Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane and the City Council majority have approved a bond election for this November. That means they are asking your permission to use the taxpayers’ credit card to borrow money to pay for various projects.
Scottsdale currently has about $1.3 BILLION in debt. That’s as much as the financially-troubled City of Glendale, and it’s the highest per capita of any city in the Valley.
With debt comes debt service. About 1/3 of our general fund budget ($87 million) currently goes to debt service every year instead of public services. The upcoming bond election will have the voters consider almost a quarter of BILLION dollars in NEW debt.
There are significant unanswered questions like:
- Do we really need to borrow all of this money?
- Why were the bond items deceptively grouped on the ballot, instead of a line-item listing?
- Why was there no discussion about the financial impact of the huge debt service burden?
- Why was there no discussion about how we got into this situation of “need?”
Here are some links to helpful information on this issue:
General description and information on submitting ballot arguments
Proposed EPCOR water deliver franchise agreement [coming soon]
Scottsdale Independent newspaper article on the bonds
Scottsdale Independent article on the council cuts to the bond proposal
Arizona Republic article on Scottsdale’s debt“
Preserve Scottsdale’s Future” lobbying group FOR the bonds
Bonds or Bust article with Mike Kelly’s letter to Derek Earle.
List of bond items (more detailed analysis of each item will be posted at a later date):
There will be four questions on the ballot. Voters will be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on each question. Each question will contain a number of projects to be funded. A “yes” vote on a question approves all of the projects under that question.
Question 1. Parks, Libraries and Community Facilities, $50.4 million/10 Projects
- Integrated Financial, Human Resources, and Purchasing System: $4.5M
- Pinnacle Peak Park Improvements: $2.8M, 3) Vista Del Camino Park/Indian Bend Wash Renovation: $8.3M
- Aquatics Chemical System Replacement: $3.1M
- Expansion of Via Linda and Granite Reef Senior Centers: $7.1M
- Ballfield Lighting System Replacement Phase 1: $2.4M
- Civic Center Library Improvement Phase II: $4.7M
- Civic Center West Entry Improvements: $4.6M
- Paiute Community Center Renovations: $7.6M, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Renovation Phase III: $4.3M.
Question 2. Public Safety, $43.7 million/10 Projects
- Radio System Upgrade: $5.8M
- Police Civic Center Jail Consolidation: $4.4M
- Electronic Storage Replacement: $1.1M
- Bring Existing Fire Stations to Compliance Standards: $3.5M
- Police Civic Center Station Expansion: $3.9M, 6) Desert Foothills Fire Station 613: $3.5M
- Fire Training Facility Expansion: $3.4M, 8) Public Safety Via Linda Facility Expansion: $12.5M
- Desert Mountain Fire Station 616: $4.6M
- Purchase Land for Fire Station 612: $1.0M.
Question 3. Neighborhood Flood Control, $19 million/5 Projects
- Granite Reef Watershed: $3.5M
- Neighborhood Stormwater: $1.5M
- Loop 101 Detention Basin: $6.3M
- Loop 101 Detention Basin Outfall: $5.0M
- Indian Bend Road/Lincoln Drive Flood Hazard Mitigation: $2.7M.
Question 4. Transportation and Streets, $99 million/14 Projects
- Traffic Signal Controller Cabinet Upgrade and Replacement: $9.8M
- Bridge Safety Upgrades and Rehabilitation Project: $1.5M
- Northeast Downtown Public Parking Structure: $8.0M
- Accessible Curb Ramps – ADA compliance: $2.0M
- Hayden Road Intersections at Chaparral and Camelback Roads: $5.5M
- Pima Freeway (SR 101L) Signalized Intersection Upgrades: $2.5M
- Downtown Pedestrian Improvements: $4.0M
- Expired/Quiet Pavement Replacement: $15.4M
- Advance Funding for Loop 101 Access Improvements: $11.0M
- Airpark Roadway Circulation Phase II: $13.3M
- Indian Bend / West World Trail and Path Connections: $6.9M
- Scottsdale Road Utility Relocation and Streetscape: $14.0M
- Street Operations Maintenance Building: $1.1M
- Citywide Trails Implementation: $4.0M.
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