For The Best Scottsdale Campaign
Campaign Sees Backing from All Across Scottsdale.
(SCOTTSDALE) — The For The Best Scottsdale Campaign: Vote Yes on Questions 1, 2, and 3 is reporting strong fundraising totals as it sees support from all across Scottsdale for fixing crumbling infrastructure and investing in senior centers, youth sports fields, parks and public safety.
For The Best Scottsdale has raised more than $75,900 in just two months of fundraising in favor of three bond questions on the November 2019 ballot.
Campaign contributors include the Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association ($10,000), Scottsdale Charros ($8,325), The Thunderbirds ($8,325) and Arizona Quarter Horse Association ($1,000). The groups play important roles in making Scottsdale an outstanding place to live. The Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association is For The Best Scottsdale’s largest campaign donor.
Individual donors supporting the Scottsdale bonds include community advocates Bill Crawford, Jason Alexander and Brian Esterly.
“We are committed to running a transparent and community driven campaign just as Mayor Lane and the City Council did prior to putting this matter on the November ballot. The breadth of support we have seen through endorsements and campaign contributions show how important the three bond questions are for Scottsdale’s quality of life, public safety and future prosperity,” said Andrea Alley, co-chair of the For The Best Scottsdale Campaign.
Scottsdale voters have not approved a major bond program since 2000 leaving infrastructure and public safety facilities needing overdue repairs and upgrades. If approved, the bond projects, spending and contracts will be overseen by the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee, a seven-member panel made up of Scottsdale residents.
The bond program expands the Granite Reef and Via Linda senior centers, add trails and facilities at Pinnacle Peak Park and builds 13 new youth sports fields to meet demand needs from youth sports leagues and tournaments. The bond program invests $319 million in 58 projects across all parts of Scottsdale.
The bond projects will help further enhance Scottsdale’s already great quality of life. That is why major employers and community minded businesses such as the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction ($8,325), Derouin Environmental Law ($500), Meritage Homes ($5,000) and the Evening Entertainment Group ($3,000) have donated to the bond campaign.
“Our fundraising is strong. We are seeing support from all parts of Scottsdale as well as from arts, small business, tourism and neighborhood advocates who see the wisdom in investing in our great community’s future,” Alley said.
The list of projects in the 2019 bond measures were determined through an extensive public input process and numerous public meetings. The bonds were put on the November 2019 ballot by a unanimous Mayor and Scottsdale City Council. Mayor Jim Lane and the entire Scottsdale City Council also support the bonds.
Scottsdale has not passed a meaningful community improvement package financed by bonds in two decades. Due to bonds now being retired to finance the infrastructure enhancements nearly 20 years ago it is highly likely Scottsdale’s secondary property tax, which funds bonds, will continue to decrease even if voters approve the new bonds, according to the City Treasurer’s Office. In 2000 Scottsdale voters authorized $358 million worth of new infrastructure that was critical to maintaining the city’s high quality of life. This year’s package is $319 million, substantially less than the $450 million city officials say would be the amount that taxpayers would begin to see a slight increase in their secondary property taxes.
Irrespective of the negligible to non-existent impact on effected taxes a deep and diverse group of Scottsdale citizens has organized in support of all 3 questions on the November ballot because they believe it is long last time for the community to invest in these critical improvements. And for the first time in recent memory the Scottsdale City Council is unanimously supporting “yes” votes, following the extensive public outreach and input the city undertook earlier this year.
Here is a list of all the contributions to For The Best Scottsdale for the most recent quarter:
* Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association ($10,000)
* The Thunderbirds ($8,325)
* Scottsdale Charros ($8,325)
* Barrett Jackson Auto Auction ($8,325)
* Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company ($5,000)
* Meritage Homes ($5,000)
* ACT Towing ($5,000)
* Priority Ambulance ($5,000)
* CH Glen at Old Town Communities ($5,000)
* Evening Entertainment Group ($3,000)
* Rose Moser Allyn Public & Online Relations ($2,500)
* Withey Morris PLC ($2,500)
* Rose Law Group ($2,500)
* Arizona Quarter Horse Association ($1,000)
* Michael A. Lieb Ltd. ($1,000)
* Scottsdale Polo Championships ($1,000)
* Davis Design Solutions ($1,000)
* Derouin Environmental Law LLC ($500)
* William Crawford ($500)
* Brian Esterly ($100)
* Jay Hebert ($100)
* Dan Richards ($100)
* Jason Alexander ($100)
* Christy Johnson ($50)
* Stephanie Despins Daly ($25)
* Brian Farling ($25).