2025 Override FAQ
Overrides are used to provide additional funding to support positions or programming that would not be possible with the funding that is received annually from the State or Federal government. School districts can ask their communities to approve a funding increase of up to 15 percent of the district’s revenue control limit through an override election.
All overrides are good for 7 years. They are fully funded in Years 1 through 5, are reduced by 33% in Year 6, and reduced by 67% in Year 7. If voters approve TUSD’s override, the 15 percent would last for five years, 10% in Year 6, and 5% in Year 7. It would begin in the 2026-27 school year and go through the 2032-2033 school year.
No. TUSD has not had a voter-approved override in more than 25 years. If approved, this would be the first successful override election since the mid-1990’s.
State law allows school districts to exceed their revenue control limit through local override funding. All school district overrides require approval from eligible school district voters to use additional property taxes to approve the override funding.
If voters do not approve the override, TUSD will be required to make significant budget reductions across all programs, which will halt future improvements and result in reductions to current resources in the areas the override is meant to support.
The Maintenance and Operations Override is funded through a levy of property taxes on all taxable property within the boundaries of the Tucson Unified School District. The taxes are based on a property’s limited assessed value on your valuation statement from the Pima County Assessor. This is different from the value you would find on websites like Zillow. If approved, the override will result in an average annual tax of $103 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for homeowners.
The 15% Maintenance & Operations Override will be paid by a property tax levy on all taxable property in TUSD. The estimated average tax rate in the first year will be $1.03 per $100 of limited assessed valuation.
USING THE PROPERTY TAX CALCULATOR
The calculator below will help calculate the estimated property taxes related to the 15% Maintenance & Operations Override. To use the calculator, you will need to find the limited value and assessment ratio for the 2026 valuation year from the Pima County Assessor’s website.
Once on the Assessor’s website, you can search your property either by parcel number, which is found on your property tax bill or notice of valuation, or street address.
USING THE PROPERTY TAX CALCULATOR
The calculator below will help calculate the estimated property taxes related to the 15% Maintenance & Operations Override. To use the calculator, you will need to find the limited value and assessment ratio for the 2026 valuation year from the Pima County Assessor’s website.
Once on the Assessor’s website, you can search your property either by parcel number, which is found on your property tax bill or notice of valuation, or street address.
You must be a registered voter in the Tucson Unified School District by October 6, 2025. You can register to vote here. All eligible voters will receive a ballot in the mail starting on October 8, 2025. Completed ballots can be cast at any Early Voting Site or at any Election Day Vote Center. If you are returning your ballot by mail, it is recommended that you mail your ballot by October 28. Locate a listing of Early Voting Sites and Election Day Vote Centers.