Just Say 'Yes' this Tuesday.

It is often said that all politics is local. This Tuesday in Metro Phoenix, the truth of this political axiom will be played out by a select few. While American participation in elections is notoriously low, those of us who vote for budget overrides and city mayoral ships is downright minuscule. This constitutes rule by the few over the largely uninterested masses, even as these 'obscure' local elections have greater effect, by virtue of their close proximity to the voters.

Nothing is more local than the school districts we send children in our communities to. In my case, Phoenix Union High School District is asking for a redo of an earlier override defeat, a defeat I would partially attribute to voter confusion in my district. The Osborn Elementary override, which passed, took up the entire front page of the ballot due to it's being dispplayed in both English and Spanish. The PUHSD override, placed on the backside of the ballot, recieved fewer votes in total. Apparently, those who wished to oppose the measure had little trouble flipping the ballot around and voting no.

This time around, the PUHSD override will stand alone, and it will hopefully fair better as a result. These overrides will not cost taxpayers any additional money, but should they be defeated, taxpayer savings will be largely negligible, while the school districts will be left with millions in budget cuts. Please join me this Tuesday in supporting public education.