Supervisors call for 2015 County Bond Election Voters

Supervisors call for 2015 County Bond Election Voters will be asked to decide on 7 bond propositions

PIMA COUNTY – The Pima County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve placing 7 bond propositions before voters Nov. 3. District 1 Supervisor Ally Miller voted no. Combined, the propositions total $815million, however voters will be able to vote on each proposition, so the total cost of the bond package depends on whether all or some of the propositions pass.

The propositions and their estimated cost are:
Prop. 425– Road and Highway Improvements: $200 million
Prop. 426– Economic Development, Libraries and Workforce Training: $91.4 million
Prop.427– Tourism Promotion: $98.6 million
Prop. 428– Parks and Recreation: $191.5 million
Prop. 429– Public Health, Welfare, Safety, Neighborhoods and Housing: $105.3 million
Prop.430– Natural Area Conservation and Historic Preservation: $112 million
Prop. 431– Flood Control and Drainage: $17 million

There are multiple projects associated with each proposition. They range from $500,000 for expansion of Flowing Wells District Park to $160 million for road repair and pavement preservation. Now that the board has approved a public vote on the seven propositions, staff will begin drafting a bond implementation plan ordinance detailing each of the projects, project costs and scheduling.
General obligation bonds are a commonly used financing mechanism for local governments and are repaid with property taxes. To avoid exceeding the voluntary tax rate cap of 81.5 cents per $100 of assessed value established by the board, as well as significant fluctuations in property taxes, the bonds would be sold in increments each year for 12 years. As a result, some projects are completed sooner than others. The board will vote on abond implementation ordinance prior to early voting. The implementation ordinance determines the order of project funding and completion.
If voters approve all seven propositions, it is estimated that the cost to the owner of a home valued at $152,511, which is the average valued home in Pima County, would be $4.63 a month.
In 2013, a state-ordered audit by the state Auditor General of the county’s bond program found that the county’s bond programs were a unique collaborative effort with its cities and towns, bond proceeds were fairly used for purposes authorized by the voters, and bond projects benefited citizens throughout Pima County.
For more information about the 2015 bond propositions, go to www.pima.gov/bonds2015.