For the first time, the Pinewood Fire District (PFD) is asking voters to approve a bond supporting their effort to build a new firehouse. The PFD has outgrown its current home, and the firehouse doesn’t meet present day standards that keep firefighters safe. Further, Munds Park is growing, and so are the surrounding areas that the PFD serves. The new firehouse will provide adequate facilities to support our firefighters, state-of-the-art equipment, improve security, and allow for future growth.
Bond projects include:
Demolition, design, and construction of a new facility
Safety and security of district assets
Inclusion of community meeting space
Increase the level of response
Improvements in design to mitigate firefighter cancer risks
Improvements to building for firefighter and public safety
How much is the bond?
The district’s bonding capacity is $4.513 million, and we are asking for the full bond of $4.513 million.
How much will the bond cost taxpayers?
The Pinewood Fire District bond is estimated to be about $36 per year for each $100,000 in the Assessor’s limited property value. The average ‘limited property value’ for Munds Park FY2023 is $215,500, costing about $6.50 per month.
The limited property value (LPV) is not the market value of your home but a separate assessment the county uses for calculating taxes. In most cases, the (LPV) isn’t even half of the market value.
To find your LPV, check your tax records, or check with the county assessor.
The tax will sunset 20 years after the bonds have all been sold.
How do I know the money will be spent as indicated?
The Pinewood Fire District is committed to responsible stewardship of bond funds. Further, Arizona law requires the district to identify the allocation of bond money in the ballot proposition. As a result, the district is required to comply or be in violation of Arizona state law. Additionally, the fire district will provide public updates on the progress of the bond and how the proceeds are spent at our monthly board meetings.
Board meetings are public, and you can find the dates and times in the Pinewood News Community Calendar on page 2. Further, we will keep you updated with periodic articles published in the Pinewood News.
What will happen if the bond is not approved?
The district will rely on limited funding through assessed value to fund these projects. With our current funding, building a new firehouse would take about 30 years to accomplish and may not get funded at all.
When do we vote?
The Bond will be on the ballot Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
Early voting will start Wednesday, October 12, 2022.
The last day for voter registration is Monday, October 10, 2022.
Visit www.servicearizona.com to register to vote.
This article originally ran in the July 15, 2022 Pinewood News.