REQUEST FOR ARGUMENTS
REQUEST FOR ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST A PROPOSITION TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF TEMPE, ARIZONA, AT A SPECIAL ELECTION TO COINCIDE WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 3, 2026, FOR A NEW TRANSACTION PRIVILEGE (SALES) TAX AND USE TAX OF FIVE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT (0.5%), EXCEPT FOR THE PRIVILEGE (SALES) TAX ON FOOD FOR HOME CONSUMPTION, WITH
1) THREE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT (0.3%) TO BE ALLOCATED TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY AND STRENGTHEN THE OVERALL SECURITY OF TEMPE’S PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, OPERATIONS, AND SERVICES FOR POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND SECURITY PROGRAMS, AND CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN;
2) ONE-TENTH OF ONE PERCENT (0.1%) TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE IMPROVEMENT AND OPERATION OF TEMPE’S PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM AND MULTIMODAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE; AND,
3) ONE-TENTH OF ONE PERCENT (0.1%) TO BE ALLOCATED TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AND BROADEN ACCESS FIRST TO QUALIFIED TEMPE RESIDENTS, FOLLOWED BY TEACHERS WORKING IN TEMPE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEN TO EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF TEMPE, AND FINALLY TO NON-RESIDENTS WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY TEMPE-BASED BUSINESSES.
Pursuant to Resolution No. R2026.48 adopted by the Mayor and Council of the City of Tempe, Arizona (the “City”), on May 14, 2026 (the “Resolution”), a Special Election in and for the City was ordered and called to be held on November 3, 2026 (the “Election”).
An informational pamphlet will be mailed to Tempe households with registered voters and will include arguments for and against the proposition to be considered at the Election, as follows:
- Proposition 424, a new five-tenths of one percent (0.5%) transaction privilege (sales) tax and use tax, except for the privilege (sales) tax on food for home consumption, to be levied and allocated as follows:
- three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) to be designated to enhance public safety and strengthen the overall security of Tempe’s parks and neighborhoods, including funding for essential public safety infrastructure, operations, and services for police, fire, emergency operations, safety and security programs, and crime prevention through environmental design;
- one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) to be designated for the improvement and operation of Tempe’s public transit system and multimodal projects, including pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure; and,
- one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) to be designated to expand and strengthen early care and preschool education and broaden access first to qualified Tempe residents, followed by teachers working in Tempe school districts, then to employees of the City of Tempe, and finally to non-residents who are employed by Tempe-based businesses.
The full text of the proposition is included in the Resolution, which is available at the Office of the City Clerk, 31 E. 5th Street, Tempe, Arizona 85281, and on the City’s website at www.tempe.gov/election.
Submission of Arguments
Any person interested in submitting an argument for or against the proposition must file the argument with the City Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., Arizona Time, on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
Arguments must be submitted in electronic format to: clerk@tempe.gov.
Requirements for Arguments
In accordance with Arizona Revised Statutes:
- Each argument filed shall not exceed three hundred (300) words in length.
- Each argument shall include a sworn statement from the person or persons sponsoring the argument.
- If the argument is sponsored by an organization, it shall include the sworn statement of two executive officers of the organization.
- If the argument is sponsored by a political committee, it shall include the sworn statement of the committee’s chairperson or treasurer.
- If the argument is submitted by an individual and not on behalf of an organization or a political committee, it shall include the sworn statement from the individual.
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The names of persons and entities submitting arguments will be included in the informational pamphlet.
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The person or persons signing the argument shall provide their residence address and a telephone number. This information will not appear in the informational pamphlet, except that the person’s city or town and state of residence will be published.
Deposit Requirement
- At the time of filing, the person submitting an argument must deposit one hundred dollars ($100.00) per argument to offset a portion of the cost of printing and distributing the informational pamphlet.
- Payment must be submitted at the time of filing and may be made by the following methods:
- Credit card (by phone at 480-350-8242 or in person at the City Clerk’s Office, 31 East Fifth Street, Tempe, AZ 85281);
- Check (payable to the City of Tempe, submitted in person or by mail to the City Clerk’s Office, 31 East Fifth Street, Tempe, AZ 85281); or
- Cash (in person at the City Clerk’s Office, 31 East Fifth Street, Tempe, AZ 85281).
Arguments filed that do not comply with the above requirements may not be included in the informational pamphlet.
If you have any questions about the foregoing, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 480-350-8242.