Quote:
Originally Posted by TakeFive
It's time to change the rules.
By the end of 2020 ADOT will have completed the new South Mountain Freeway of 8 shiny new lances. This also completes the original (freeway) vision from 1985 when it all started IIRC.
Regional interests should ask the voters to redirect half of the 5/10ths percent sales tax to transit projects when the new freeway is completed. Alternatively, Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria could cooperatively take the proposal to their own voters. Specific proposed projects should be presented to voters of course even if changeable.
I'll assume that at a minimum Glendale and Peoria along with Phoenix would see the need and benefits. This would give Phoenix additional revenue for both projects that should be done on their own dime as well as mutual interest projects among cities.
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You're on the right path here. It's definitely time for Phoenix/Glendale/Tempe to seize upon the current share of Prop 400 $$$ that goes to new freeway construction. We simply don't require the same scale of new freeway construction and the aforementioned three cities certainly don't need anymore - they need more transit. Voters probably won't go for all that money being plowed into transit, so it will need to be balanced out with street maintenance. The current tax expires in 2025 I believe. I would predict a county-wide renewal will be put on the ballot in 2020. I also think that the Legislature needs to allow the County to bring the question to the voters, which is going to be problematic (the Legislature was trying to meddle with the Prop 400 amount for Transit, but Gov. Napolitano exerted some influence to get the Legislature to allow the County to ask for the current percentage).
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