El Mirage election asks residents to vote on $41.5 million bond

El Mirage's $41.5 million special bond election will ask voters to decide on projects for both public safety and city facilities.

The new projects would help to accommodate the city's growth. El Mirage had a population of about 36,000 in the 2020 census, which is about a 12.5% increase from 2010.

Some $21.5 million of the bond money would go toward public safety facilities, while $20 million would go toward city facilities. The ballot will only contain one question, which would pass with a majority vote.

An estimated $18.5 million would be used to construct a 17,000-square-foot fire station on 2.5 acres in the southern part of the city. Currently, the city has one fire station located in the northern end.

That location has been occupied since 2012, said city spokesperson Kari Sliva in an email. But in the 20-year period between 2002 and 2022, the number of calls has increased 142%, and 48% in the last 10 years. The second fire station would help to improve response times. Response times south of Cactus Road are currently about an average of 4 minutes, with a fire department analysis report in 2022 identifying a need for reduced response times, Sliva said.

The other $3 million of the public safety portion would expand the city's police station at West Cinnabar Avenue and North El Mirage Road by 5,000 square feet, or 25%. That location has been occupied since 2013, said Sliva, and the number of staff has increased by almost 46%.

That's caused employees to have to work in interview rooms and closets, said Sliva. The expansion would give employees more workspace, and the El Mirage Police Department’s Investigations Bureau space would occupy the space, Sliva said. That unit handles investigations for crimes such as homicides and sex crimes.

The city would also build a new 18,000-square-foot municipal courthouse on 1.7 acres adjacent to the new fire station. That project would cost about $14 million and would replace the current city court location, which was originally constructed in the 1980s as a community center, Sliva said. The city court has been at that location for 16 years.

But the number of cases filed increased 84% between 2008 and 2020, Sliva said, resulting in a 53% increase in personnel positions. The new facility would address safety concerns, have modern technology and eliminate the need for customers the wait outside. It would also have more space accessible to those with disabilities, Sliva said.

The last project would expand El Mirage's City Hall at North El Mirage Road and West Cinnabar Avenue just south of the police station by 8,500 square feet and cost about $6 million. Over the next 20 years, the city is expected to increase its city hall employees from 40 to 60.

And it's already experiencing a space issue, with some offices meant for one employee currently being used by multiple employees, Sliva said. Meeting rooms are also being used as office space. The expansion would accommodate the current employees as well as its expected increase.

All ballots have to be received by Nov. 7. If passed, the bond measure will result in an increase in secondary property taxes. But the rate will vary depending on property values and the amount of bonds issued, according to the city's website.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or by phone at 480-259-8545. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @AlexandraHardle.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: El Mirage election asks voters to decide on $41.5 million bond