Fountain Hills Unified School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney clarified details surrounding tax credit payments to the schools during last week’s school board meeting. Sweeney added that nothing he said was new, but he was addressing confusion that has been noticeable since the pandemic began.

The first thing Sweeney wanted to communicate is that tax credit fees are non-refundable. When the pandemic first began, there was a multitude of refund requests for the clubs and athletics that were cancelled. Sweeney said this problem was not specific to Fountain Hills.

Tax fund contributions can be transferred from one sport or club to another if the student is unable to participate due to injury or other factors, but the school district can only move the funds if the contributor makes that request.

There also seems to be confusion around who is able to file tax credit contributions on tax returns. Individuals can contribute $200 a year, and married couples can contribute $400 a year as tax contributions. Any other contribution, whether from Trusts, LLCs or businesses, can only be accepted as donations.

Tax credit donations can be done by check, money order, or online using the RevTrak system. RevTrak requires users to note the intended use of the donation, and Sweeney also requested that people fill out the memo section of a written check with their desired purpose as well.

Board members asked Sweeney to put this information on tax credits in a Falcon Focus newsletter to address families directly. The Falcon Focus has more detailed information and was released last Friday, March 11.