Ballot Argument

Bond Information 

The Maricopa County Special Health Care District Board of Directors, in response to the growing healthcare needs of our community, unanimously voted on April 24, 2025, to call for a bond election on November 4, 2025, for $898 million to fund capital improvements across Valleywise Health.  

Proposition 409 asks voters to approve funding to:  

• Expand pediatric and primary care, 

• Build a new 200-bed behavioral health hospital to replace the 50-year-old behavioral health annex on the main campus, 

• Build a new outpatient specialty center on the main campus, 

• Grow emergency services at Valleywise Health Medical Center, and 

• Enhance physician training. 

Proposition 409 is a continuation of Valleywise Health’s legacy of investment to serve the healthcare needs of our growing community. With the public’s continued support, Valleywise Health will be able to keep pace with demand for court-ordered behavioral health services and expand our historic teaching mission. 

How to submit pro and con arguments 

The District is seeking written arguments of no more than 300 words in length for and against the question on the issuance of the bonds for inclusion in the Voter Information Pamphlet to be distributed in connection with the election, as required by law. Such arguments must be submitted either (i) to the Clerk of the Board of Directors of the District, Valleywise Health, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Pavilion, 2609 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85008 and accompanied by an electronic version of the argument in Microsoft Word or Google Docs format e-mailed to [email protected], or (ii) submitted electronically via the District’s website www.valleywisehealth.org/bond409, and in each case must be received, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (except legal holidays), no earlier than 8:00 a.m. on July 7, 2025 and no later than 4:30 p.m. on August 5, 2025. 

Each argument filed shall contain the original notarized signature (no faxed or scanned signatures, unless submitted electronically as provided below) of each person sponsoring it. The argument must be written exactly how the filer wants it to appear in the Voter Information Pamphlet. The argument will be entered into the Voter Information Pamphlet verbatim; no grammatical or textual changes or corrections will be made to the document. Any person(s) may sign an argument that is paid for by a separate entity. An entity, separate from an individual signer(s), which pays for the submittal of an argument or is reimbursed for the payment of a submitted argument is considered to be the argument’s sponsor. If the argument is sponsored by an organization, it shall contain the sworn statement of two executive officers of the organization or if sponsored by a political committee it shall contain the sworn statement of the committee’s chairman or treasurer. 

If the argument is submitted by an individual and not on behalf of an organization, a political committee or any other group, the person shall submit the argument with a sworn, notarized statement. All sponsors will be identified in the Voter Information Pamphlet. A $100 fee payment in the form of check or money order payable to the Maricopa County Special Health Care District, must accompany each argument submitted to offset a portion of the printing and mailing costs associated with the Voter Information Pamphlet.  

The fee is reduced to $75, and is payable by credit card, if the argument is submitted electronically via the District’s website provided above. 

Arguments must be received no earlier than 8:00 a.m. on July 7, 2025, and no later than 4:30 p.m. on August 5, 2025. The person or persons signing the argument shall identify themselves by giving their residence or post office address and a telephone number, which information shall not appear in the Voter Information Pamphlet. 

The arguments shall be included in the Voter Information Pamphlet following the measure. 

Arguments in favor of the bonds shall be placed first and in the order in which they were filed with the Clerk of the Board of Directors of the District. Arguments opposed to the bonds shall be placed second and in the order in which they were filed with the Clerk of the Board of Directors of the District.