Proposition 426: A Familiar Practice, Complementary to Proposition 427

By Paradise Valley Town Councilmember Christine Labelle

Arizona’s expenditure limitation is an artificial spending ceiling established almost 50 years ago. It relies on population and inflation, not changing demands or available revenues. Paradise Valley’s population is steady, but infrastructure, public safety, and service demands have grown. 

Proposition 426 is proven and nothing new. More than 90% of Arizona municipalities have received voter approval for base adjustments. Previous Councils unanimously supported every adjustment. Paradise Valley voters approved them in 2000, 2006, and 2016. Some former Councilmembers supported those adjustments but oppose this one. I respectfully ask, what has changed? This year, five of seven Councilmembers voted to put the measure before the public. 

Spending capacity isn’t spending authority. Proposition 426 adjusts the annual legal ceiling—not the adopted budget. It neither appropriates $20 million, raises taxes, nor mandates spending. Expenditures remain subject to the Council’s public budget process and majority approval. I have confidence in our current and incoming Councilmembers’ judgment and fiscal responsibility. 

Proposition 427’s Capital Projects Accumulation Fund is restricted to qualifying improvements, and cannot address ordinary police operations, recurring technology costs, or routine services. I support both as complementary tools: 426 provides broader flexibility; 427 provides a dedicated capital funding mechanism. If choosing only one, I would choose 426 for its broader scope. 

State law restricts our local control. Even with substantial reserves, Paradise Valley remains subject to the constitutional ceiling, even during an economic downturn. Proposition 426 follows proven past practice while preserving Council oversight and fiscal accountability. 

Reasonable minds may disagree, and I respect that. My support reflects transparency, fiscal discipline, and responsible long-range planning. Join me in voting for both propositions in November, giving our Council tools to maintain the Paradise Valley you deserve.