The Arizona Auditor General found that Apache Elementary School District (AESD) improperly received state funding for out-of-state students and more than $27,500 in excess transportation funding, while raising concerns about employee benefits, technology controls, and the future viability of the eight-student district.
The Auditor General’s Office also reported that one audit finding was omitted from the public report because of its “sensitive nature” and was communicated directly to the district’s governing board and management.
According to the audit highlights, AESD, located on the Arizona-New Mexico state border, served just eight students during fiscal year 2024, with four of those students residing in neighboring New Mexico. Auditors found the district failed to comply with state requirements governing the admission and reporting of out-of-state students and improperly received state funding for those students. The report recommended that the district evaluate operational alternatives given the small number of Arizona students it serves.
The audit found that the district improperly claimed funding for out-of-state students and failed to charge tuition as required by state law. Auditors also concluded that the district improperly reported transportation miles associated with transporting out-of-state students to and from their homes in New Mexico, along with other reporting errors.
The report stated that the district “paid parents to transport students but did not ensure that all reported mileage and transported students were eligible for State funding and reported data was accurate.”
According to the report, those errors resulted in the district receiving more than $27,500 in excess transportation funding during fiscal year 2025 that it will likely be required to repay to the state.
The Auditor General recommended that the district work with the Arizona Department of Education to correct its student enrollment and transportation reporting errors and ensure future compliance with state requirements. Auditors also recommended that if the district continues admitting out-of-state students, it should charge tuition in accordance with state law.
In addition to the funding issues, auditors found that the district may have violated the Arizona Constitution’s Gift Clause by providing unauthorized fringe benefits to two employees. According to the report, the benefits were not included in employee contracts and were not approved by the district’s governing board prior to being provided. Auditors recommended that the district consult legal counsel to determine whether a Gift Clause violation occurred and, if so, report its determination to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
The audit also identified deficiencies in the district’s cash-handling procedures. Auditors reported that the district did not consistently prepare receipts when cash was collected and did not always make deposits in accordance with required timelines, increasing the risk of loss or theft.
The report further found weaknesses in the district’s information technology controls. According to auditors, employees and external users had excessive access to sensitive computerized data, while the district lacked comprehensive system monitoring, security awareness training, and an IT contingency plan. The Auditor General concluded that these deficiencies increased the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information, data loss, errors, and fraud.
Auditors also recommended that the district work with the Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office to evaluate alternative operational structures. Potential options identified in the report include consolidating with another school district, operating as a transportation school district, or dissolving the district and requiring students to attend a nearby district.
The report noted that the majority of the district’s administrative spending was “for superintendent and business manager salaries and benefits.”
According to the Auditor General, the district’s governing board had three filled positions during fiscal year 2024, though one board member later resigned and only two of the three positions were filled when the report was issued in May 2026. The district’s small enrollment prevented the Arizona Department of Education from assigning a school letter grade or publicly reporting student achievement data in order to protect student privacy.
In its formal response to Arizona Auditor General Lindsey Perry, AESD agreed with the audit findings and stated it has already begun implementing corrective actions. Superintendent Loy Ann Guzman wrote, “While some recommendations already have been implemented, the district will continue to work diligently to complete administration of the remaining items and will work to improve the processes and procedures moving forward.”
The district reported that it has instituted procedures requiring proof of residency for enrolled students, worked with the Arizona Department of Education to correct enrollment reporting errors, and does not currently plan to admit out-of-state students. The district also agreed to evaluate operational alternatives with the Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office, review potential Gift Clause issues with legal counsel, improve cash-handling procedures, and implement additional information technology safeguards.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors gained a new ally in their ongoing court battle against Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap over elections authority.
The board received a supporting brief from a former longtime Maricopa County recorder, Helen Purcell.
Purcell, a Republican, filed the 57-page brief with the help of the States United Democracy Center (SUDC) — the same organization that colluded with Attorney General Kris Mayes to prosecute 2020 allies of President Donald Trump.
Purcell’s brief said that the board wasn’t mandated by statute to delegate election administration duties to the recorder but instead retained the power of discretionary judgment to award that authority based on whether the recorder was “cooperative and experienced,” and proving to “serv[e] the interests of the county and its voters.”
