Goodyear approves $300M transportation master plan and $26.8M retiree health benefit expansion
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA — December 11, 2023

Goodyear approves $300M transportation master plan and $26.8M retiree health benefit expansion

City council work session approved Transportation Master Plan updates and retiree health insurance bridge benefits (10-year eligibility, 50/50 cost split) while addressing funding constraints and safety priorities.

Goodyear Council Locks in 10-Year Retiree Health Eligibility and Tackles $300M Transportation Backlog

In a lengthy work session on December 11, 2023, Goodyear's city council embraced two major commitments: adoption of a comprehensive 85-page Transportation Master Plan aimed at improving safety and managing growth through 2045, and approval of a 50/50-cost-split health insurance bridge plan for retirees, with eligibility reduced from 15 to 10 years of continuous service across all employee groups.

The transportation discussion revealed deep frustration with regional funding inequities and the limits of road construction alone to solve congestion, while the retiree health debate exposed tension between retention incentives for public safety and fiscal discipline in a tightening budget year.

Transportation Master Plan: Safety First, Road Diet Second

Michael Allianca, project manager for HDR, presented the master plan's core findings after 16–18 months of development. The plan, with a planning horizon extending to 2045, focuses on immediate priorities in the next five years. Goodyear's population has grown 40 percent since 2010 and is projected to double from 106,000 to over 214,000 residents by 2045, with 40 percent of that growth south of the Gila River.

The plan identifies $300 million in short-term roadway improvements—including projects on Cotton Lane, Camelback Road, Indian School Road, Yuma Road, and Estrella Parkway—plus recommendations for transit enhancements, active transportation, and a Safety Action Plan to be pursued through federal grant funding.

Key Speeches

"In order to relieve congestion in the area, which is a concern for citizens, road work would not be enough and that we would need to grow our pedestrian bicycle microtransit and other Transit projects." — Vice Mayor Laura Kaino, quoting from the plan's own findings, emphasizing that road construction alone cannot solve congestion.

"I have never understood why we would put a bike lane in a road that has a 45 mile hour speed limit and say whoa bikes are okay because they're protected by the little white paint that's stripped through the roadway there." — Council Member Bill Step, challenging the sufficiency of paint markings as a safety measure without removing bikes from high-speed corridors.

"We are not going to build our way out of this…we still have a lot of people who work in the central corridor of the valley and are still going down there to you know Phoenix Scottsdale area on a daily basis." — Council Member Kip Lord, advocating for light-rail and regional transit solutions beyond local street improvements.

"I keep thinking about McDow with the gigantic median that was designed to be cut back and a third lane added…those are the kinds of things that can start moving some traffic through." — Council Member Step, urging strategic infill capacity improvements rather than broad new construction.

Timeline

Opposition

Not applicable—no organized opposition was presented at the work session.

Support

Council consensus on priorities:

  1. Bicycle safety enhancements as short-term actions: Laura Kaino specifically requested paint markings on existing bike lanes (per page 64 of the plan) and elevation of HAWK and RRFB lighting systems from long-term to short-term status.
  2. Safety Action Plan pursuit: Council expressed strong support for a multi-pronged approach (engineering, education, enforcement) to address speeding and red-light running; affirmed that a federal discretionary grant was likely attainable (per Deputy Director Bridges, who cited Gilbert's success in applying).
  3. Continued WeRide expansion and local microtransit focus: Council Member Lord and others favored investing more in the popular WeRide service over fixed-route expansion dependent on regional coordination.
  4. Separated active-transportation facilities: Vicki Gillis and Step both favored moving bikes off high-speed streets onto dedicated paths or trails, citing grants available through the Department of Transportation.
  5. Scooter program monitoring: Wally Campbell requested access to Bird scooter usage data and evaluation metrics to assess program effectiveness.
  6. Regional transit advocacy: Multiple members acknowledged the need for light-rail to 75th Avenue and regional coordination, while focusing city efforts on internal arterial optimization.

Project Details

Vote Breakdown

Not applicable—work session, no formal vote taken. Plan scheduled for council adoption vote December 18, 2023.

Outcome & Next Steps

The Transportation Master Plan is scheduled for formal adoption by city council at the December 18 regular meeting. Public comment period closes December 14. Council consensus emerged on prioritizing:

  1. Bicycle-safety enhancements (paint, standardization, HAWK/RRFB lighting) as short-term actions.
  2. Safety Action Plan federal grant pursuit (coordinate with new police chief on enforcement strategy).
  3. Continued WeRide microtransit evaluation and expansion citywide (separate from Avondale partnership constraints if possible).
  4. Strategic arterial infill (adding lanes to existing facilities like McDow and Pebble Creek Parkway) rather than broad new construction.
  5. Data collection on scooter usage to assess program continuation.

Staff will refine implementation priorities and CIP scheduling in consultation with the plan's recommendations.

