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Arizona Bonds Approved
Voters Approve More Than $1 Billion in Work
By Tommy Acosta
Municipalities across Arizona approved more than $1 billion
in new bonding for construction projects across the state.
Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved funding for hundreds
of capital improvement and construction. Voters in New Mexico
held statewide elections but no bond elections.
Pima County had the largest bond election in Arizona, with
voters approving $732.4 million -- $144.4 million for habitat-land
acquisition and $588 million for capital improvements and
construction.
"By our calculations, about $240 million of the $732
million bond package directly benefits the city of Tucson,"
said City of Tucson communications director Jay Gonzalez.
"We believe $180 million of that is in the general obligation
bonds, and another $60 million in the sewer revenue bonds.
Of that, we believe $200 is going to capital improvement projects."
Pima County voters approved:
$81.8 million to develop and expand existing hospitals,
clinics, art facilities and facilities for solid wastedisposal;
$183.5 million to develop and improve public safety in the
county, build new justice facilities and a new court complex,
jails and the renovation of the county's old courthouse;
$96.5 million to improve and equip existing parks and recreational
facilities in the county including community centers, libraries,
historic and cultural facilities and trails;
$46.2 million to construct and expand flood control facilities
in the county, including bank stabilization, channels, drainage
ways, dikes, levees and river parks.
Voters in Mesa approved $300 million in a bond election. The
money funds 109 projects throughout Mesa. "The construction
industry can look forward to 20 more years of growth in Mesa,"
said Mesa CIP office senior engineer Byron Dixon.
"Buildout is currently projected for 2025."
The Mesa 2004 Bond Election includes:
$21.3 million to fund 22 projects for the expansion and
replacement of the city's natural gas system;
$68.9 million for 35 projects to extend and improve the
reliability and security of the city's wastewater system,
including constructing new pumping, storage, effluent reuse
and transmission facilities;
$6.8 million to fund projects to help control storm water
runoff on streets and properties by building retention basins,
floodways and channels throughout the city;
$9.7 million to build emergency facilities and stations
in the city and to improve fire training facilities.
Voters in Chandler approved the biggest bond election in the
city's history totaling $153.7 million for capital improvements
and construction that include the construction of new aquatic
facilities and a new museum for the city.
Chandler Voters approved:
$40.6 million for parks projects that include the building
of a landfill recreation area and the construction of new
walking trails;
$8.5 million to build a new museum in Chandler's Historic
Downtown area;
$4.6 million for a new fire station and to expand its current
fire training facility;
$4.4 million for a new police sub-station in Chandler;
$59 million for street improvement projects that include
new traffic signals, pullouts and bicycle paths;
$36.6 million to expand the city's surface water treatment
plant from 45 million gallons per day treated, to an output
of 65 million gallons per day.
According to Chandler public information officer Jim Phipps,
the city has 20 years to sell the bonds and spend the money.
"We expect to complete most of our projects within five
to six years," he said. "By that time Chandler will
be built out."
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