Voters in November will decide if the city of Mesa can sell $285 million in bonds to be used for public safety and transportation projects.
The Mesa City Council on June 1 voted unanimously to seek bond authorization at the Nov. 3 election with $135 million for transportation and $150 million for public safety.
If approved, the average annual increase over 26 years for a home with an assessed value of $250,000 would be $33 for transportation and $36 for public safety for a total of $69.
Public safety
Some of the public safety bonds would be used to fund a new 69,600-square-foot public safety training facility, using $21.6 million from a 2022 bond and $44.7 million from the proposed 2026 bond.
Funds would also acquire future fire station sites, with $5 million for property acquisition for two sites; and be used for work of the central police station, including $20.8 million for vertical expansion and $7.9M for tenant improvements.
Transportation
Proposed transportation improvement projects include regional road improvements such as a $38.2 million Warner Road bridge with $21.3 million in Proposition 479 funds and $16.9 million from the bond; and work on Mesa Drive from Main to Brown costing $50.8 million, with $31 million from Proposition 479 funds and $19.8 from the bonds. Proposition 479 is a county-wide transportation sales tax.
The bonds will also pay for five shared-use paths:
Lehi, costing $13 million;
Mesa Gateway, $11.8 million;
U.S. Highway 60 from the Eastern Canal to the Consolidated Canal, $13 million;
Downtown, $12 million;
Thomas Road connection from Red Mountain to Longbow, $17 million.
Mesa resident David Winstanley told the council he is in favor of the transportation bonds, but not using the money for a Mesa Gateway shared-use path.
The Mesa Gateway shared-use path is to be along State Route 24 from Hawes Road to Meridian Road.
“(W)ould (you) re-review the shared-use paths, in particular the Gateway shard-use path? I don’t think that’s an appropriate use of our money. It will not get used. I’m a big bike-rider. I won’t use it — I can’t get to it,” Winstanley said. “My suggestion is have a little bit more community input, use the Transportation Advisory Board to review those and make a final determination.”
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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