Rexburg Police Station Bond Returns May 19 with Reduced Price Tag
REXBURG, Idaho — Voters in Rexburg will head to the polls on May 19 to decide on a revised bond measure that would fund construction of a new Rexburg Police Department headquarters, this time at a substantially lower cost after the original proposal fell short at the ballot box last November.
The revised measure asks voters to approve a 15-year bond totaling $14,995,000 in principal, with projected interest of approximately $4.3 million, bringing the full cost to roughly $19.3 million. The updated figure represents a reduction of about $3.29 million from the initial request, driven by cuts to design costs and lower overall borrowing expenses. The bond carries an interest rate of 3.22%.
The original bond, which sought a combined total of $22.5 million over the same 15-year term, failed in November after receiving only 62.6% of the vote — falling short of the supermajority threshold required for bond measures to pass in Idaho. That vote tallied 1,443 ballots in favor, but it wasn’t enough under state law.
Community Feedback Drove the Revisions
Following the November defeat, city officials surveyed residents to understand the concerns behind the “no” vote. Rexburg Police Chief Joshua Rhodes said the responses pointed clearly to two issues: the cost and the proposed location.
“Some of the bigger concerns were the tax impact on the members of the community. So, that was one aspect that we reduced — the scope of the building,” Rhodes said.
The reductions focused largely on what planners call “grey spaces” — unfinished or shell areas built into the original design to accommodate long-term departmental growth. By scaling back those speculative spaces now, the city trimmed the asking price while preserving the core functionality of the new facility.
The revised building would measure 28,410 square feet and is still designed to support department growth over the next two decades. The proposed site remains a five-acre parcel on the west side of Pioneer Road near U.S. Highway 20, land the city purchased for approximately $3 million.
Rhodes acknowledged that the location has drawn criticism from some residents, but said the Pioneer Road site offers the fastest access to major roadways, with response times comparable to the department’s current station. He added that concerns about siren noise could be addressed through department policy governing when officers activate emergency equipment.
Tax Impact Deferred Until 2028
City Chief Financial Officer Matt Nielson addressed taxpayer concerns at a recent candidate forum, announcing that the additional tax charge tied to the bond would not appear on residents’ bills until 2028. The deferral is designed in part to avoid stacking new tax obligations on top of other pending measures, including bonds tied to the Madison Library and Madison School District.
City officials also committed to greater transparency this time around, providing more detailed breakdowns of how bond funds would be used and making that information readily available through the county’s website and through the Rexburg city website at rexburg.org.
Rhodes said the process, though challenging, has been instructive for the department. “We’re here to listen to the voice of the people, and to do our best to have a facility that can serve the people better and into the future,” he said. “Through the process, we’ve learned different ways that we can improve and things that we can do better as a department.”
Public safety infrastructure has been a recurring issue across East Idaho in recent months. A Rexburg arson case earlier this year underscored the demands placed on local law enforcement as the region’s population continues to grow.
What Comes Next
The bond vote is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19. As with all bond measures in Idaho, the proposal must clear a two-thirds supermajority to be approved. Residents with questions can contact Chief Rhodes directly at the Rexburg Police Department at 208-359-3008, or reach City Hall at 208-359-3020. Voter registration and polling location information is available through VoteIdaho.gov.
For broader coverage of local government and public safety issues across the region, visit Idaho News.