Avondale council calls November bond election after citizen committee recommends $68M parks, $55M public-safety questions

The Avondale City Council voted to call a November 4, 2025 special election to ask voters to authorize two general-obligation bond questions: $68 million for parks, recreation and library projects and $55 million for public-safety projects and court facilities.

The call followed a months-long review by a nine-member Citizen Bond Committee and a poll by consultant High Ground Public Affairs. Katie Gregory, assistant city manager, presented the committee's recommendation and staff's proposed financing plan, and Paul Benson of High Ground presented survey results showing majority support for a package divided into parks and public-safety measures.

The committee recommended projects intended to be funded over a 10-year period, including shade structures and spectator facilities at parks, renovation of older neighborhood parks and parking, trail-gap completion (notably along the Agua Fria River), civic center library upgrades, a southern Avondale fire/police substation, a consolidated public-safety headquarters, a police firearms training facility, and an expansion of the city's main police station and court facilities. Gregory said some projects already have partial funding and that the bond authorization would provide additional capital to complete them.

City budget staff said the financing plan is designed to preserve the current secondary property-tax rate by issuing bonds in tranches as older debt matures. Robert, the city's budget manager, explained that Arizona property-tax rules use a limited assessed valuation and a separate secondary property-tax levy for bond repayment; staff told council they plan to maintain the combined city property-tax rate while retiring old debt and issuing new debt to replace it.

Survey results presented by Benson used a 400-person sample and showed strong voter receptivity to several park and public-safety items; shade structures and a joint police-fire station rated near the top. Benson told the council, "70 plus percent of the electorate thinks that the city's headed in the right direction," and said that the tested packages showed viability for a November vote.

Council members asked about ZIP-code coverage in the survey, the effect of inflation on multi-year projects, and how strictly the projects would be constrained to those described on the ballot. Gregory and committee members said the ballot questions would be broad enough to allow some flexibility but emphasized that council would retain oversight: voter authorization would permit debt issuance but specific project timing and final scopes would return to council for appropriation and approval.

City staff outlined a public-education timetable if the council's resolution calling the election stood: informational materials would be produced over the summer, the last date to submit publicity-pamphlet arguments is July 9, ballots are expected to be mailed beginning October 8, and November 4 is the official election deadline. Staff said the election will be conducted by mail with a local ballot drop box and at least one early ballot or replacement site managed by Maricopa County.

Councilmember Natasha Edmonds, chair of the Citizen Bond Committee, said the committee "asked a lot of questions" and agreed on the two-question recommendation. The council voted to adopt the resolution calling the election; the motion was made by Councilmember Max White and seconded by Councilmember Gloria Solorio.

If approved by voters, the bond authorizations would allow the city to issue general-obligation debt to finance the listed projects; council emphasized that issuing bonds and approving final project spending are separate steps that would return to council for appropriation and scheduling.

Votes at a glance: the council approved the resolution calling the special bond election (motion: adopt resolution calling a special election for two bond questions: $68,000,000 parks and libraries; $55,000,000 public safety and courts), mover: Max White; second: Gloria Solorio; outcome: approved.