By Hayden Larkin, Cronkite News
PHOENIX — As Proposition 479, which seeks to continue the half-cent sales tax to fund transportation in Maricopa County, goes to the November ballot, Valley Metro and other groups are pushing for its continuation, while opponents are He argues that taxes on goods are unnecessary. A service that few people use.
Maricopa County residents now have easy access to public transportation. Light rail expansion, short-term rental bikes and scooters, and public buses are all viable options for Arizonans living in cities. As these options become more available, voters and organizations are competing over the taxes and costs of expanding these transit systems. Some places in Maricopa County may not be able to afford certain forms of public transportation to get into the city.
About 84% of Arizonans live in areas with unhealthy air, according to a December report from the American Lung Association.
“One of our goals is to provide sustainable transportation, and when you ride the light rail, when you ride the streetcar, you’re using zero-emissions transportation,” Valley said. said Metro spokeswoman Juliana Vasquez Keating. “Light rail operates on 100% electricity, so there are zero direct emissions during operation.”
The Maricopa Association of Governments says Proposition 479 will help keep average commute times at 30 minutes. By 2045, the sales tax will help generate an additional $14.9 billion in revenue, $9 billion of which will go toward funding transportation services. This will help create 11.9 miles of new light rail and 45.3 miles of bus lines, as well as new lanes on conventional and HOV highways.
“(It) not only funds public transportation, it also funds roads, it funds all of this,” Vazquez-Keating said. “So we want to continue funding transportation so more people have sustainable transportation options.”
Valley Metro plans to extend Interstate 10 between west and central Phoenix. Also in the beginning stages of construction is a 5-mile extension to south Phoenix. Valley Metro receives grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation, but also receives local funding from sources such as Proposition 479 and previous forms of sales taxes. And Proposition 300 was passed in 1985.
“We know that Maricopa County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country, and that population growth continues,” Vasquez-Keating said. “So we’re working on expanding the system, and I’m confident that as we continue to grow, this system will serve even more people.”
Although Valley Metro does not serve the entire Phoenix metropolitan area, other towns and cities can still access Proposition 479 funds. Glendale has its own public transportation system, funded in part by sales taxes, including bus lines and the Glendale Urban Shuttle, a dial-a-ride version. But that money won’t be used for light rail.
“Due to the cost of light rail and lack of local and state funding, the City of Glendale will not extend light rail service to Glendale, instead providing frequent and accessible light rail service to all residents and visitors through multiple services.” We will continue to focus on providing transportation options,” a City of Glendale spokesperson said.
The proposal has opponents, including the Goldwater Institute, a conservative think tank that introduced Cronkite News to the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, which did not respond to requests for comment. They believe taxes on transportation projects are unnecessary because they deemed the previous light rail to be a “terrible failure.”
The Goldwater Institute says on its website that less than 1% of Valley residents use light rail, and the organization doesn’t want residents to pay for a service they don’t use as the cost of living rises. There is. According to Valley Metro’s fiscal year 2024 report, more than 36.8 million people rode public transit service, of which approximately 11 million were on light rail and streetcar.
“This is not what residents had in mind when they originally agreed to pay more taxes to fund the Maricopa Expressway. Excessive housing costs, runaway inflation, and basic necessities. “At a time when the cost of housing and services is rising, residents should not expect to pay more taxes for government projects they will never benefit from,” the Goldwater Institute said on its website.
But proponents of Prop. 479 argue that more transportation options mean fewer single-occupant vehicles and fewer emissions.
“Passing Proposition 479 will give Arizonans greater access to buses, highway improvements, and new HOV lane miles,” said Arizona Public Interest Research Group Executive Director. Diane Brown said. “Each can reduce vehicle idling, contributing to air quality.”
