Your Address, Not Your County, Decides What's on Your Ballot
Eleven local propositions are on Pima County's November 3, 2026 ballot. Only two are countywide, and three bond questions publish what they cost a home.
Two are countywide. The other nine are set by city, fire-district and school-district lines — and each of the three bond measures publishes an estimated annual cost for a specific home value.
Early ballots go in the mail Wednesday, October 7, and the one arriving at your house will not match the one arriving four miles away. Pima County voters face eleven local propositions on November 3, and only two appear on every ballot. Which of the other nine you get is decided by your address — and a great many addresses that read Tucson on an envelope are not in the City of Tucson at all. Three of the eleven are bond questions, and Arizona makes each one publish what it would cost a specific house, so this is the rare year the whole arrangement is readable.
- 11
- Local propositions on the ballot, and only two are on every ballot
- $49.41/yr
- Prop 424's estimate on the Northwest Fire District's average $278,180 home
- $31.11/yr
- Prop 430's estimate on a property valued at $250,000
- Oct. 7
- Early ballots mailed; election day is November 3
The Two Everybody Gets
Proposition 425 is about spending authority rather than tax rate. It would permanently raise the county's 1979-80 base expenditure limit by $70 million, which compounds forward for population and inflation — so in fiscal 2027-2028 the limit itself rises from about $817 million to roughly $1.43 billion. The ballot language says the added authority would be funded from revenues obtained from state and local sources rather than a new levy, and puts numbers on the first year: of the $84.1 million the county projects spending above the current unadjusted limit in fiscal 2027-2028, $21.9 million would come from state sources and $62.2 million from existing local revenue. The county adds that if the past decade's revenue growth holds, it does not anticipate approaching full use of the raised limit for at least twenty years. The Board of Supervisors referred it on April 21, 2026, under resolution #2026-23.
Proposition 430 is the other countywide item, and it does carry a figure. Pima Community College wants $250 million in general obligation bonds, which the college puts at roughly $31.11 a year — $2.59 a month — on a property valued at $250,000, averaged across the 20-year maturity. The plan behind it is itemised: $58.9 million to update existing infrastructure, $57 million to modernise and expand academic space, $39.8 million for a Center of Excellence in Public Safety and First Responders, $29 million for the downtown campus and a police headquarters, $27.3 million to renovate student success and support centers, and $38 million to refinance existing revenue bonds. Its argument for asking is that state capital funding for the college ceased in 2009 and operating support reached zero in 2015, a cumulative loss it puts at $221 million.
Two More Inside Tucson City Limits, and Only Inside Them
Proposition 421 would grant Tucson Electric Power a 25-year franchise to run transmission and distribution facilities through city rights-of-way. The agreement sets the franchise fee at 2.25 percent of the company's applicable retail revenues inside the city, paid quarterly, and makes that fee stand in place of the permit, inspection and right-of-way charges the city would otherwise assess for the same work. One-ninth of those quarterly payments may be allocated by the council, subject to annual appropriation, to three named purposes: low-income energy assistance programs such as weatherization and bill assistance, the city's share of putting transmission and distribution lines underground, and programs encouraging renewable energy. Proposition 422 is an amendment to Chapter IV, Section 5 of the Tucson Charter reauthorizing the one-tenth-cent (0.1%) transaction privilege and use tax for twenty more years, January 1, 2028 through December 31, 2047, dedicated to capital improvements, infrastructure repair and replacement, exhibit expansion, and related operations and maintenance at the Gene Reid Park Zoo. The current authorization ends December 31, 2027, so a no vote is the tax lapsing rather than a new one being imposed. Both are City of Tucson measures only. If your parcel sits in Casas Adobes, Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells or the unincorporated county around them, neither lands on your ballot — and neither does the city's share of your tax bill.
The Rest Are District Lines
The remaining seven are narrower still: 423 is Vail Unified's, 426 Amphitheater Unified's, 428 Sahuarita Unified's, 429 Tanque Verde Unified's, 431 the Town of Oro Valley's. Two carry the clearest arithmetic on the ballot. Proposition 424 is the Northwest Fire District's $73 million package, put on the ballot on the recommendation of a thirteen-member volunteer committee of district residents and business, government and non-profit representatives who spent several months on the capital list. It would be drawn in three issuances — $21 million in 2028, $25 million in 2029, $27 million in 2032, each requiring a separate governing board vote on timing and amount under Arizona law — to demolish and rebuild Station 331, build a new Station 340 and buy an aerial platform apparatus for it, and buy land for and build Station 342. On the full $73 million the district estimates $0.1776 per $100 of net limited assessed valuation: $4.12 a month, or $49.41 a year, on its average home value of $278,180 over the bond's 20-year life. Combined with debt already outstanding it estimates $0.2156 per $100, and its board has said it will issue new bond debt only as existing bond debt retires, with the stated intent of holding that combined rate static rather than stepping it up.
