Council agrees to pursue two general‑obligation bond questions this fall after survey of likely voters

Glendale staff presented community‑survey findings and asked the council whether to proceed with a 2025 special election authorizing general‑obligation (GO) bonds. The council gave consensus to move forward with two bond questions — government facilities (operations campus) and flood control — and to poll on parks and libraries for a possible 2026 bond.

Levi Gibson, director of budget and finance, reviewed legal and timing constraints for GO bonds: GO debt is secured by the secondary property tax and must be approved by voters; Arizona constitutional limits apply to GO authorizations and council must notify the county of intent by early June to appear on a November special election (staff cited county deadlines of June 7–9 for notification and ballot language). Gibson also reviewed the city’s flat‑levy debt policy which limits issuing new GO bonds to periods when existing levies plus new bonds do not exceed current levies plus modest growth.

Staff then reviewed a poll conducted in March by a professional polling vendor (a telephone survey of likely voters, margin of error +/-4%). The poll found roughly 63% of respondents said the city was heading in the right direction and identified homelessness and public safety as the top issues; parks and libraries ranked lower, according to staff. Based on the poll and the city’s ten‑year capital needs, staff recommended a two‑question approach for a November 4, 2025 special election: $35,000,000 for government facilities and $30,000,000 for flood control. Staff and a partner nonprofit (Trust for Public Land) recommended deferring parks and library questions to a 2026 cycle when a different electorate is expected and additional polling can be done.

Council discussed formation of a citizen bond committee to guide outreach and develop educational materials. Staff said the bond committee would be sworn in and begin meeting in May to refine project lists and voter materials. Council provided consensus to notify the county of intent to hold a November special election and to proceed with drafting ballot questions for the two recommended GO bond measures; council also gave consensus to poll and consider parks and libraries in 2026. Staff will return with bond language, attorney review and formal resolutions to place questions on the ballot in conformance with county deadlines.

No ballot measures were adopted at the workshop; the presentation was a request for direction to proceed with the election process and outreach steps.