FAQ’s

GO bonds are commonly used by municipalities to fund public improvement and infrastructure projects using a secondary property tax to retire the bonds. Similar to a home mortgage, selling bonds allows municipalities to build a facility or public infrastructure project now, and then pay for them over time. The 2024 Sahuarita Bond Program will appear on the November 5, 2024 General Election ballot as Proposition 403. Learn more on the About Bonds page.

Municipalities typically collect two types of property taxes. Primary property taxes are generally used to support the maintenance and operation budgets for local governments, such as towns, cities, counties, school districts, and community college districts. Secondary property taxes are generally used to pay for bond issues, budget overrides, and special districts.

A group of potential projects were proposed by Town staff based on the results of community planning processes and public input. In 2023, the Town conducted a community survey seeking feedback on parks, recreation facilities, amenities, and future planning. Based on the survey (results available at https://sahuaritaaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8950/PROS-Master-Plan), Town staff recommendations and Mayor and Council input, the proposed projects addressing Sahuarita's recreational and infrastructure needs were selected and Prop 403 was placed on the November 5, 2024 ballot.

The Town will levy a secondary property tax at the rate of $0.8850 per $100 of net assessed limited property value.* For a residential property with the assessed value of $232,067, this would amount to $17.12 per month in secondary property taxes.

*Assessed value is multiplied by the assessment ratio, which is 10% for residential properties, 16.5% for commercial properties, and 15% for others in Arizona. To calculate your estimated average monthly cost, click here.

Arizona law requires that bonds that are payable from Town property taxes be voter-approved. These bonds are commonly called “general obligation” or “GO” bonds. A general obligation bond is a contract between a bondholder, who, in effect, lends the Town money and the Town, which pledges to repay it with interest. Repayment is by secondary property taxes levied on all taxable property in the Town.

No, Prop 403 will not result in an increase in HOA fees. If approved by voters, the projects will be funded through a secondary property tax levied on all residential, commercial, agricultural and other vacant properties in the Town.

The Sahuarita Mayor and Council considered both separating and packaging the projects together. Given that all the projects aim to improve quality of life, enhance police/public safety, and delay the need to build new, more costly Town facilities, and given the support shown for all these projects in the community survey, they decided that a single bond package would be the better option. Visit Building the Bond Package for more information about the process that informed the creation of Prop 403.

The 25-year length of the bond won’t change because of population growth. However, as more homes and properties are built, the Town’s tax base is expected to grow, and the secondary tax rate is expected to decrease if the Town’s total property value rises. This is because the cost of repaying the bond is spread across more properties, meaning each property owner pays less over time.

The amount of secondary property taxes paid by owners of real property will depend each year on the value of their property (net limited assessed value located on your tax bill) and the secondary tax rate established by the Town each budget year. If more homes are built and the value of existing property increases, the Town’s overall property value would be expected to increase, which would be expected to lower the tax burden for each household. Future property values are subject to several factors outside of the Town’s control.

Last year, voters in the Sahuarita Unified School District (SUSD) approved a $50 million bond for school improvements, with repayment coming from secondary property taxes.  

Proposition 403 is a $66 million bond proposition of the Town intended to address the Town’s 1900% population growth and focuses on two areas of the Town’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan: community well-being and infrastructure.

The Town is proposing construction of a Multigenerational Recreation Center because the Town currently has only one public recreation center located at Anamax Park, which was acquired from Pima County when the population of the Town was roughly 5,000 residents.

Prop 403 also is intended to address police services, operational efficiency, and capacity to meet Sahuarita’s current and future needs with future population growth sharing in bond repayment.

The Multigenerational Recreation Center project contained in Prop 403 will be available to all, regardless of where they live. The plan is for Sahuarita residents, however, to receive priority access and reduced user fees, while non-residents are expected to pay a higher rate. This pricing structure accounts for the secondary property tax contribution made by Town property owners. Currently, no usage fees are anticipated for any other projects included in Prop 403.

The projects included in Proposition 403 consist of either upgrades to existing facilities or the construction of new facilities with new amenities for the community to accommodate the Town’s population growth.

The following are the proposed new facilities and amenities that are not currently available in Sahuarita: 

Multigenerational Recreation Center

• New: Bouldering wall, indoor aquatics facility, indoor sports courts, kitchen for cooking classes, child watch, multipurpose rooms. Rentable space for parties, classes or other uses. New and expanded programming opportunities.

Sports Court Complex

• New: Handball and racquetball courts. Gaga ball pits. Seating areas and shade structures for observers. Additional parking and improvements to traffic circulation.

Public Works Maintenance Building

• New: Office space for Public Works Streets Department staff. Garage space for fleet maintenance and equipment upkeep. Storage facilities for equipment and materials.