Votes in other cities give Surprise hope for bond issue

Voters approved all city and town bond issues in Maricopa County this November, giving Surprise officials some encouragement as they move forward on a potential bond issue of their own in 2009.

General obligation bond issues passed in Mesa, El Mirage, Peoria and Tempe, with approval margins ranging from 63 to 72 percent, City Manager Randy Oliver reported this month.

Surprise Mayor Lyn Truitt took it as positive news.

"The public is not panicking," he said. "They recognize that (the economy) will turn around at some point, and when it does, they want their roads to be in repair and they want the quality-of-life projects to be in their communities."

Surprise is only in preliminary discussions about its own bond measure. It could total $186 million, raising residents' secondary property-tax rate by $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. The tax increase would cost the owner of a $180,000 home an additional $180 per year, raising the monthly mortgate payment by $15.

The city already has identified $164.9 million in potential projects, including $94 million for transportation, $32.8 million for parks and recreation, $31.5 million for economic development, and $6.6 million for public safety. This list is subject to change as discussions continue.

The City Council is working to nominate residents to a 17-member bond committee that could help draft a potential project list. The City Council would have the final say on whether to proceed with a bond measure on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The council has until July 6 to make a decision.

Councilman Richard Alton, who has spoken against a bond issue given the present economic circumstances, said the 2008 election results gave him pause. Surprise voters might be agreeable, Alton said, provided the project list is carefully drawn.

Alton added, however, that he would at least like to see signs of an economic turnaround in the next six months before moving forward.

Oliver said asking voters to approve a bond package would boil down to trust.

"The citizens need to know, if they're going to approve it, that the money is going to be used for the right purpose," Oliver said.