Pima County Bond Election November 3, Information for Voters

Transcription

1 Pima County Bond Election November 3, 2015 Information for Voters

2 What You Need to Know Before You Vote In this presentation you will learn: How were the propositions developed? What are the bond propositions and costs? What will be the costs to taxpayers? What are the arguments in favor or opposed?

3 History of Planning and Public Input 2006: County Departments submitted requests. 2007: A 25 member Bond Advisory Committee (BAC) was formed and deliberated on projects. BAC membership: 3 members appointed by each Supervisor and the County Administrator, 1 member appointed each by Marana, Oro Valley, S. Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley and the Tohono O odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

4 History of Planning Continued 2007 February, 2015: BAC conducted more than 100 public meetings and an on-line survey receiving 17,000 responses, but recommended deferring a bond election due to the poor economy. March 2015: BAC recommended a single bond package of 96 projects costing over $650 million. The original list did not include road repairs.

5 Background (cont.) April 2015: Board of Supervisors added to this package an additional $160 million for road repairs. Other changes to BAC s recommendations were subsequently made. November 3, 2015: The bond package will include 7 separate propositions, totaling $815.8 million.

6 Voters Choices Voters will have the opportunity to vote yes or no separately on ALL 7 propositions on or before (if you opt for early voting) November 3 rd. October 8, 2015 is the first day of early voting.

7 The Specifics of the Propositions The following slides include information on the propositions, their costs, and highlight some of the projects that would be funded if the bond passes. Additional information about specific projects and costs can be found at A pamphlet of pro and con arguments will be published and mailed in September 2015.

8 Prop. 425: Road and Highway Improvements Purpose is to improve, construct, extend, repair and preserve roads and highways in the County.

9 Prop. 425: Road and Highway Improvements Total Amount: Up to $200,000,000, with bond maturing not less than one year and not more than 20 years, bearing interest at a rate not higher than 8% per annum. $30 million for Sonoran Corridor linking I-10 and I- 19. $10 million for Science Drive at UA Tech Park. $160,000,000 in funds will be divided and spent in proportion to each contributing jurisdiction assessed value (see percentages next slide).

10 Prop. 425: Road and Highway Improvements Assessed Value 5.84% 42.70% 7.51% 40.99% 2.67% 0.27% Marana Oro Valley Sahuarita S. Tucson Tucson Pima Co.*

11 Prop. 425: Road and Highway Improvements Beneficiaries: Marana $9,344,000 Oro Valley $12,016,000 Sahuarita $4,272,000 South Tucson - $432,000 Tucson $65,584,000 Unincorporated Pima County $68,352,000

12 Prop. 425: Road and Highway Improvements Additional Information: Road repair and pavement preservation is perhaps the number one issue for Pima County voters. Road repairs benefit all and a well-functioning transportation system is the backbone of our economic activities. (Board of Supervisor Memorandum, 5/21/2015)

13 Prop 426: Economic Development, Libraries and Workforce Training Purpose is to provide and improve properties which promote or preserve economic development or workforce training, educational training, and libraries. Additional monies allocated for property purchase.

14 Prop. 426: Economic Development, Libraries and Workforce Training Total Amount and Beneficiaries: $91.4 million allocated as follows: Business startup facilities - $35 million for bioscience startups in Oro Valley and UA Tech Park. Workforce training funding for two facilities working with job seekers and placing them in livingwage positions (Pima County One Stop and JobPath). Five library projects for $18.2 million (Sahuarita Branch, Flowing Wells Branch, Joyner-Green Valley Library, Southeast and Southwest Branches).

15 Prop. 426: Economic Development, Libraries and Workforce Training Beneficiaries (continued): Retail and commercial development in S. Tucson (including construction and infrastructure to facilitate new retail and restaurant space) $5 million. Regional orientation center for tourists $18 million. Acquisition of property in or near Davis- Monthan Air Force Base to prevent urban encroachment.

16 Prop. 427: Tourism Promotion Purpose is to acquire, develop, expand, improve, and reconstruct facilities promoting tourism in the County.

17 Prop. 427: Tourism Promotion Total Amount: Over $114 million from bond to fund major improvements in publicly owned tourism venues.

18 Prop 427:Tourism Promotion Biggest beneficiaries of Tourism bond monies: Old Pima Courthouse restoration and Jan. 8 th Memorial Downtown Community Theatres and Historic Cultural Landscape AZ Desert Museum Reid Park Zoo Pima County Fairgrounds

19 Prop. 427: Tourism Promotion Additional Information: Tourists spend $2.1 billion annually and the industry employs 22,000 people locally.

20 Prop. 428: Parks and Recreation Purpose is to acquire, develop, expand, improve and equip new and existing parks and recreational facilities. Total Amount: $191.5 million.