Proposition 427 is the Pima County Joint Technical Education District's first bond ever: authorization for up to $250 million in general obligation bonds for capital improvements — buying or leasing property, constructing or renovating buildings, and acquiring furniture, equipment and technology — planned as $186.3 million for central campuses and $63.7 million for satellite ones. Its published estimate is $0.14 per $100 of assessed valuation, about $41 a year for 15 years on an owner-occupied residence valued at $250,000. JTED covers 14 member districts across roughly 12,000 square miles, taking in Pima County plus parts of Santa Cruz and Pinal — a district line and a county line that are genuinely different shapes.
Why a Bond Behaves Differently From the Rest of Your Tax Bill
Northwest Fire's bond page explains the underlying mechanic better than any voter guide, and it reaches past that one district. Arizona bases residential property taxation on Limited Property Value, which holds annual valuation increases to no more than 5 percent, and later legislation capped the rate fire districts may levy — by enough, the district says, that many took roughly fifteen years to climb back to their 2009–2010 levels. Then the sentence that matters: those levy limitations do not apply to the property values or tax rates needed to pay debt service on bonds. A voter-approved bond is the one piece of an Arizona property tax bill sitting outside the caps — which is why it goes to a vote, and why these three questions carry a dollar figure.
The Dates, and the Question Worth Asking at a Showing
Registration closes this Monday, October 5, and residency inside the City of Tucson since that date is what qualifies you for its two measures. The county administers the whole thing as one consolidated election, and every active registered voter in the city is mailed a ballot without asking. Early voting opens Wednesday, October 7. October 23 is the last day to request a ballot by mail, Tuesday, October 27 the recommended last day to mail one back, October 30 the last day to vote early in person. Election day is Tuesday, November 3: polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and every mail ballot is due at the Recorder's Office by 7 p.m.
If you are under contract this fall, a sample ballot is a rough read on which taxing districts a parcel sits in — but it is not the authority. Confirm the municipality, fire district and school district for that parcel with Pima County. Those lines are on the tax bill. They are very often nowhere on the listing.
That is the part that outlasts November 3. A four-mile move here can change your city, your fire district and the rate on your tax bill without changing anything you would notice from the street. Twice a year that lattice sends you a bill. This month it sends a ballot, which is the more legible of the two.
Sources
KOLD News 13 — "Pima County voters to decide on 11 local propositions, eight statewide measures" (September 30, 2026) — kold.com/2026/10/01/pima-county-voters-decide-11-local-propositions-eight-statewide-measures/ — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the eleven local propositions alongside eight statewide measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot, and for Propositions 425 and 430 being the two countywide measures). Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission — "November 3, 2026 General Election — Pima" — azcleanelections.gov/november-3-2026/pima — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the jurisdiction behind each local proposition: 423 Vail Unified School District, 424 Northwest Fire District, 425 countywide, 426 Amphitheater Unified School District, 427 Pima JTED, 428 Sahuarita Unified School District, 429 Tanque Verde Unified School District, 430 Pima Community College and 431 Town of Oro Valley; and for the October 5 registration deadline, early voting opening October 7, October 23, October 27 and October 30 deadlines and the November 3 election date). Pima County Elections Department — "Permanent Base Adjustment — Ballot Language," Proposition 425 — pima.gov/3904/Permanent-Base-Budget-Adjustment-Electio — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the permanent $70,000,000 adjustment to the county's 1979-80 base expenditure limitation under Board of Supervisors resolution #2026-23 of April 21, 2026, adjusted each future year for population and inflation growth since 1979-80; the fiscal 2027-2028 expenditure limitation rising by $610,086,481 from $817,131,286 to $1,427,217,767; the additional authority being funded from state and local revenue sources for any local budgetary purpose including public health, safety and welfare, roads and other infrastructure; and the $84,110,000 in fiscal 2027-2028 expenditures projected above the current unadjusted limit, of which $21,868,600 would come from state sources and $62,241,400 from existing local revenue sources). City of Tucson Clerk's Office — "Official Voter Information: Special Election November 3, 2026" publicity pamphlet — tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Clerks/Elections — accessed October 3, 2026 (for Proposition 421's official and descriptive ballot