Faster response times, increased wildland fire mitigation, reduced first responder stress and burnout

Below is the text to my Oct. 3 op-ed in the Arizona Daily Sun. Local journalism is so important to communities such as ours. If you’re not already a subscriber, I hope you will consider becoming one.

Coconino Voices

As a vocal supporter of Propositions 404 and 405, I encourage voters to consider the public safety benefits of passing both. There are several especially important points to consider.

A broad cross section of our neighbors, the Public Safety Citizens’ Committee, reviewed $500 million in critical public safety needs presented by fire, police, airport rescue and firefighting, and emergency management, studied the city’s budget and investigated alternative funding sources. They met November 2025 through May 2026, almost weekly, to debate, investigate, and pore over the budget and other documents. Committee members asked tough questions and approached the process with healthy skepticism. As the committee worked to lower the amount of sales tax needed, the funding was reduced to $328 million. They then voted unanimously to recommend putting a sales tax and a general obligation bond on the November ballot and the city council unanimously agreed. Readers can examine the documents this committee considered and watch any of their meetings.

Proposition 404 is a half-cent sales tax (50 cents on a $100 purchase) that expires in 15 years. Grocery foods and residential rent aren’t taxable in Flagstaff and wouldn’t be impacted. This measure would enable additional public safety staffing, operating maintenance, training, supplies, and equipment.

Proposition 405 is a general obligation bond to build and renovate the facilities and purchase the specialized equipment needed to address public safety needs now and into the future. The $40 million bond is within the city’s bonding capacity, meaning the existing secondary property tax rate remains the same.

Similar public safety measures have recently passed in several Arizona cities, including Chandler, Glendale, Phoenix, Mesa, and Prescott. This November, Tempe, Mesa, and Avondale voters will also vote on new sales taxes and/or general obligation bonds for public safety.

Flagstaff and Coconino County are known nationally for their work on forest health, flood mitigation, and advocacy to bring insurance premiums down. Despite strong regional, state, and federal partnerships and investment, we remain concerned about the risk of catastrophic wildland fire around Flagstaff. Now is our opportunity to increase forest health and wildland fire mitigation efforts, potentially having a positive impact on insurance rates and availability.

In the past 20 years, police and fire call volumes have nearly doubled with very little increase in staffing.

If Proposition 404 passes, the Flagstaff Fire Department and Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting will hire additional firefighters, including those with specialized training in wildland fire and advanced medical response. The Flagstaff Police Department will hire additional sworn officers and professional staff, including in records, evidence, dispatch, police aides, property control, training, investigation, and patrol.

The Emergency Manager is responsible for triggering emergency plans, coordinating disaster response efforts, ensuring the public receives timely information, and activating city divisions when an emergency affects city services. Proposition 404 will help to fund three staff positions and updates to emergency management plans, equipment, and supplies. Proposition 405 will fund an emergency management vehicle.

Proposition 404’s sales tax enables additional staffing, while Proposition 405’s bond builds the facilities and purchases the equipment needed to put Flagstaff public safety in an excellent and strategic position heading for the future. Both are critical.

The Public Safety Citizens’ Committee was surprised to learn that the city’s current revenues weren’t enough to make these large investments. Given the realities of revenues versus costs, there is no way to cut enough from the budget to hire the needed staff, purchase critical equipment, and build or remodel necessary facilities.

If both propositions pass, the results will include faster response times with appropriate equipment and staffing, increased wildland forest management and fire mitigation, dedicated training staff, reduced first responder stress and burnout, and critical dispatch technology that serves not only Flagstaff police and fire, but also surrounding fire districts, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

If both propositions pass, the city will continue budgeting significant spending in public safety, looking for additional ways to keep up with these needs, and spending development impact fees on police and fire.

See a detailed list of staffing, equipment, and facilities this funding pays for, read an overview of both propositions, view an extensive list of questions and answers, and review the work of the Public Safety Citizens’ Committee at publicsafetyballot.com.

Thank you for your consideration and taking time to learn about these propositions.

Join one of these opportunities to learn more and ask questions:

City and FUSD ballot open house on Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Aquaplex

Foxglenn Park Ramada 1 on Saturday Oct. 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. with me and public safety personnel

Coffee with the Mayor including public safety leadership on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Mayan Winds, 2144 N Fourth St

Becky Daggett
Mayor of Flagstaff
The views expressed are my own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the city or the city council.