TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - Ballots for the Tucson City Election November 7 are in the mail.
It's an all mail election, although a few polling sites are open in case people need to drop off a ballot.
There are four propositions on the ballot most dealing with taxes.
Proposition 204 is a half cent sales tax for early childhood education, known as Strong Start Tucson.
It would provide about 8,000 Tucson three and four year old children, who can't afford it, with a quality pre-kindergarten education. Only about 16 percent of the 14,000 eligible children are in pre-kindergarten.
It will cost the average Tucsonan about $36 a year, would raise about $50 million, and establish a commission to distribute the funds.
Supporters range from educators to doctors to Casa De Los Ninos.
Opponents include the Republican Party
Also on the ballot is a tax, which will pay for facility upgrades and maintenance for the Reid Park Zoo. The tax would be one tenth of one percent, 0.1 percent, or about a penny on a $10 pizza.
It would raise about $8 million and would also pay for a new hippo exhibit and an upgrade to the tiger exhibit..
There are two additional propositions - Prop 202 which changes the charter that allows for the tax hike (Prop 203).
While there is widespread support, the Republican Party opposes it.
And finally, there is a pay increase for city council members who have not had a pay hike since 1999.
The proposal is to raise council salaries from $24,000 a year to $39,600 a year. The mayor's salary will go from $42,000 annually to $69,300 annually.
There is no formal opposition to the pay hikes.
Even though it is an all mail election, the city will have some polling places open just in case some voters procrastinate and fail to mail it in.
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