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State Press guide to Election Day: The local public safety bond

The decision to increase funds toward Tempe's first-responders is in voters' hands this election season

Tempe Police body camera Mike Pooley
Tempe Police Lieutenant Mike Pooley speaks about the new body cameras coming to the department next month on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, in Tempe.

This week, The State Press will tackle the local political candidates and ballot measures that Arizona residents will vote upon on Election Day, Nov. 8. Stay up to date with political guides and how-to's throughout the rest of the election season.

While many Arizona voters are likely focusing on presidential candidates this election period, there are many policy-based questions on the local ballot that demand just as much attention.

On Election Day, Tempe residents will have the chance to oppose or support Tempe Bond Question Three, a ballot question which will determine the future of 911 technology, public safety and property taxes.

What is a bond question?

The bond questions are typically presented to voters every four years as a way for Tempe's governing body to gauge which parts of the city residents want to see improved. Voters decide which parts of the city — streets, parks, public safety, buildings — need to be improved, and the changes are funded by bonds which are repaid with property tax revenue. 

This $20 million bond is a general obligation bond, meaning it is issued by Tempe's governing body on the belief that the city service which receives it will be able to pay it back through taxation and revenue from improvements. 

This bond question is one of five that will appear on the ballot regarding city-wide maintenance measures.

What will the money be used for?

According to the question's text, with a “Yes” vote, $20 million in bonds will be given to the city to:

  • Improve its public safety services through digital upgrades to the city radio system.
  • Provide new equipment and facilities for the City’s first responders.
  • Implement software/hardware replacements meant to improve communication technology.

Tempe's Chief Financial Officer and Assistant City Manager Ken Jones said in an emailed statement that while the money will not directly go toward the ASU Police Department, because it is already funded by the University, there may be indirect benefits resulting from shared resources between ASU and Tempe police departments. 

A “No” vote will be a vote against authorizing Tempe’s governing body to give the $20 million in bonds to the city.

Where will the money come from?

According to the question’s text, the $20 million in bonds will be repaid by tax revenue made through a property tax increase, unless Tempe’s governing body receives money through other sources of income, such as charity contributions.

According to smartasset.com’s property tax calculator, Arizona’s effective property tax rate averages out to about 0.84 percent, which is below the national average. 

Although the exact tax hike percentage has not yet been declared, Prop. 117 prohibits the increase of the Limited Property Value — the value Maricopa County uses to determine primary and secondary property tax — by more than 5 percent a year.

While the question's text calls for a "property tax increase sufficient to pay the annual debt service or bonds," Jones said the phrase is misleading, because the payment of the newly issued bonds would begin as previous bonds retire, meaning there's no discernible tax increase.

"We are required to notify voters what the cost will be to repay the bonds, but that cost will not result in an increase in taxes from what is currently being paid," he wrote in an email. "The issuance of bonds coincides with the retirement of outstanding bonds. The City has a policy to increase the total property tax levy on existing properties by no more than the rate of inflation each year. So, while there is a cost to repaying the bonds, the cost is not additive to current tax bills."


Reach the reporter at angel.n.mendoza@asu.edu or follow @angelnikolas96 on Twitter.

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