PROPOSITION 414: South Tucson General Obligation Bond
Background
Municipalities are permitted under Arizona law to issue general obligation bonds to help fund capital improvements and meet operating expenses for needed public services. This measure would authorize a bond of $6.1 million to provide equipment and improvements to the city’s Fire Department. South Tucson is a small, incorporated city of one square mile with a population of more than 5,000 persons, surrounded by the City of Tucson. It has faced increasing challenges in maintaining its fire and emergency services and has long relied on Tucson for staffing and equipment. The existing Fire Department has reported that much of the equipment is outdated and in dire need of replacement; the facilities require renovations to meet modern safety standards; and staffing needs to be upgraded to accommodate more full-time members. The staffing currently consists of one full-time firefighter and 32 part-time trained reservists, but the needs should include two full-time officers and at least two reservists for each of the three shifts.
The City of Tucson currently provides additional fire trucks and calls for units from outside the city if necessary, without charge; however, they cannot afford to continue to provide full service, including 911, without compensation. Tucson offered to take over South Tucson’s emergency calls with a new truck and treat it as a unit of Tucson’s department, but South Tucson wants to maintain its independence. A bond could give them enough money to stand on its own and use it to contract with Tucson or another party, like a private company, to provide services.
Provisions
The bond will fund (1) equipment upgrades, such as replacing old engines, ambulances, and rescue vehicles with either used or new ones. This is intended to improve response times and effectiveness in emergencies (2) facility renovations: modernizing the fire station to ensure it is up to code and capable of supporting the department’s operations, including structural repairs, enhancement of living quarters, and updated training facilities and (3) public safety improvements by allocating funds for advanced training programs essential for keeping firefighters prepared for their diverse range of emergencies. Funding the bond would require an increase in property taxes amounting to around $200 a year for a house valued at $100,000.
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