Arizona District Stonewalls Again

A Transparency Battle Reaches the 100-Day Mark

At the Arizona State Capitol, a transparency dispute that began quietly in late summer has now reached a milestone few expected: 100 days without compliance. Tolleson Union High School District—already under scrutiny for financial management concerns—continues to block state lawmakers’ access to routine public financial records, prompting renewed calls for accountability.

Arizona State Representative Matt Gress, Chairman of the House Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC), marked the 100-day threshold with a pointed statement condemning the district’s refusal.

“It has been 100 days since I asked for basic financial records,” Gress said. “In that time, the district has refused to provide electronic copies, demanded more than $26,000 in fees meant to discourage oversight, and ignored repeated clarifications. No other public entity in Arizona has ever tried to block access to routine financial information.”

The Origin of the Conflict

The dispute traces back to a July 21 JLAC hearing on district finances, where lawmakers raised questions about spending oversight and financial practices. Following that meeting, Gress formally requested two years of financial transaction data—including all purchase orders—on August 26.

When the district failed to produce the information, Gress sent a follow-up letter on September 17, reiterating that the Legislature needed the data to evaluate the district’s financial stewardship. Despite the clarification, no electronic records have been provided.

Instead, Tolleson Union demanded more than $26,000 in processing fees—charges Gress says are inconsistent with Arizona public-records law, which allows only for minimal copying or mailing costs. Providing electronic records, he notes, is typically simple and free.

“Exporting purchase order data from financial software is straightforward,” Gress emphasized, pointing out that other Arizona districts routinely complete similar requests within days.

Voters Already Signaled Their Frustration

The public’s frustration has been visible long before today’s 100-day mark. In November, Tolleson voters rejected both the district’s bond and override measures, a dramatic reversal from past elections.

According to Gress, the outcome represented a roughly forty-point swing from previous approvals—an unmistakable sign that trust in the district’s leadership has eroded.

“Voters have spoken clearly,” he said at the time. “That kind of reversal doesn’t happen by chance. It reflects taxpayers’ deep concern over how their money is being managed.”

The spending dispute unfolded alongside another controversy: the district’s long-discussed proposal for an $80 million domed stadium, a project that became symbolic of what residents and state officials described as misplaced priorities and insufficient transparency.

A First-in-Arizona Records Standoff

Gress and other lawmakers warn that Tolleson Union’s refusal is unprecedented. No other public entity in Arizona—school district or otherwise—has attempted to withhold electronic financial records from the Legislature.

The district’s resistance, lawmakers argue, undermines public trust and jeopardizes legislative oversight of taxpayer funds. Gress has also raised concerns that the Attorney General’s Office may be advising the district to continue withholding the documents, despite previous instances where the AG’s office itself complied with legislative requests.

“Arizonans have a right to know how their money is used,” Gress said. “A 100-day refusal to cooperate is unacceptable and cannot continue.”

Lawmakers Pledge to Keep Pressing

Gress has made clear that the Legislature is not backing down.

“The Legislature will continue pressing for these records until they are produced,” he said. “Taxpayers deserve answers, and they deserve them now.”

For both state leaders and local voters, the standoff has become a defining test of transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to see how school districts spend their money. Its outcome may shape how public-records requests are handled not just in Tolleson, but across Arizona.