For The Best Scottsdale Campaign
Scottsdale voters strongly back important investments in public safety, senior services, parks and infrastructure.
(SCOTTSDALE) — A new poll among likely Scottsdale voters shows strong and sweeping support for three bond measures on the November 2019 ballot that invest in public safety, senior services, families and parks that also make overdue infrastructure repairs and improvements.
The bond measures — Questions 1, 2 and 3 — enjoy substantial voter support, according to the survey by highly respected national polling firm Public Opinion Strategies. The company has substantial experience in Arizona and Scottsdale.
Currently, Scottsdale voters back Question 1 by an 83 percent to 14 percent margin. That bond measure modernizes and expands senior centers. It also builds new parks, expands recreation facilities and replaces aging buildings at a community center that provides essential services to children and families. The bond measures have strong support across genders and age groups. Among men age 18 to 54, 92 percent support Question 1. More than 82 percent of all women voters in Scottsdale along 75 percent of men 55 and older also back the bond measure.
Question 2 focuses on important infrastructure repairs and improvements and has the support of 76 percent of Scottsdale voters surveyed. Twenty three percent oppose the proposal, according to the poll. Seventy five percent of all women as well as men 55 and older in the Scottsdale poll support Question 2. The bond question has backing from 78 percent of men age 18 to 54.
Question 3 is backed by 78 percent of Scottsdale voters versus 20 percent opposed, according to the poll. Question 3 focuses on public safety led by renovating and modernizing police and fire stations and replacing outdated 911 and emergency response systems. Eighty two percent of women age 55 and older, 81 percent of men age 55 and older, 77 percent of women age 18 to 54 and 70 percent of men age 18 to 54 back Question 3, according to the survey.
“Scottsdale voters have not approved a major bond proposal since 2000. The poll shows Scottsdale residents know our community is overdue to make important investments in seniors, public safety, parks and neighborhoods. The bonds will also make needed repairs to crumbling infrastructure and invest in Scottsdale’s high quality of life for future generations,” said Mike Norton and Paula Sturgeon, co-chairs of For the Best Scottsdale: Vote Yes on Questions One, Two and Three.
The two noted that Scottsdale’s secondary property tax will continue to decline even if all three measures pass. That is because financing of a $361 million package voters approved in 2000 can be retired and because of the increased property valuations over the past two decades.
The poll results mirror the deep and diverse support for the bond measures. The Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association backs the bonds and has already donated $10,000 to the For The Best Scottsdale bond campaign. The 818-member Scottsdale Area of Chamber of Commerce has also endorsed Questions 1, 2 and 3. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane and the entire Scottsdale City Council also support the bond package. The measures fund 58 projects totaling $319 million.
“While I didn’t commission or was involved in the poll, I am hearing considerable support during my conversations with residents,” said Sonnie Kirtley. Kirtley has been a long-time community leader and is a senior herself.
The survey also shows 70 percent of Scottsdale voters believe the city is headed in the right direction compared to just 22 percent who think Scottsdale is on the wrong track.
Scottsdale voters also conveyed notable levels of trust in Mayor Lane and the Scottsdale City Council. Sixty five percent of respondents in the poll trust the Mayor and Council to make decisions in the best interests of Scottsdale. Twenty eight percent in the poll said they don’t trust the Mayor and Council.
Public Opinion Strategies conducted the survey of 300 likely Scottsdale voters on May 11, 13 and 14. The poll included 125 cell phone respondents.
Here are the specific questions in the poll on the bond measures and trust in Scottsdale’s elected officials.
Bond measures: Question 1
“As you may know, on November fifth of this year, Scottsdale residents will be asked to vote on three questions to authorize new bonds to pay for community improvements and repairs throughout the city.
Now, I would like to ask you how you might vote on each of the bond questions on November fifth. The first is Question One, which involves Parks, Recreation, and Senior Services. If the election were being held today, would you vote yes or no on Question One, which authorizes the City of Scottsdale to sell up to one hundred twelve million six hundred thousand dollars in bonds for fourteen specific projects throughout the city to design, acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, furnish, and equip parks and recreational facilities, senior services, and facilities and libraries?”
Yes: 83 percent
No: 14 percent
Bond measures: Question 2
“The second is Question Two, which involves Community Spaces and Infrastructure. If the election were being held today, would you vote yes or no on Question Two, which authorizes the City of Scottsdale to sell up to one hundred twelve million three hundred thousand dollars in bonds for twenty specific projects throughout the city to design, acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, furnish and equip municipal, infrastructure, public parking street and transportation, pedestrian, event space, and community open space improvements and facilities?”
Yes: 76 percent
No: 23 percent
Bond measures: Question 3
“The third is Question Three, which involves Public Safety and Technology. If the election were being held today, would you vote yes or no on Question Three, which authorizes the City of Scottsdale to sell up to ninety‐four million one‐hundred thousand dollars in bonds for twenty-four specific projects throughout the city to design, acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, furnish, and equip public safety, police and fire, infrastructure and technology facilities and improvements?”
Yes: 78 percent
No: 20 percent
Trust in the Scottsdale Mayor and City Council
“In general, would you say that you trust or not trust the mayor and Scottsdale City Council to make decisions in the best interests of Scottsdale?”
Yes, Trust: 65 percent
No, Don’t Trust: 28 percent
Scottsdale headed in the right or wrong direction
“Would you say that things in Scottsdale are going in the right direction, or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?”
Right Direction: 70 percent
Wrong Track: 22 percent