The city of Goodyear bond election faced some pushback on social media as the election heads into its final week of voting.

The proposed Goodyear bond, which would earmark $135 million in street and transportation upgrades, would come at no new tax increase to residents.

In previous work sessions, Goodyear staff explained that property appreciation and balances would level out the tax rate to maintain the current threshold.

However, some residents see the bond election as a re-issuance of expiring property taxes, according to comments from a local Facebook group.

“They already blew a lot of money on a shiny new building for Public Safety,” Cathy Christensen wrote in the Facebook forum. “They made a shiny new building for themselves first. Raises for Police, etc. should have come first, especially with the havoc that they have created with their 'growth' here. I think that shiny stuff and tax dollars come first for these 'Politicians' here in Goodyear. I am voting all of them out.”

Christensen’s response was posted as a comment below an opinion piece by Mayor Joe Pizzillo in a group called Goodyear Everything Page. A moderator turned off comments for the post after a handful of negative comments.

In another bond-related Facebook post by the city of Goodyear, residents said business growth is causing the traffic problems.

“Perhaps stop giving businesses a free ride here and tax them instead of residents!” Stacy Rountree wrote.

Another Facebook poster blamed affordable housing on the need for more bond-financed infrastructure.

“Perhaps stop building multifamily housing,” Aaron James wrote.

Voter breakdown

According to UpliftData, Goodyear ballot returns are heavily skewed towards retirees.

As of Oct. 20, UpliftData also estimates that 33% of the returned ballots are from those 65 or older. The numbers are calculated from Arizona County Recorder office data.

The turnout thus far also leans heavily towards Republicans, with GOP voters tallying in 1,747 returned ballots compared with 1,045 from registered Democrats. Republicans have historically campaigned against new spending amid economic hardship in Arizona.

Retirees like Pebble Creek resident Bob Quarantino see the expansion of roads as a sign of a growing nuisance.  Quarantino said Indian School Road, behind his retirement community’s house, expanded into a four-lane road behind his backyard fence when developers built a nearby Safeway.

“Eight thousand cars a day travel down that road,” he said. “And that's not only cars but trucks.”