On Sept. 27, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) filed a Notice of Claim putting Maricopa County on notice of MCCCD’s legal claims and the relief being sought in response to the County's years of miscalculations and lack of resolution related to the Qasimyar v. Maricopa County class action lawsuit. The Qasimyar decision found that starting in 2015, Maricopa County incorrectly classified certain residences for tax purposes, resulting in substantial errors in how the County assessed property taxes.
MCCCD is one of nearly 1,500 taxing jurisdictions being harmed by the County's significant property tax miscalculations. As one of the largest impacted jurisdictions, with 75% of our budget funded through property taxes, we have been responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and are committed to protecting our taxpayers and students from the financial burden of the County’s decisions and actions.
As a result of this case, the County must refund nearly $330 million to taxpayers, and it asserts that MCCCD's portion of this refund is nearly $45 million. This sum includes a significant amount of interest—over 23% of the total amount at the present moment—despite the District having no knowledge or control over the mistakes made by the County since 2015.
Maricopa County has known of this case since 2015. They chose to appeal that decision twice, losing both times. The County did not involve or inform the taxing jurisdictions that would ultimately be financially responsible for its decisions, thereby placing the burden on them without addressing the mistakes or informing them of the financial consequences. Interest continues to accrue due to the County’s unilateral decisions, further compounding the impact of the miscalculations.
In recent weeks, the County has begun withdrawing funds from MCCCD’s account without consent. MCCCD has made multiple attempts to engage with the County to navigate this situation and find a fair and reasonable solution, particularly as it relates to the significant interest that has accrued.
Our goal is to develop a fiscally responsible plan to repay only our portion of the funds owed to local taxpayers while minimizing the impact on our students and the communities we serve. It is critical that we reach a fair and reasonable resolution as quickly as possible to minimize any impact on programs or students at our 10 community colleges. MCCCD takes our fiduciary responsibilities seriously and remains committed to using the power of education to transform lives and enrich communities through teaching, learning, and service.