Business
South Tucson Finalizes Budget; Vail Schools Exclude Transgender Students from Teams

South Tucson has officially unveiled its budget for the fiscal year 2025.
Despite being a few days late and several hundred thousand dollars short, the City Council expects to finalize their financial plans during a meeting on Tuesday. The last local government in the region to approve a budget this year, South Tucson had to address a $600,000 deficit for fiscal year 2024. Fortunately, the city now enjoys a surplus exceeding $3.2 million, enabling it to maintain a contingency fund equivalent to 20% of its $6.7 million total budget.
For the new fiscal year, the city plans to hold the line on spending and anticipates no new revenue increases. Every fine and forfeiture is expected to match this year’s figures. Any extra revenue generated will support programs in the next fiscal year. However, there’s no comprehensive strategy to reduce operating costs through departmental investments, implying a somewhat cautious approach. If revenues exceed expectations, the city will be better positioned next year.
South Tucson is also considering a bond for fire trucks and home rule, which would allow tax increases and higher spending limits. These decisions will be left to voters.
Meanwhile, the Vail Unified School District has revised its policy concerning transgender girls participating in boys’ sports. According to the new policy, school sports teams are to be classified based on the biological sex of the participants. The participation of transgender girls in girls’ sports remains unresolved, pending the outcomes of ongoing legal battles. Currently, the prohibition is on hold due to a federal court decision.
The district also plans to allow home-schooled children to participate in sports and extracurricular activities. The cost will be $750, with high school sports costing $2,000, and select high school courses priced at $1,200. Parents can use their $7,000 vouchers to cover these costs.
Sunnyside school officials are gearing up for the new school year. Despite challenges similar to those faced by other districts, such as finding workers for maintenance and irrigation, they are making significant progress. All but one of their 41 maintenance positions have been filled, and their cafeterias are fully staffed. A new school bus, however, will not arrive until October. Nevertheless, the district remains optimistic about opening in July without major issues.
The Flowing Wells Unified School District Governing Board will vote on a series of nine policy changes on Tuesday. The changes cover areas such as sexual harassment, sex discrimination, qualifications for board members, and building maintenance. Details will be available on Monday. The board will also decide on establishing an advisory committee to discuss a new health curriculum with parents, teachers, and administrators.
Tanque Verde Unified School District Governing Board will vote on a plan to raise school meal prices by 15 to 20 cents. Elementary school breakfast prices will increase from $1.30 to $1.50, while lunch costs will rise from $2.90 to $3.05. Junior high and high school lunches will increase from $3.05 to $3.25. Additionally, a proposal to give bus drivers a $5 per-hour boost for driving students to field trips and sporting events is under consideration.
On the Northwest Side, the Amphitheater Unified School District Governing Board will vote on contracts to hire off-duty police officers for traffic control and security at school events. The costs vary according to the police department, with Oro Valley and Tucson police providing different rates for officers, sergeants, and commanders, including holiday pay rates.
The Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District Board will decide on Tuesday whether to support various small businesses setting up in Downtown Tucson. Applications for assistance range from traditional food services to ready-made meal operations and a restaurant within the Transamerica Building. A vineyard at the Amtrak station is also seeking incentives. Additionally, the Indian Trading Post property faces $50,000 in utility-related expenses due to major renovations. The board needs to address a previous omission of a $150,000 carry-forward request for Downtown mural projects, a minor oversight given their overall efficient operations.