Controversies & Context

Regional Funding Inequity and the 2000s I-10 Deal

Council Member Bill Step raised a historically significant grievance: in the early 2000s, then-Mayor Jim Cavanaugh negotiated a regional deal to waive Goodyear's regional transportation funding for 20 years in exchange for acceleration of I-10 widening. That decision continues to penalize the city today. While Goodyear has been ineligible for regional funding under Proposition 400 (expired) and its successors, competing jurisdictions in the East Valley have captured disproportionate shares of State Route 30 and other regional arterial money.

"We can't keep being penalized for the rest of our life because of a decision that was made recklessly." — Council Member Bill Step.

Step pressed Christopher Bridges to ensure that future regional agreements—particularly the Loop 303 extension—do not contain similar restrictive language. This context underscores council's frustration with the mismatch between Goodyear's rapid growth and the regional resources available to support it.

Red-Light Running and Signal Timing

Multiple council members expressed alarm at frequent red-light running, attributing it partly to extended signal-dwell times that encourage drivers to "go for it" on yellow/red transitions. Council Member Step observed:

"I don't think people are necessarily late I think they're sick and tired of going from one red light to another red light and when they pull up and it's kind of yellow and it's kind of red they're going for it."

He illustrated the phenomenon with a personal anecdote: his brother, who moved to Goodyear from Chicago in March, had already run three yellow lights within weeks—a sign of systemic driver behavior tied to intersection design and signal timing. Vicki Gillis emphasized that red-light means stop, period, and stressed the need for law-enforcement engagement. Deputy Director Bridges acknowledged the issue and noted plans to coordinate with the incoming police chief on a multi-pronged approach.

Paint Versus Physical Separation for Bike Lanes

Council Member Step challenged the efficacy of painted bike-lane markings as a safety measure on high-speed roads (35–45 mph), arguing that green paint or pylons "is not going to make them any better" and could waste resources that might instead fund separated, off-street paths. Laura Kaino countered that standardized lane widths and paint markings (citing successful examples in Avondale and Phoenix) improve driver awareness and are relatively inexpensive short-term wins. The council ultimately endorsed both—near-term paint/marking enhancements on existing lanes plus longer-term off-street path development.

Scooter Program Oversight

Council Member Wally Campbell questioned the effectiveness of the Bird scooter program, noting that units often end up scattered across the city rather than properly distributed. Deputy Director Bridges acknowledged that the city monitors the program through Bird's GPS dashboard and stays in communication with the company but agreed to provide usage-frequency data to determine whether to continue the program.

Duration

Retiree Health Insurance Bridge Plan Approved at 10-Year Eligibility

In the second major decision of the evening, council approved direction to move forward with a 50/50 bridge health insurance plan for retirees ages 65 or below, with eligibility reset from 15 to 10 years of continuous service for all employee groups (PSPRS, ASRS, and council members). The plan will cost $1.58 million ongoing and $25.2 million one-time liability, to be funded strategically over 15 years rather than upfront.

Key Speeches

"Public Safety we can be a home we can be a landing point for the public safety people…if we have something like this in place where you have to have that 15 years I don't say we can lock people in but…it will protect our people and for the um I don't general office PSPRS non-psprs people as well I think it's another good selling point for our city." — Council Member Sherry Kroon, on the retention benefit, before the council shifted to 10 years.

"I totally get what the mayor is saying about we want to be fair to everybody…if the majority is 10 I have no problem there because I thought it'd be a much bigger hit but it doesn't seem to be a big hit." — Council Member Vicki Gillis, after learning the actuarial cost difference between 15 and 10 years was only $130,000 annually ongoing and $700,000 one-time.

"We have to just if we look at them and say can we confidently fund it and they go yep then we let them work out the details." — Council Member Bill Step, urging council to authorize the benefit rather than dictate funding mechanics.

Timeline

Opposition

Not applicable—no organized opposition. However, substantive council debate centered on the appropriate service threshold and cost containment.

Support

Council consensus:

  1. Retention value for public safety and key positions: Multiple members acknowledged that the bridge plan addresses lateral police recruitment challenges (five-city bonus "bidding war") and provides long-term stability for difficult-to-fill positions (wastewater operators, plan reviewers, paramedics).
  2. Uniform 10-year threshold across all employees: After debate, council agreed on 10 years (not 15) for all employee groups to avoid internal inequity and maintain consistent messaging, despite slight additional cost.
  3. Flexible, phased funding: Council preferred "pay-advance" approach at approximately $1.6M annually, with ability to adjust upward or use one-time reserves, rather than committing to a fixed schedule.
  4. Refinement of eligibility details over six months: Council approved the plan "in principle" pending detailed documentation of disability provisions, survivor benefits, dependent coverage thresholds, and Medicare coordination (i.e., ensuring spouses/children are not left without coverage when the primary retiree moves to Medicare).

