Main committee recommends roughly $518.5 million bond package to City Council; vote to isolate $361 million public‑safety item fails

The main committee voted to forward its final bond recommendations to City Council for placement on a special election ballot, approving a package of projects that totals approximately $518,464,409.

Budget Department staff summarized the projects and the sums submitted from subcommittees. “The summary by departments, that were submitted to the main committee ... total of $533,400,000,” Budget Department presenter Jesus Esparzo said as he recapped the proposals that had been sent up from the subcommittees. He and other staff reported the main committee had approved most submitted amounts but removed a $15,000,000 parks water‑park item, producing the committee’s $518.4 million recommendation.

What the package includes: the main committee-recorded approvals break down roughly as follows — Fire Department: $98,600,000; Police Department: $261,900,000 (including a new headquarters/training facility estimated at about $166,400,000, radio/dispatch/avionics and camera equipment); Health Department: $70,000,000 (clinic, research center, admin remodel); Community Development: $10,000,000 (facility repairs); Parks and Recreation: $77,900,000 (water‑park item of $15,000,000 was removed). Public infrastructure had no amount submitted after that subcommittee retracted its bond request.

The committee debated how the package will reach voters. Staff indicated the city intends to present an administrative recommendation to council alongside the committee’s work and that council would choose what to place on the ballot. “On behalf of management, your numbers are correct, councilman. You're accurate,” Assistant City Manager Steve Lundin told the committee. Lundin said staff would include the committee’s packet in the council materials and that the council could increase, reduce or remove items before finalizing ballot language.

A motion by a committee member to remove all other subcommittee recommendations and forward only a $361,000,000 public‑safety package (structured so voters could vote on the public‑safety items separately) received six votes in favor and failed. The main committee later approved forwarding the full package as presented by finance; that motion carried with 10 votes in favor of 15 members present.

Tax impact and timing: staff offered approximate tax impacts and schedule details. Committee discussion included staff estimates that a $360 million public‑safety package would raise the tax rate by about 9 cents (the committee characterized that as roughly an 18% increase). Staff gave an example that 10 cents would amount to roughly $300 a year on a $300,000 home. Staff outlined the near‑term schedule: a Friday packet to council, a council agenda item (Jan. 21), a potential special workshop (Jan. 30) and a special council meeting to adopt ballot language (Feb. 10); staff said ballot‑language deadlines require action on or before Feb. 14.

Next steps: the committee’s recommendation and staff’s administrative proposal will be presented to City Council. Council will decide which items, and how many separate ballot propositions, to place on the special election ballot.