O. Box 761, Huntley, IL 60142, or, by email to: thefrugalforum@gmail.com.

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