Further on, Purcell made the case that the court should “preserve the status quo” by keeping elections authority with the board, due to the nearness of the primary election set to take place next month. She referenced a Supreme Court case involving her, Purcell v. Gonzalez, and the resulting “Purcell Principle”: that courts shouldn’t modify election rules too close to an election.
Purcell also claimed that state law designating elections authority was ambiguous, and that the trial court that ruled in Heap’s favor had established “a blanket hierarchy” not imposed by the law.
“[That ruling declared that] the recorder controls every function where the office is named, and the ‘other officer’ serves only at the recorder’s discretion,” stated Purcell. “That construction disregards the historical and operational context against which these statutes were enacted, and […] would produce results the legislature could not have intended, stripping away the flexibility the legislature built into the statutory scheme.”
Instead, Purcell said the recorder and board each maintained direct authority over certain functions, and shared some. Recorder functions included voter registration and early ballot signature verification, and board functions included Election Day operations, ballot tabulation, and jurisdictional elections, said Purcell, and the two shared functions like chain of custody documentation.
Although Purcell departed from the recorder’s office nearly 10 years ago, she is no stranger to reentering the muddy waters of election-related disputes. Purcell served as county recorder from 1988 to 2017.
Purcell filed a joint brief in support of maintaining a ranked choice voting ballot initiative in 2024 with former state lawmaker Ken Bennett. Another former recorder for Maricopa County, Stephen Richer, also filed a brief in support of the initiative.
Ranked choice voting would require voters to rank every candidate on their ballot. Only the candidate to earn 50% of the vote would be declared the winner. Otherwise, voters would have to enter additional rounds of voting until a candidate breaks 50%.
Gov. Katie Hobbs appointed Purcell as co-chair of an elections task force her first year in office, and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes praised Purcell for the ensuing report. Hobbs ultimately allocated over $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for elections-related initiatives proposed by the task force for the 2024 election. ARPA funds were initially meant for economic stimulus efforts pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Republican lawmakers criticized the task force at the time for its “secretive” conduct, and alleged that the task force was Hobbs’ way of circumventing statutory requirements to modify election law and procedures.
The task force was also rumored to be influenced by SUDC.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Purcell and Bennett filed a joint brief in support of ranked choice voting. That statement has been corrected.
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Ranchers in Arizona and across the nation secured a step toward a potentially major grazing rights victory from the federal government following the intervention of a coalition of Arizona’s Republican congressmen.
Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Eli Crane (AZ-02), and Paul Gosar (AZ-09) successfully petitioned the Department of the Interior (DOI) to issue a newly proposed grazing rule that purports to give ranchers greater flexibility and security for their work.
Biggs offered his support for this proposed rule, announced by the DOI on Monday. Biggs promised to Arizonans in a press release that the rule would prioritize American ranchers and food security.
“Under the previous administration, cattle ranchers were forced to reduce their herd counts because of federal mandates and orders cutting public grazing land use. This administration knows how critical it is to protect our great ranchers and allow these families to provide abundant food to the American people.”
DOI Secretary Doug Burgum issued a similar commitment to ranchers about the impact of the rule.
“For too long, ranchers and land managers have been forced to work under outdated rules that do not match today’s challenges,” said Burgum. “President Trump has made it clear that we must cut red tape, support the people who feed our nation and ensure our public lands remain healthy for future generations. These updates will help us do exactly that.”
The proposed rule promises to streamline grazing administration and expand rangeland health standards. As part of this approach, the Bureau of Land Management was directed to update definitions, simplify processes, and clarify regulatory language.
Last December, Biggs sent a letter requesting actionable support on expanding and rebuilding American cattle to Burgum, Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins, Forest Service Chief Tim Schultz, and Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik.
Ciscomani, Crane, and Gosar signed onto Biggs’ letter, which asked the agency heads to resist influencing from “extreme environmental causes.” Certain environmental advocates — most in progressive circles — believe cattle grazing to be environmentally devastating.
“Ranchers are not the problem. They are the solution,” said Biggs. “Yet outdated regulations and false claims continue to punish them, while predators such as the Mexican wolf devastate herds under the shield of a misapplied endangered species designation.”
Biggs claimed that he’d received reports of cattle ranchers forced to reduce herd counts due to government mandates and orders impacting the use of public grazing lands, and asked the agencies to review their processes, rules, and regulations for adverse impacts on American ranchers.
