Resident bond committee recommends $475 million package, seeks to keep tax rate flat

A resident bond exploratory committee has recommended that the Chandler City Council seek voter approval for $475 million in general obligation bonds to fund streets, parks, and public-safety facilities in a proposed November 4, 2025, bond election.

The recommendation, presented Feb. 20 by Jay Tiptrini, chair of the resident bond exploratory steering committee, and Don Lang, deputy city manager and chief financial officer, calls for a package the steering committee says maintains the city’s current secondary property-tax rate while addressing aging infrastructure and priority projects.

The committee’s work matters because bonds fund a large share of Chandler’s capital program and are a primary mechanism for paying for major maintenance and improvements to infrastructure that was built during earlier growth, Tiptrini said. “Bonds fund almost 70% of Chandler’s 10‑year capital improvement program,” he told the council.

The steering committee refined a longer list of 37 potential capital uses totaling $728 million to a prioritized set totaling $475 million. The recommended package allocates funding across categories that include parks and recreation ($158 million), fire facilities and equipment ($88 million), police facilities and equipment ($46 million), and streets ($83 million). The committee noted additional projects were deferred to future bond elections or to the general fund.

Deputy City Manager and CFO Don Lang described the process and financial assumptions that produced the recommendation. He said the committee worked with the city’s bond counsel and reviewed project tours, department briefings and budget data. Lang said the committee reduced an assessed‑value growth assumption used in financial modeling from an initial 6.2% in the first five years (then 1.22% annually) to a more conservative 4.5% annual growth rate for the analysis supporting the proposal.

Lang summarized the recommended ask and next steps: “In the end, the steering committee is recommending to city council four proposed areas requesting bond authorization for a total of $475,000,000, ensuring no increase to the current secondary property tax rate.” He said a council work session is planned for April 10 and that a resolution to call the election and place bond questions on the Nov. 4 ballot would be presented at the April 24 regular meeting.

The committee emphasized fiscal prudence and voter clarity. The steering committee voted unanimously to present the $475 million recommendation and proposed ballot language drafted with input from bond counsel and structured to include example projects so voters can see how proceeds might be used while retaining flexibility in implementation.

Background: residents previously authorized general obligation bond packages of $451 million (2007) and $272 million (2021). The committee told council members the city remains well below Arizona’s statutory debt limit and that Chandler’s AAA bond ratings help keep borrowing costs low.

Councilmembers did not take action on the recommendation at the Feb. 20 meeting; councilmembers were told the bond package will return for deeper review at the April 10 work session and for formal action in late April if the council chooses to call the election.

Notes: The committee named steering‑committee members and acknowledged staff support from city departments that participated in tours and briefings. The committee said ballot questions would be written in general terms with project examples and with attention to representing all geographic areas of the city.