Prop 409: Maricopa Co. voters decide on $898M Valleywise hospital expansion

On the ballot: Valleywise Health wants $898M to expand

On Tuesday, Maricopa County voters can decide on a nearly $900 million Valleywise Health expansion, that will cost taxpayers $28 a year. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen speaks with a political analyst on the anticipated low turnout.

PHOENIX - The big question on the Nov. 4 ballot in Maricopa County is centered around a $900 million question, as Valleywise Health asks taxpayers for the money to expand their hospital. 

Big picture view:

A 50-year-old hospital is being torn to the ground. Valleywise hopes that in that pile of debris, they can build a brand-new facility for behavioral health care, and that costs a lot of money.

While there's an election Tuesday, there aren't any big open seats, so it hasn't gotten a lot of attention.

"We're doing it in an off year, and there's really nothing going on except the one county-wide proposition. So all that means, I think, turnout will be below normal," said political analyst Stan Barnes.

What we know:

Barnes is referring to the Valleywise proposition called Proposition 409. It asks Maricopa County residents to approve an $898 million bond so Valleywise can expand.

"Certainly here at Valleywise Health, we've experienced patient volumes and the number of patients that need access to care in volumes we were expecting in 2028, 2029 that we're seeing today," said Dr. Michael White, Chief Clinical Officer for Valleywise Health. "So if you look across our facilities, especially in the emergency department and in behavioral health, we're operating above capacity today."

The bond would expand their emergency services and outpatient care. But headlining the bond, where the old hospital is being demolished, is that Valleywise would build a 200-bed behavioral health hospital.

The other side:

Opposition is coming from the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. 

In a statement, referring to a 2014 Valleywise bond for a similar amount of money, the group stated: "Stacking bonds is terrible tax policy and is indicative of poor financial management on the part of ValleyWise Health. Prop 409 should include substantive reforms in the way of transparency, accountability, and guardrails..."

Barnes said a lower turnout election could be a good sign for Valleywise.

"Those who care are the ones that overperform when there is a lower turnout, so I think those who care category is a 'yes' on Proposition 409, and it probably benefits the whole exercise," Barnes said.

What you can do:

For the average household, taxes would increase by $28 per year, but Valleywise offers a calculator so you can see exactly how much it would go up for you.