Pima County puts off bond vote

The Pima County Board voted Tuesday not to schedule a countywide bond vote this fall, which means backers of several local projects face continued uncertainty. The board did not indicate when that vote might take place.

Among Green Valley and Sahuarita projects that could obtain bond funding are the Community Performing Arts Center; expansion of the county government center that includes a court, sheriff’s substation and library; and a park backed by the BAJA (Born Again Jocks Association) in Green Valley. In Sahuarita, bond money could go to an Anamax Park expansion and aquatic center and a permanent library branch.

Bond committee leaders Larry Hecker and Carolyn Campbell said the board directed the bond committees to continue their work, but with less time pressure.

James Mack, executive director of the Community Performing Arts Center Foundation, said, “I think the Board of Supervisors made a sound financial decision today. In my opinion the bond advisory committee would have struggled to get the necessary votes to pass it.”

Mack said his agency would like bond money for its Phase III expansion as quickly as possible, but was not really planning on bond sales before the 2012-13 fiscal year.

“So even though we are not having an election this fall, we are still optimistic that a 2011 or even a 2012 bond question is good to go as far as our costs,” Mack said.

Monday night, Town Council member Scott Downs noted that the uncertain timing of possible county bond funding for an Anamax Park expansion and aquatic center is a factor in the town’s consideration of whether to help fund a school district pool in the Town Center.

County officials want to explore alternative financing for expensive sewer projects. While other bond projects are repaid out of property taxes levied on the secondary tax base, sewer bonds are typically repaid out of monthly user fees, but the county in the past has placed sewer bonds on the ballot along with other county bond questions. Finding another funding mechanism may allow the county to move forward with sewer projects, some of which are mandated by federal clean water rules, without waiting for another bond vote.

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