What voters need to know about Prop 409, Maricopa County’s $900M bond measure

PHOENIX – If you live in the Phoenix area, you may have seen the campaign signs or received election pamphlets for Proposition 409.

But you still might be wondering exactly what Prop 409 is.

If passed, the ballot measure would allow the Maricopa County Special Health Care District, commonly known as Valleywise Health, to raise nearly $900 million through the sale of general obligation bonds.

The bonds would be paid off through secondary property taxes that would cost taxpayers an estimated 11 cents per $100 of net Assessed Limited Property Value.

Yes on 409, which backs the proposal, has an online calculator that shows property owners how to determine how passage would affect their tax burden.

Prop 409 is part of Maricopa County’s all-mail jurisdictional elections. Ballots will be sent automatically to all eligible voters starting Wednesday, and they must be returned by Nov. 4.

What is Valleywise Health and why does it want Prop 409 to pass?

Valleywise Health, formerly known as the Maricopa Integrated Health System, is a public health care system that serves as a safety net for the community. It also operates the state’s only public teaching hospital.

Dr. Michael White, chief clinical officer for Valleywise Health, said the bond sale is necessary because of how fast the area’s demand for health care is rising.

“As one of the fastest growing counties in the United States, the number of people that need access to health care — and especially behavioral health and emergency services — has continued to outstrip the available facilities that we have to get folks care in a timely fashion,” he told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Tuesday.

White noted that mental health diagnoses are increasing, and those patients are becoming more comfortable seeking treatment. As a result, it’s taking longer to place patients due to a lack of space.

“The largest project for this particular bond initiative will be … to expand the number of behavioral health beds that we have … to be able to meet this growing need,” he said.

New Valleywise Health hospital can’t keep pace with demand

The money raised through Prop 409, which can’t exceed $898 million, would be for building new facilities and improving existing ones.

“We cannot use these dollars to take care of people,” White said.

Valleywise Health tried getting ahead of the curve by building a new 10-story hospital at 24th and Roosevelt streets. It opened last year after four years of construction.

White said the campus had been projected to meet the community’s demand into 2030, but that’s no longer the case.

“We’re seeing levels of patient care that we anticipated to see in 2029 and 2030 today,” he said.

Related

All eligible voters getting mail ballots for 2025 Maricopa County jurisdictional electionsLong-awaited Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix welcomes 1st patientsAndy Biggs explains why he picked Sine Kerr as his running mate in bid for governor’s seatAndy Biggs picks Sine Kerr as running mate in 1st Arizona election with lieutenant governorKatie Hobbs won’t debate Andy Biggs in governor’s raceRepublican Matt Salmon thinks his friend Andy Biggs faces uphill battle against Gov. Katie Hobbs