LD-12 senator supports Valleywise bond

Sen. Mitzi Epstein

Arizona State Legislature/Brian Bossert

When asking for even minor taxpayer investments, a public entity must prove two things: the need is real, and they can be trusted to spend your money wisely.

Valleywise Health has proven both. In 2014, voters entrusted Valleywise with funds from Proposition 480 to build a new hospital. They kept that promise. The new, state-of-the-art Valleywise Medical Center opened in 2024, a testament to their ability to manage complex projects and deliver on their commitments.

This is a record of accountability we can count on. Valleywise has earned our trust through responsible financial stewardship. Their publicly available budget shows a healthy financial position, and they have a history of managing taxpayer dollars effectively.

Now, they present a clear, specific plan to address urgent needs that were not part of the last bond: replacing a 50-year-old mental health facility, expanding emergency capacity to keep pace with growth and upgrading physician training facilities.

This is not a blank check; it is a targeted plan to fix specific problems. Valleywise is Maricopa County’s only public teaching hospital, where doctors and nurses working across the Valley hone their skills treating the most serious health conditions and medical emergencies.

It is the county’s leading provider of mental and behavioral health care and it provides nationally-renowned trauma and burn care to the state’s first responders.

By voting yes on Proposition 409, we sustain and expand their ability to take care of the people taking care of us. Prop 409 is a responsible, necessary investment in our community’s core infrastructure, led by an organization with a proven track record of success.

A yes vote is a vote for a fiscally accountable partner who has earned our confidence. Vote yes on Prop 409.

Editor’s note: State Sen. Mitzi Epstein represents LD12 in the Arizona Legislature. 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.