Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) said that the Prop. 400 plan passed by the legislature on Monday is the most conservative one passed in Arizona history.
The Arizona Legislature periodically extends Prop. 400 public transportation tax every few years. The half-cent tax, which was first implemented in 1985 to finance roads, is now also used to fund Maricopa County’s public transportation and light rail.
It became the focus of weeks’ worth of negotiations between Governor Katie Hobbs and legislative Republicans over issues like funding for light rail.
According to Petersen (pictured above), following months of intense negotiations, Republicans are sending the voters the option to approve the most conservative transportation plan in Arizona’s history.
“The guardrails, taxpayer protections, and funding allocations in the text of this bill reflect the priorities of voters, to reinvest their tax dollars in the transportation modes they use most,” Petersen said.
Petersen praised the passage of Prop. 400 plan, Senate Bill (SB) 1102, eliminates regional funding for light rail expansion and increases funding for road projects.
“We have eliminated regional funding for the expansion of light rail, commuter rails, trolleys, and streetcars. We have ended a foolish loop to the Capitol, hardly an economic center deserving of additional transit and vehicle congestion. We have increased road funding projects from 54 percent of the tax to 63 percent. Republicans have ended the shell game, no longer can dollars be shifted unilaterally after taxpayers have approved the measure,” Petersen said.
