Taxpayer Alert – 2023 Bond Issues On the Ballot

This year’s election day falls on Tuesday, November 21st, and in several counties, cities and districts, voters will be able to vote not just on their elected officials, but on bond issues, too. We have compiled a list of the 2023 bond proposals, reviewed the information, and adopted a position of support, neutral or oppose on each.

Many of the proposed bonds are “revenue neutral”, meaning a taxpayer will see no change to their tax burden as a result of the bond passing because an old bond will be expiring as the new bond is adopted. In other words, taxpayers will forgo the tax decrease that accompanies an expiring bond, but also not see an increase from current rates by passing the new bond because the savings and costs will offset each other. While this strategy has advantages for taxpayers since the new bond does not create an additional tax burden, it can disguise the fact that entities are asking for new revenue. Taxpayers should be careful to vote for bonds on the merits of their uses rather than their impact on their tax burden.

We encourage voters to attend their public hearings, review our positions, and vote on November 21st.