Election 2023: Voters pass all Phoenix bond measures
The city of Phoenix held its first bond election since 2006.
It was up to voters to decide whether to allocate $500 million of investments toward new infrastructure.
The result: All four of Phoenix's general obligation bonds passed.
General obligation bonds, or GO bonds, "help to fund critical infrastructure and rehabilitation needs of City facilities such as parks, libraries, fire and police stations, affordable housing, streets and storm drains," the city's website says.
The first ballot measure will provide $214 million in funding to fire, police, roadway and pedestrian infrastructure projects.
The second would provide over $108 million in funding for libraries, parks, and historic preservation projects.
The third will give more than $114 million in funding for education, economic development, and reducing waste.
And for the fourth, $63 million in funding will go toward affordable housing and senior center projects.
In December 2022, the bonds were presented to and approved by the city council. In June 2023, the mayor and city council voted to propose these bonds to voters in this very election.
Learn more about the bonds here.
How this will impact first responders
A portion of these funds will go toward reducing 911 response times. To do that, the city is looking at four more fire stations.
GO Bond Committee Chair Sharon Harper says the Phoenix Police Department will also see improvements through this bond.
"The response time to 911 was a big issue. One that we heard about during all of the meetings from the community," Harper said.
Phoenix Fire Captain Scott Douglas says more engines and stations will help reduce response times in Phoenix.
"Our goal is to be in the four to five minute mark. Right now, some of our response times are creeping up in the 7 and 8 minute mark," Douglas said.
Right now, there's one fire truck and ambulance operating out of Fire Station 7. This bond will bring in an additional truck and ambulance.
"It's going to help to have another fire truck here, so we're not waiting on another truck to come in from another area," Douglas said.
It'll take anywhere from 2 to 5 years before the new fire stations are up and running.
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