Project Details

Vote Breakdown

Not applicable—work session provided direction only, not a formal vote. Locket and Aragon will return in six months with detailed plan documents and refined cost estimates reflecting the 10-year threshold, disability definitions, and funding schedule, subject to final council adoption.

Outcome & Next Steps

  1. 10-Year Service Threshold Approved: Council directed HR and Finance to revise the bridge plan from 15 to 10 years continuous service, effective for all employee groups (PSPRS, ASRS, council).
  2. 50/50 Premium Split Confirmed: Retirees will pay 50% of health insurance premiums; city covers 50%.
  3. Funding Plan to be Refined: City Manager and Finance Director will develop a phased funding strategy for the $25.2M one-time cost (now ~$25.9M) and the ~$1.6M–$1.7M ongoing annual commitment, balancing discretionary budget pressures and one-time reserves. Target: bring refined proposal to council at a later meeting (likely within 30 days or at the January retreat, when the five-year general fund forecast is finalized).
  4. Plan Document Drafting: Eligibility provisions (especially disability retirement, survivor benefits, and Medicare coordination for spouses/dependents) will be detailed over the next six months in consultation with the plan's actuary.
  5. Medicare Supplemental Plan Deferred: Council rejected the supplemental plan at this time, given the availability of third-party options post-Medicare.

Controversies & Context

The Lateral Police Recruitment Challenge

Council Member Sherry Kroon framed the bridge plan as critical retention and recruitment leverage in a regional lateral-hire marketplace. She noted that Phoenix and other cities were locked in a "bidding war" with signing bonuses ($5,000–$7,000), making it difficult for Goodyear to compete for experienced officers. She stated:

"We are seeing having difficulty hiring police officers the last several years to get here um because then Phoenix will offer a $5,000 bonus and then old temp's offering a $6,000 bonus oh no Phoenix is now offering 7,000 we've got a bidding work going on here."

The bridge plan offers long-term stability rather than a one-time bonus. However, Wally Campbell raised an equity concern: a 10-year requirement creates a perverse incentive for officers to spend their final years before vesting elsewhere and then jump to Goodyear to accumulate the last 10 years before retirement—a "time builder" phenomenon. Council Member Step countered that the actuarial cost differential (only $130K–$700K between 10 and 15 years) was acceptable, and that the city manager and police chief would be responsible for hiring discipline.

Budget Tightness and FTE Hiring Constraints

Council Wally Campbell expressed deep concern that the $1.6M retiree health commitment would reduce the discretionary budget from $6.5M (prior year) to $3.7M, potentially limiting new hires in critical areas (police, fire, ambulance, public works). He worried:

"We could only we hire half the amount of people that could even be we could even hire from anywhere or laterals or otherwise for next year do we don't know what we're projecting in years after that yet do we not."

Jared Aragon acknowledged the tighter budget but noted that (1) the city has $30–$50M in year-end fund balance, available for one-time costs; (2) revenue growth projections should support incremental ongoing increases over time; and (3) the city can adjust the retiree health contribution year-to-year. Council Member Step urged the council to authorize the benefit and "let these guys do their work" rather than micromanaging funding mechanics. Mayor Joe Pizzillo added that the city's fund balance provides a buffer, and that council should trust staff to balance competing priorities.

Disability Retirement and Spouse Coverage Ambiguity

Laura Kaino raised detailed questions about disability-retirement eligibility and coverage for spouses with age gaps. She posed a scenario: a 60-year-old retiree with a 40-year-old spouse and young children. If the primary retiree reaches Medicare at 65 and moves off the city plan, what happens to the spouse and children?

Locket indicated the plan was costed to allow the spouse and children to remain on the city plan until the spouse reached Medicare eligibility (~age 65) and children aged out (26, or indefinitely if disabled). This potentially generous provision drew scrutiny: Vicki Gillis asked whether spouses and dependents who stay on the plan after the primary retiree exits would be eligible for the city's wellness center and other benefits. Locket deferred clarification, noting that the disability and dependent-coverage rules would be detailed in the plan document over the next six months.

Public Safety Tier vs. One-Size-Fits-All Approach

The most contentious moment came when Council Member Kroon advocated for a two-tiered approach: 10 years for public safety (given their high attrition and shorter career span), and 15 years for general employees. Wally Campbell supported this, noting that public safety careers are fundamentally different from administrative roles. However, Council Member Step and Joe Pizzillo opposed tiering, warning that it would send a divisive message to non-public-safety staff (wastewater operators, plan reviewers, paramedics) who also face poaching and difficult working conditions.

The council ultimately rejected tiering in favor of a uniform 10-year threshold for all employees. This decision was partly enabled by the actuarial finding that the cost difference was negligible.

Duration

Other Notable Items

Scooter Program Monitoring: Wally Campbell questioned the Bird scooter program's effectiveness and asked for usage data to evaluate continuation. Deputy Director Bridges agreed to provide access to Bird's GPS dashboard and usage frequency metrics, addressing concerns that scooters were being abandoned on sidewalks.