← Election Series · Down-ballot coverage · Arizona
Our call — vote NO
The measure
Proposition 417 is on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot in Peoria. Despite the proposition number, this is not a tax measure: it is a proposed franchise agreement between the City of Peoria and Rose Valley Water Company, submitted to the voters by the City Council in Resolution No. 2026-67 (adopted April 21, 2026), under A.R.S. § 9-502(A).
The official title, as printed in the City of Peoria Publicity Pamphlet, is: "Rose Valley Water Company Proposed Franchise Agreement with the City of Peoria."
The pamphlet's descriptive title states: "This Franchise Agreement, if approved shall be granted to Rose Valley Water Company, an Arizona corporation, to construct, maintain and operate water distribution and transmission systems in the City of Peoria, Arizona, and future annexations."
The ballot question asks: "Shall the proposed Franchise Agreement, as published and submitted to the qualified electorate, be granted to Rose Valley Water Company, an Arizona corporation, to construct, maintain and operate water distribution and transmission systems in the City of Peoria, Arizona, and future annexations?"
What a franchise is: a franchise is a contract in which a city grants a utility the right to use the city's public property and rights-of-way — streets, alleys, highways, easements, and bridges — to build and operate its system, on stated terms. Rose Valley is a public service corporation authorized to provide water service under Certificates of Convenience and Necessity issued by the Arizona Corporation Commission, per the agreement text in the pamphlet. Per the research roster summary of the city pamphlet, Rose Valley serves 2,000+ customers in central Peoria, and an audit found no current franchise contract in place — this vote puts one in place. The pamphlet records that no arguments for or against Proposition 417 were filed.
What YES does
Per the pamphlet: "A 'YES' vote will allow the City of Peoria to enter into the Franchise Agreement with Rose Valley Water Company."
The franchise takes effect on the first day of the calendar month following the month of voter approval, per the agreement text.
What NO does
Per the pamphlet: "A 'NO' vote will deny the City of Peoria the authority to enter into the Franchise Agreement with Rose Valley Water Company."
Water service does not stop. Per the research roster summary, if the franchise is rejected, service continues on a temporary contract until the franchise is reintroduced to the voters.
The math
- Term: 25 years from the granting of the franchise, per Section 8 of the agreement text printed in the pamphlet.
- Franchise fee: the agreement requires Rose Valley to pay the city a fee of 2% of its gross receipts from the sale of water services within the city's corporate limits (excluding sales taxes and similar charges), per Section 6 of the agreement text.
- Election cost: the pamphlet's resolution estimates the election expenses attributable to this franchise at approximately $121,254.24 — an amount Rose Valley deposited with the City Clerk to pay those expenses. The election itself is not a taxpayer cost under the resolution.
- No tax and no rate is set by this question: the ballot grants a right-of-way franchise for water service. It does not set water rates — those sit with the Arizona Corporation Commission under the company's certificates — and the pamphlet prints no projection of total fee revenue over the 25-year term. That figure is not stated, and we will not estimate it.
OUR CALL
Our call: no call.
A utility franchise is a procedural item with no values stake, and either outcome is consistent with our values. Water lines run under public streets; some franchise instrument has to govern that use, set the fee, and fix the utility's obligations, and Arizona law reserves the approval to the voters, where it belongs. A YES puts a 25-year agreement in place where an audit found none currently exists, with a stated 2% fee and the company's own deposit covering the election's cost. A NO keeps service running on a temporary contract and sends the city and the company back to produce terms Peoria's voters prefer, with the question reintroduced later. Neither outcome raises a tax, sets a water rate, or expands a government program. We print the terms plainly — 25 years, 2% of gross receipts, service continuing either way — and leave the contract judgment to Peoria voters.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- City of Peoria Publicity Pamphlet, 2026 General Election (Maricopa County Elections) — Proposition 417: Resolution No. 2026-67, official title, descriptive title, ballot question and YES/NO effect language (quoted above), and the franchise agreement text (25-year term; 2% of gross receipts franchise fee; effective date; ~$121,254.24 election-expense deposit; no arguments filed) — https://elections.maricopa.gov/asset/jcr:0d7d4499-0e97-4155-aee1-3017f9a12c75/City%20of%20Peoria%20Publicity%20Pamphlet%202026%20General%20Election.pdf
- Research roster summary of the Peoria pamphlet — 2,000+ customers served in central Peoria; audit finding of no current contract in place; service continuing on a temporary contract if rejected — ~/workspace/voter-guide-research/inventory/down-ballot/down_ballot.csv
- Gap stated, not filled: the pamphlet prints no projection of total franchise-fee revenue over the 25-year term
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.