Jeep Trips: Asbestos Point, Aztec Peak: 1B ARIZONA NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION PAPER OF THE YEAR 2014
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PAYSON ROUNDUP TUESDAY | NOVEMBER 17, 2015 | PAYSON, ARIZONA
75 CENTS
First winter storm blankets Rim Country Sunny skies to prevail remainder of week by
Alexis Bechman
roundup staff reporter
Alexis Bechman/Roundup
Although cottonwoods still wore their gaudy fall outfits, an early winter storm dumped several inches of snow on Rim Country, causing surprised drivers to slip and slide. The National Weather Service predicted the storm would move out by Tuesday, but ski resorts will open early this year.
A chilly cold system blew into town Monday and brought with it the first significant snowfall for the Payson area. While the snow won’t stick around long in Payson, the blanket of snow that coated the Mogollon Rim should be around for a few days. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain chilly, although things should dry out. On the roadways, Monday’s daylong storm caused a few minor accidents and slide-offs, with at least one rollover east of town and a semi rolling overnight north of Strawberry. Crews were expected to close State Route 87 near Strawberry, at milepost 273, for at least an hour mid-morning Tuesday to remove Photo courtesy of DJ Craig the semi, which rolled on its right The geese at Green Valley Park might have wondered on Monday if they put off flying south for a little too long. See Storm, page 10A
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Homeowners ponder fine print of this year’s tax bill Payson’s voter-approved override goes to classrooms by
Where the Property Taxes Go
Michele Nelson
Payment due by Dec. 2 for schools, county, districts by
Teresa McQuerrey
roundup staff reporter
roundup staff reporter
The Payson Unified School District has not wasted the faith and respect shown by Rim Country voters when they supported the override tax — 100 percent of the funds raised have gone to classrooms and salaries, said PUSD Business Manager Kathie Manning. In a report to the PUSD school board on Oct. 26, Manning said the majority of the override funds go toward technology, music, band, chorus and physical education classes. “Approximately $853,170 of override funds are currently budgeted to maintain opportunities for students to participate in classes such as technology, music, band, chorus and P.E.,” Manning said. “That supports 14.7 teachers.” Another $227,330 of override funds pays for four teachers in the elementary schools to keep classroom sizes smaller. Without the override funds, Manning said the district would have had to cut those positions due to state budget cuts.
Gila County mailed out property tax bills in October and the first half of the payment was due Nov. 2. The second half is due May 2, 2015. If a property owner wants to pay the full amount, the payment must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2015 to avoid interest payments. The amounts due differ for every home based on its assessed value. However, the percentages are the same. Here’s a closer look at your property tax bill, with the help of Jacque Griffin, director of the Gila County Library District and assistant county manager, along with material provided by Jeff Hessenius, Gila County finance director. The county’s primary tax rate is $4.19 per $100 of assessed value; the secondary tax rate is one-tenth of the primary value. So, the higher the assessed value of a property, the greater the tax bill — the assessed value is different from market value.
• See Where does money, page 2A
• See Payson budget, page 2A
Universities left in the lurch Cozy crafts and a caring heart
by
Pete Aleshire
roundup editor
The dire plight of the state’s three public universities has been largely overlooked in the uproar over funding for K-12 education. However, by most measures the state’s universities took a much harder hit when the Arizona Legislature slashed state spending after state revenues fell by a third in the Great Recession. Although state revenues have recovered and the surplus is expected to grow to $650 billion by THE WEATHER
Outlook: Sunny with highs warming to the low to mid 60s; lows in the mid 30s by the weekend. Details, 9A
volume 25, no. 90
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the end of the current fiscal year, the Legislature has continued making cuts in support for the three state universities. Even with state revenues recovering this year, lawmakers hacked state support for the universities by an additional 13 percent — or about $99 million. The state has cut its support for the universities by more than half in the past several years. The cuts prompted the Arizona Board of Regents to approve a doubling in tuition. The state’s universities went from the bottom third nationally for tuition to the top third, with increases continuing in response to added cuts. Currently, the state pays about one-third of the cost of an undergraduate student. In 2008, the state covered 72 percent of the cost and in 1998 the state covered 88 percent. The Board of Regents has appealed to lawmakers to restore cuts and to cover 50 percent of the cost per student going forward. In return, the universities have promised to promote greater innovation, cut costs and implement strict accountability measures, like ensuring the bulk of students graduate within six years.
• See Universities, page 9A
by
Alexis Bechman
roundup staff reporter
Tucked off in a corner room crowded with bowls of fresh popcorn, stacks of colorful cotton material, plastic trays with sparkly beads and the smell of a warming glue gun, the grandma everyone wishes they had sits behind a desk stacked high with projects. For the past five years, Darlene May, 82, with the help of friend, Martha Teubner, takes in a handful of girls each week to teach them to sew and make crafts in a cozy craft room in a home off Mud Springs Road. Recently, the group made care bags for the
The Heart of the
Holidays
• See Care and concern, page 2A
Alexis Bechman/Roundup
Darlene May, 82, and Martha Teubner teach girls to sew pajamas and such so women and children in the Time Out Shelter will know someone cares.
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