“At a time when rebuilding the domestic cattle herd is vital to our food security and rural livelihoods, these mandates are unacceptable,” wrote Biggs.
U.S. cattle operations have been on the decline for nearly a decade despite increased demand — the lowest in over 70 years. USDA reporting from last year reflected that cattle operations dropped by 17% while demand grew by 10%.
Biggs echoed the sentiments of blame regularly expressed by the average American rancher: increasing pressures from bureaucratic red tape magnifying other issues like the rising costs of supplies, namely feed, and environmental pressures, namely drought.
The DOI will continue to gather public input for the proposed rule affecting grazing management on public lands until July 13. The BLM is scheduled to host a virtual information session about the proposed rule on June 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. MT.
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Attorney General Kris Mayes sustained a fatal blow in her case against the 2020 alternate electors for President Donald Trump.
Mayes doesn’t plan on giving up, though.
The Arizona Supreme Court denied Mayes’ appeal of lower court rulings in State v. Ward this week. This means that Mayes must start over to continue prosecution of the alternate electors.
Mayes’ spokesman Richie Taylor confirmed the attorney general plans to return to the grand jury to seek another indictment; he would not provide further comment.
Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) said Mayes’ persistence to prosecute despite the rejection of multiple courts proved her to be “completely unhinged” and in need of sanctioning.
“She’s wasting Arizona taxpayers’ money on her obsessive, Ahab-like pursuit of patriotic Arizonans who served as alternate electors after the stolen 2020 election,” said Hamadeh. “Her first sham indictment was already laughed out of every court in the state.”
She’s wasting Arizona taxpayers’ money on her obsessive, Ahab-like pursuit of patriotic Arizonans who served as alternate electors after the stolen 2020 election.
Her first sham indictment was already laughed out of every court in…
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) June 4, 2026
Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) — who is running to unseat Mayes this November — said Mayes was the poster child of a “rogue” attorney general.
“This is what a rogue AG looks like,” said Petersen. “Loses at every level and still not tired of losing.”
This is what a rogue AG looks like. Loses at every level and still not tired of losing. https://t.co/UKhjcfDPZx
Mayes has sustained a series of losses in her attempt to prosecute the Trump electors, each court ruling increasingly diminishing the life of her case until it reached the point where it lies now — effectively on life support as it awaits another grand jury indictment that may not come.
Last September, the Arizona Court of Appeals rejected Mayes’ appeal of a ruling issued last May by the Maricopa County Superior Court. The latter court remanded Mayes’ case back to a grand jury, ruling that she violated the due process of the alternate electors by failing to give the grand jury a document critical to the indictment, the Electoral Count Act (ECA) of 1887.
The ECA is a federal law outlining the legal process for casting and counting electoral votes in presidential elections. It was modified recently in 2022 under the Biden administration through the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 (ECRA).
The ERCA, in part, limited the vice president’s involvement in electoral certification to a ministerial role, raised the congressional threshold for elector objections to one-fifth of Congress, and made state governors the authority for submitting the certificate of electors.
Key to the defense of the electors was the argument that they acted in good faith in accordance with the ECA.
Mayes has also been accused of receiving payment to prosecute the alternate electors, according to a whistleblower complaint filed last November.
That complaint alleged that States United Democracy Center (SUDC) paid around $200,000 to have prosecutorial influence over the alternate electors case. It was SUDC who advised Mayes’ office in a summer 2023 letter to prosecute Trump’s top supporters from the contentious 2020 election and its aftermath. Mayes’ office has denied the impact of the SUDC letter on their decision to prosecute the alternate electors.
Hamadeh asked the Department of Justice to investigate this alleged “pay-to-play” scheme.
That DOJ investigation is ongoing.
In April, a court of appeals judge ruled in another case that Mayes illegally withheld communications between her office and SUDC.
Trump has pardoned these alternate electors and supporters of the federal charges against them, but state charges like Mayes’ remain.
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The Arizona State Troopers Association, representing more than 1,200 troopers and 750 civilian employees of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, has endorsed Warren Petersen for Attorney General, delivering a significant boost to the challenger in Arizona’s race.
The endorsement marks the latest in a series of high-profile law enforcement backing for Petersen, who has earned support from multiple major police organizations and elected officials across the state and country.
