Today marks 100 days since the Tolleson Union High School District received a request for its financial transaction records from Arizona State Representative Matt Gress. Gress, who serves as Chairman of the House Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, expressed his concerns about the district’s lack of compliance.
“It has been 100 days since I asked for basic financial records from the Tolleson Union High School District,” Gress said. He criticized the district for not providing electronic copies, imposing fees exceeding $26,000, and ignoring requests for clarification. “No other public entity in Arizona has ever tried to block access to routine financial information,” he added.
Gress emphasized the Legislature’s responsibility to oversee taxpayer money usage and raised concerns over the district’s refusal to release purchase orders and financial transactions. The rejection of the district’s bond and override by voters in November highlighted their demand for accountability.
He urged the district’s governing board to instruct staff to provide the requested records promptly. “Exporting purchase order data from financial software is straightforward and regularly done by other districts in a matter of days,” Gress noted. He deemed the 100-day delay unacceptable and pledged continued efforts to obtain these records.
Representative Gress initially requested the financial data on August 26 after a legislative audit hearing on district finances, followed by a letter on September 17. Despite these efforts, compliance remains pending.
Matt Gress was elected to represent Arizona’s 4th House District in 2023, succeeding Joel Joh. He is also active on social media under @MatthewGress.
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