21 Prop 428: Parks and Recreation Biggest beneficiaries of Parks and Recreation monies, in addition to more than 20 parks: SW Regional Sports Tournament Complex Regional Sports Fields and Lighting Marana Cultural and Heritage Park Urban Greenways, Cities of Tucson and S. Tucson River Park Acquisitions and Development Countywide Sahuarita Pool and Recreation Complex/YMCA Naranja Park Improvements

22 Prop. 428: Parks and Recreation Additional Information: Parks and recreation facilities can generate financial returns: Companies choose to locate in communities with parks Parks can host events boosting economies Properties close to parks increase in value Parks provide residents with free or low cost recreation Parks lead to stronger, safe neighborhoods Parks associated with lower costs of treating storm water

23 Prop 429: Public Health, Welfare, Safety, Neighborhoods and Housing Purpose is to acquire, develop, improve and equip new and existing facilities to further the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of Pima County. Facilities affected include hospitals, clinics, and the County Medical Examiner s office and a food distribution center. Additional funds included for sidewalk construction and repair, affordable housing, and neighborhood investments.

24 Prop. 429: Public Health, Welfare, Neighborhoods and Housing Total Amount and Beneficiaries: $105.3 million bond funds for: $40 million for relocation and expansion of several clinics and the county medical examiner. $8 million for Sheriff substation in Vail and conversion of Juvenile Detention Center for adult jail population. $25 million neighborhood reinvestment (70 projects). $12 million pedestrian safety (e.g., street lighting, sidewalk, speed bumps). $20 million for affordable housing (1,000 units supporting 2,000 construction jobs).

25 Prop. 430: Natural Area Conservation and Historic Preservation Purpose is to acquire, preserve, conserve, restore and improve recreational access to natural areas and historic properties in the County. Total Amount: $112 million.

26 Prop 430: Natural Area Conservation Beneficiaries: and Historic Preservation $95 million for open space acquisition and $4 million for Historic Ft. Lowell.

27 Prop. 431: Flood Control and Drainage Purpose is to acquire, develop, expand, improve and equip new and existing property for flood control and drainage. Total Amount: $17 million for five flood control and drainage related projects.

28 Prop. 431: Flood Control and Drainage Primary Beneficiaries: Santa Cruz River: Rillito and CDO confluence Floodprone and Riparian Land Acquisition

29 Cost to Taxpayer If Bonds are Passed The following applies if ALL 7 Propositions are passed. Rate increases are less if some propositions pass but not others. Estimated rate increase from 70 cents to 81.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. For average Pima County home valuation of $152,500, the estimated increase in cost will be $17 a year. For a home valued at $250,000, the estimated increase in cost will be $29 per year.

30 Cost of Bond Election November 3, 2015 is not a general election, but school districts, cities and towns may have elections. There would not be a county wide election except for the bond propositions. Estimated cost of this election is $2.6 million, including costs of printing ballots, printing and mailing explanatory pamphlets, and paying poll workers.

31 County Record of Bond Repayments Pima Co has a long and good record of repaying debt. County debt is voter approved, whereas other governments in AZ rely on nonvoter-approved debt reduction. As tax base grows, there is more capacity to retire debt.

32 Proponents Say: Bond propositions have broad community support, and cities and towns were represented in development process. Important funds for education and workforce training. Many projects are capital improvements, not merely maintenance. Projects will promote economic development, healthy communities, and regional identity.

33 Proponents Say: Many of the proposed projects include a match or contribution of private dollars (estimated at 75 million), supplementing County dollars. With decreasing state funds, the County has to determine its own future and bonds are only tool available. Low interest rates make now a good time to borrow money. There are no other options for financing road repair.

34 Proponents Say: Bond projects would create jobs and improvements would attract job seekers and businesses. Bond projects would make much needed improvements to infrastructure, decreasing annual operating costs and increasing revenue. Bond projects would make the region more appealing to tourists, increasing revenue. Bond projects would make much needed improvements to iconic, historical sites, again increasing revenue.

35 Opponents Say: Paying for road maintenance through bonds is unwise as you retire debt over years for road repairs that last less than that time. Road repairs should be financed through gasoline tax increase (but State legislature would have to take action and it won t). A sales tax is an alternative for road repairs (requires a unanimous Board of Supervisor vote). County should cut spending in other areas to pay for roads.

36 Opponents Say County already has biggest debt burden in the state (but a rating agency calls our debt moderate and others debate this point) Dividing the package into seven separate votes creates competition and division and is confusing to voters. Resident taxpayers of unincorporated Pima County will pay a higher percentage than they receive in benefits. Some projects have a dubious benefit for the county.

37 Opponents Say The Sonoran Corridor will ruin Avra Valley and is a public gift to private corporations. County will incur operational and maintenance costs associated with some bond projects, costs the County can not afford. Each municipality and nonprofits will assume other costs. Oro Valley and Marana already have active road repair programs and not sure how bond monies would be spent. Unclear which roads will be repaired. Allocation of road funds may not reflect need or usage, only property values.

38 Please register to vote and request an early ballot at Photos courtesy of Shutterstock