Our chance to make sure Flagstaff first responders have what they need

Flagstaff voters will have some choices to make in this year’s general election. Besides choosing between city council candidates, there are two propositions and we’re asked to decide whether to pass both to fund additional public safety staff and facilities. I’m including important links to additional information at the end of this column.

It’s important to note how these propositions have ended up on our ballots. A public safety citizen’s committee was created to hear the needs of fire, police, emergency management, and airport fire and rescue. The committee met for six months—often multiple times per month—to consider these needs, dissect the city’s budget, discuss all the funding options, and to make a recommendation to the city council. You can watch any or all of the committee’s meetings, view all the documents they considered, and see the presentations that were given.

Similar public safety measures have recently passed in several Arizona cities, including Chandler (2022 & 2025), Glendale, Phoenix, Mesa, and Prescott.

Proposition 404 is a ½ cent sales tax (.50 on a $100 purchase) expiring in 15 years. Groceries and rent aren’t taxable in the City of Flagstaff and wouldn’t be impacted. This measure, if passed in November, enables additional staffing which will result in faster response times and increased wildland forest management and fire mitigation. The Flagstaff Fire Department will hire more firefighters with specialized wildland fire training and medical training, such as paramedic credentials, to respond to emergencies. The Flagstaff Police Department will hire additional sworn officers and staff, including detectives and traffic patrols, police aides to manage non-emergency calls, and dispatchers and evidence staff.

Proposition 405 is a general obligation bond to build the facilities and purchase the equipment and technology to put Flagstaff public safety in an excellent and strategic position heading into the future. Much-needed facilities will be constructed, including a new fire training facility, fire station, fire station modernization, police department expansion, and police evidence warehouse. These facilities will enable police and fire to better serve our community now and into the future.

Another essential investment is additions to police, fire, and emergency management vehicles and equipment. Equipment critical to emergency response—including wildland fire equipment, emergency medical equipment, criminal investigation tools, and updated dispatch technology—will ensure that all emergency response will be conducted quickly and with the right tools.

The $40M bond is within the City’s bonding capacity—meaning our existing property tax rates remain the same.

The citizen’s committee voted unanimously to forward the propositions to the city council, who in turn voted unanimously to place both on the November 2026 general election ballot. I support Propositions 404 and 405 and urge you to read the available information, watch the presentations to both the committee and to council, and attend an informational session or request a presentation be made to your organization. Both propositions are critical.

Please join me and public safety leadership for my “Coffee with the Mayor” on Thursday, Sept. 24 from 8 – 9:30AM at Mayan Winds, 2144 N Fourth St.

Learn more about the Citizen’s Public Safety Committee’s work, read Q&As, watch their meetings, and view presentations at connect.flagstaffaz.gov/safety-committee/public-safety-citizens-committee

Read more about the propositions and details of the funding allocations at connect.flagstaffaz.gov/safety-committee

Voter information can be found here coconino.az.gov/195/Elections

This column appears in the September 2026 edition of Flagstaff Business News.