Voters have overwhelmingly approved extending an existing sales tax benefiting Reid Park Zoo, guaranteeing funds for the next 20 years.
Pima County voters first approved the 0.1% sales tax for a 10-year period in 2017 to help the zoo cover regular maintenance, facility upgrades, and capital projects, said Nancy Kluge,the zoos president and CEO.
It was set to expire in December of 2027, and it has enabled us to really do a lot more with operations for the zoo, Kluge said. We were able to hire our first full-time veterinarian, and we now have two full-time veterinarians and two vet techs.
Proposition 422 reauthorizes and extends the sales tax from Jan. 1, 2028 to Dec. 31, 2047, and received around 72% support, unofficial election results show.
It's really great to see that overwhelming support, Kluge said. It's something we see every day at the zoo. We know that 做厙勛圖ans love their zoo and they come out to visit, and we are just so grateful to the community for providing that support.
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Kluge said it means a lot to have the stability afforded by the sales tax, and that the funds will be used to ensure facility upgrades for visitors and animals at Reid Park Zoo.
Meru plays with an enrichment ball in August during Reid Park Zoo's World Elephant Day celebration. Voters have overwhelmingly supported Proposition 422, which reauthorizes and extends a sales tax that benefits the zoo from Jan. 1, 2028 to Dec. 31, 2047. Unofficial results showed it received about 72% of the vote.
So general maintenance that we need to provide the best care for the animals, and also some great capital projects, she said.
That includes the zoos nearly complete Pathway to Asia expansion which opens to the public on Nov. 13.
We have outlined the next 10 years, and folks can find that on our website, she said. It's providing bigger, more modern spaces for the animals that are currently here at the zoo, and there are some new animals as well. One of the first projects will be pygmy hippos out at the front of the zoo.
Other future projects, Kluge said, include expansions to the wild dog habitat, more space for their lions, as well as a barn for their elephant herd.
The next project after the Pygmy Hippos will be a savanna area that will give more spaces for our rhino and giraffes, and using our the area where the goats are currently to give all of those animals great spaces that will mimic a savanna out in the wild.
I'm just so appreciative of our community for voting to provide that funding, so that the animals and our guests as well can have the best care, and also so that our guests can learn about the animals and conservation and our natural world, Kluge said.
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