Two years after Fountain Hills voters defeated a $30 million bond proposal for street construction and maintenance, they are going back to the polls to consider a new plan.

In November 2011 voters rejected the bond proposal by a 55 percent to 44 percent margin.

So why the push for another effort?

The 2011 proposal included major reconstruction of Saguaro Boulevard, as well as a long-term street maintenance program.

The maintenance proposal has been removed, reducing the bond to $8.2 million to cover only the cost of rebuilding Saguaro.

The delay in making improvements has worn on the Saguaro asphalt. After several wet winter storms earlier this year the town spent $100,000 on emergency repairs to Saguaro as well as some on Palisades Boulevard.

The town is taking a different approach to regular street maintenance with the council committing to budget $1 million per year through 2021 for a pavement management program.

The annual street maintenance is being funded with $750,000 from the town’s share of the vehicle license tax from the state. The council needed to make additional adjustments, primarily in staffing reductions, to make up the additional $250,000.

The council initiated the new plan with an $867,000 budget adjustment to start work during the fiscal year just ended in June.

The town began the pavement management with a $2 million allocation for the 2013-14 fiscal year. The council has already authorized the work related to that allocation and it will be completed within a few weeks.

With the pavement maintenance taken care of using other revenues, the town is able to present the new bond at a more taxpayer friendly amount of $8.2 million.

Organized support

The more palatable funding request has resulted in the support of a citizens committee working for passage of the bond question.

The group, known as Citizens 4 Saguaro, is chaired by attorney Bob Thomson and has all six of the town’s current and former mayors currently living here working for passage.

The Chamber of Commerce and Greater Fountain Hills Business Alliance also are supporting the question.

According to Thomson, the support is focused around property values, commerce, safety and image.

As of this writing in mid-September there has been no organized opposition to the plan.

If approved, the bonds will be sold in a single issue at an estimated cost of $100,000. Town staff is estimating the total payout at $9.67 million over the five-year life of the bond.

Town officials are estimating the secondary property tax rate assessed to property owners would be approximately 51 cents per $100 of assessed value on the property.

Residential property is assessed at 10 percent of cash value. That would make a $127.50 annual levy on a property with a cash value of $250,000.

Election calendar

The deadline to register for the Nov. 5 election is Monday, Oct. 7. This is an all-mail ballot with the voting materials to be sent to those registered on Thursday, Oct. 10.

Fountain Hills Town Hall will be a site for voters to replace a lost, spoiled, destroyed or not received ballot. Qualified electors may receive or cast a replacement ballot during business hours at Town Hall, Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A sealed ballot box will also be available at Town Hall for those wanting to drop off their completed ballot rather than put it in the mail.

These voter services will begin at Town Hall on Monday, Oct. 14.

(Next week: More details on the proposed Saguaro Blvd. project).