“Throughout his time in the Arizona Legislature, Warren Petersen has always been a friend to the Troopers and to law enforcement around the state,” stated President of the Arizona State Troopers Association, Jeff Hawkins. “Arizonans – and the men and women who serve in law enforcement – deserve an Attorney General who stands with and fights for them against the lawlessness that threatens to overcome our society. I know that Warren will continue to do just that as our next Attorney General, just as he has over his time in public service.”
The Arizona State Troopers Association is the sole organization dedicated to representing the interests of Arizona Department of Public Safety employees. Its endorsement highlights Petersen’s longstanding commitment to supporting those who protect Arizona communities.
Petersen expressed gratitude for the backing and highlighted his record of partnership with law enforcement:
“I’m honored to earn support from the Arizona State Troopers Association,” said Petersen. “It has been an honor to work with the association to advance the interests of the men and women who serve our state in the Department of Public Safety. Our State Troopers sacrifice their lives and time with their family to keep Arizona safe. As Attorney General, I look forward to continued partnership with our men and women in uniform. I will always fight for law enforcement and our Arizona State Troopers.”
Petersen’s support for law enforcement includes consistent advocacy for securing funding for specialized task forces, strengthening officer recruitment and retention efforts, and ensuring the aggressive prosecution of violent offenders.
With this latest endorsement, Petersen now holds the backing of Arizona’s largest police organizations — including the Arizona Police Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association, and now the Arizona State Troopers Association — a level of unified support for a challenger to the incumbent Attorney General that is unprecedented in state history.
The growing coalition of law enforcement leaders supporting Warren Petersen for Arizona Attorney General also includes:
Utah Attorney General Derek Brown
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita
Yavapai County Sheriff Ross Teeple
Gila County Attorney Brad Beauchamp
Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller
Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith
Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Border Patrol Veteran Art Del Cueto
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Senator David Farnsworth (R-LD10) paid tribute to the life and courageous work of investigative reporter Don Bolles, earlier this week, marking the 50th year anniversary of his assassination and reaffirming the enduring importance of journalistic integrity and accountability.
On June 2, 1976, Bolles, a reporter for the Arizona Republic and one of the founding members of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), was mortally wounded when a bomb detonated beneath his vehicle in a Phoenix parking lot. He succumbed to his injuries 11 days later on June 13, 1976 at age 47. Prior to the attack, Bolles had been lured to a downtown hotel by a source promising information on land fraud linked to organized crime, in which the source never appeared.
Bolles dedicated his career to exposing organized crime, political corruption, and influence peddling in Arizona. His murder sent shockwaves across the nation and galvanized the journalistic community.
In the wake of his assassination, IRE members launched a major collaborative investigation not only into Bolles’ killing but into deeper systemic corruption that enabled such violence against a reporter in broad daylight. Their efforts underscored a powerful message: assassinating a journalist would not silence the press but would instead amplify scrutiny of the powerful interest involved.
“Don Bolles paid the ultimate price in pursuit of the truth. Fifty years later, his sacrifice still serves as a reminder that corruption thrives when good people look the other way,” stated Senator Farnsworth. “Don Bolles may not have succeeded in rooting out every instance of crime and corruption he set out to expose, but he succeeded in something equally important: he opened the eyes of countless Arizonans to the fact that corruption existed and demanded attention.”
In March, Senate Republicans advanced legislation to honor Bolles’ legacy alongside that of Charlie Kirk. SB 1686, sponsored by Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15), would rename Wesley Bolin Plaza as the Wesley Bolin and Charlie Kirk Freedom Plaza. The bill would also authorize the placement of memorials commemorating both Kirk and Bolles within the plaza. It is currently pending in the Arizona House of Representatives.
“In many ways, I am serving in the legislature because of Don Bolles and the awareness his work created,” added Farnsworth. “His story instilled in me a belief that public service comes with a responsibility to challenge corruption wherever it exists and to demand accountability from those entrusted with power. Fifty years later, I still feel obligated to do my part.”
The legislation includes specific provisions for the memorials, emphasizing private funding:
No public monies are authorized for the costs of either memorial.
All fundraising and contracts for design and construction are the responsibility of private proponents.
The authorizations include delayed repeal provisions effective after September 30, 2029.
Fifty years after his death, Don Bolles is remembered not only as a victim of violence but as a martyr for truth whose work helped elevate public awareness of corruption and reinforced the vital role of a free and independent press in safeguarding democracy.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