titles granting Tucson Electric Power a franchise to construct, maintain and operate electric transmission and distribution facilities in City of Tucson rights-of-way for a period of twenty-five years under Exhibit 1 to Ordinance No. 12239; for Section 8 of that franchise agreement setting the franchise fee at two and one quarter percent (2.25%) of all Applicable Revenues, payable in quarterly installments, with one-ninth of the Quarterly Payments allocable by the Council subject to annual appropriation to low-income energy assistance, the City's share of undergrounding expenses under Section 18, and renewable energy incentive programs; for Proposition 422's official ballot language amending Tucson Charter Chapter IV, Section 5 to reauthorize the one-tenth-cent (0.1%) transaction privilege (sales) tax and use tax for an additional twenty years after December 31, 2027, from January 1, 2028 to December 31, 2047, dedicated to capital improvements, infrastructure repair and replacement, exhibit expansion and related improvements, operations and maintenance at the Gene Reid Park Zoo; for the requirement that a voter be registered on or before October 5; for polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on November 3 and all mail ballots being due at the Pima County Recorder's Office by 7 p.m. on election day; and for Tuesday, October 27, 2026 as the recommended last day to drop a ballot in the mail). Pima Community College — "Proposition 430" GO Bond page — pima.edu/administration/finance/go-bond/index.html — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the $250 million general obligation bond authorization on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the estimate of approximately $31.11 per year, or $2.59 per month, on a property valued at $250,000 averaged over the 20-year maturity bonds; and for state capital funding ceasing in 2009, operational funding reaching zero in 2015 and the cumulative $221 million figure). Northwest Fire District — "Proposition 424 FAQs" — nwfdaz.gov/bond/ — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the $73 million total package; the planned issuances of $21 million in 2028, $25 million in 2029 and $27 million in 2032 and the requirement that the governing board approve the timing and amount of any issue under Arizona law; the Station 331 demolition and rebuild, construction of new Station 340, an aerial platform apparatus for Station 340, and the land purchase and construction for new Station 342; the estimated $0.1776 per $100 of net limited assessed property valuation, or $4.12 per month and $49.41 per year on an average district home value of $278,180 over the bond's 20-year life; the estimated $0.2156 per $100 average rate combined with existing outstanding debt; the governing board's stated commitment to issue new bond debt only as existing bond debt is retired in order to maintain a static combined property tax rate; and for Limited Property Value limiting annual valuation increases to no more than 5 percent, the later capping of fire district levy rates and reduction of commercial assessed valuation, many fire districts taking approximately fifteen years to return to 2009–2010 valuation levels, and levy limitations not applying to the property values or tax rates necessary to pay debt service on bonds). Pima County Joint Technical Education District — "Bond" — pimajted.org/bond/ — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the special bond election called for November 3, 2026 seeking authorization of up to $250,000,000 in general obligation bonds for capital improvements including property, buildings, furniture, equipment and technology; the planned split of $186.3 million for central campuses and $63.7 million for satellite campuses; the estimated average annual bond tax rate of $0.14 per $100 of assessed valuation and the estimated $41 per year for 15 years on an owner-occupied residence valued at $250,000; and for JTED serving high-school-age students in 14 member districts across boundaries encompassing 12,000 square miles in Pima County and parts of Santa Cruz and Pinal counties). Pima County Recorder's Office — "Election Calendar" — recorder.pima.gov/ElectionCalendar — accessed October 3, 2026 (for the office's published 2026 election calendar, early ballot and early voting information). Proposition numbers, ballot language, estimated tax rates and election dates are set by the jurisdictions calling them and can change; confirm any figure here, and which propositions appear on your own ballot, with the Pima County Recorder's Office and the Pima County Elections Department before relying on it. A tax rate published by a bonding jurisdiction is an estimate, not a commitment, and the taxing districts that apply to a specific parcel must be confirmed with Pima County rather than taken from a listing. Nothing here is legal, tax or voting advice. This post is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase real estate. Kyle Berglund and Tierra Antigua Realty fully support and comply with the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.
Topics
- Local Insights
- Pima County
- Property Taxes
- Bond Elections
- Northwest Fire District
- Tucson