Sahuarita voters will decide on the future of the town’s education system at the polls Tuesday.
Two school governing board members are seeking reelection to continue approving budgets, amending policies and appointing the district superintendent.
Raul Rodriguez was first elected to the board in 2022. He’s a Marine veteran, and a former officer at the Pima County Sheriff’s Office and in the U.S. Border Patrol.
“My priorities begin with maintaining safe and secure schools where students can focus on learning and educators can focus on teaching. I am committed to strengthening academic achievement, expanding educational and career opportunities, and ensuring every student is prepared for success beyond the classroom,” Rodriguez wrote in his statement of interest.
John Sparks, who was first elected in 2014, is seeking his fourth term on the board. He’s a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and faculty member at the University of Arizona College of Nursing.
“During my time on the Board, our students have seen increased access to technology and expanded opportunities for individualized education, both in person and online. Though my own children have now graduated, I remain every bit as engaged in the success and outcomes of every student in our district,” Sparks wrote in his statement of interest.
Proposition 428 will also appear on Sahuarita ballots this year. It proposes the continuation of an existing property tax that funds academics, extracurriculars and safety staff.
The average homeowner would still pay around $23 a month toward the override, according to the district. The district expects to collect around $428,000 next school year from the override funds.
Almost 22,000 residents are registered to vote in the Sahuarita Unified School District which enrolls about 6,000 students.
Voters across the state will be deciding on Proposition 320, a Republican-backed measure that would require districts in Pima County to spend at least 60% of their budgets on direct instruction.
