Tolleson · Civic Topic

Proposition 416: Permanent Base Adjustment

Proposition 416 asks Tolleson voters whether to permanently adjust the City's base used to calculate its state constitutional expenditure limitation.

On ballot Last verified September 18, 2026

What a yes or no vote means

YES

Approves the permanent base adjustment.

Increases Tolleson’s 1979-80 expenditure base by $39,033,506.
Establishes a new expenditure base of $40,000,000.
The base continues to be adjusted annually for population growth and inflation.
The adjusted expenditure limitation begins in fiscal year 2028.
According to the City’s ballot language, Tolleson would be permitted to spend revenues it already receives, subject to the annual budget process.

NO

Does not approve the permanent base adjustment.

The proposed $39,033,506 adjustment is not made.
According to the City, Tolleson would continue operating under its current expenditure-limitation method for two additional years.
If the City does not obtain an alternative expenditure limitation in 2028, it would be subject to the state-imposed expenditure limit.
Under that limit, the City could not spend revenues beyond the amount permitted by the state formula.

Quick answers

Raises taxes?

According to the City, no. Proposition 416 does not increase or create property or sales taxes.

Creates new revenue?

No. The measure changes how much revenue the City is permitted to spend; it does not generate new revenue.

Permanent?

Yes. If approved, the base adjustment remains in effect permanently and continues to be adjusted for population growth and inflation.

When would it take effect?

Fiscal year 2028, if approved.

What could the additional spending authority be used for?

Lawful municipal purposes including public safety, water and wastewater services, streets and infrastructure, parks and recreation, public works, and other City services. Actual spending decisions would continue through the annual budget process.

Key dates

Voter registration: October 5, 2026
Early ballot request: October 23, 2026
Election Day: November 3, 2026
If approved: Fiscal Year 2028

Why Proposition 416 is on the ballot

Arizona’s expenditure-limit formula uses municipal spending from fiscal year 1979-80 as its base and adjusts that amount for population growth and inflation. Changing the base requires voter approval.

Tolleson currently operates under a voter-approved Home Rule expenditure limitation. According to the City’s FAQ, the current Home Rule was approved in 2024 and must be approved by voters every four years. A permanent base adjustment instead changes the base used by the state expenditure-limit formula and, once approved, remains in effect permanently.

The Tolleson City Council submitted the permanent base adjustment to voters through Resolution No. 2635. The City states that it is seeking the adjustment because Tolleson’s population and service demands have grown while the state formula continues to use fiscal year 1979-80 as its baseline.

What Proposition 416 would change

Arizona’s state expenditure limitation for cities and towns uses a base tied to fiscal year 1979-80 and adjusts that amount over time for population growth and inflation.

Proposition 416 would permanently increase Tolleson’s 1979-80 expenditure base by $39,033,506, resulting in a new base of $40,000,000.

That $40 million figure is not Tolleson’s annual budget and is not a proposed annual spending amount. It is the revised base that would be used in the constitutional expenditure-limit calculation. The base would continue to be adjusted annually for population growth and inflation.

If approved by voters in 2026, the adjusted expenditure limitation would take effect beginning in fiscal year 2028.

Financial figures

The City’s Proposition 416 materials contain financial figures that represent different parts of the expenditure-limit calculation.

$40.0M

Proposed base

Proposed fiscal year 1979-80 expenditure base used in the state expenditure-limit calculation.

$320.9M

FY2026-27 estimated limit

Approximate expenditure limitation published in the City’s Proposition 416 FAQ.

$336.9M

FY2027-28 estimated limit

Approximate expenditure limitation published on the City’s current Permanent Base Adjustment webpage.

The two expenditure-limit estimates apply to different fiscal years and should not be treated as competing figures for the same period.

They also should not be confused with Tolleson’s adopted annual budget. Tolleson’s adopted fiscal year 2026-27 budget totals $247,153,697. That budget is separate from the expenditure limitation, which determines how much revenue may be spent under the applicable constitutional framework. The City Council separately makes spending decisions through the annual budget process.

Timeline

April 15, 2026
The Tolleson City Council adopted Resolution No. 2635 to submit the Permanent Base Adjustment proposal to voters.

June 17, 2026
The City published its Proposition 416 Permanent Base Adjustment and Call for Arguments notice.

August 5, 2026
Deadline identified by the City for submitting ballot arguments.

November 3, 2026
Proposition 416 is scheduled to appear on Tolleson’s general-election ballot.

Fiscal year 2028
If approved, the adjusted expenditure limitation would take effect beginning in this fiscal year.

Official Sources (4)

View official sources

These government sources support the information on this page. OWVAZ preserves an original source address even if the government later moves or removes the document.

The currently available FAQ gives an approximately $320,876,043 expenditure-limit estimate for FY2026-2027. Fiscal-year-specific estimates must not be conflated with later City estimates.

Permanent Base Adjustment

View original source

Current City webpage gives an estimated FY2027-2028 expenditure limitation of approximately $336,891,934.