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.
He notes that the passed Prop. 400 plan has strictly defined air quality programs, limited them to responsible expenditures, and added additional oversight at the Maricopa Association of Governments.
“The air quality programs in prior versions were a completely undefined big government pipe dream. We have strictly defined these terms and limited them to responsible expenditures, halting bureaucrats’ attempts for Green New Deal policies. Republicans have added more oversight at the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), increasing Legislative appointments from six to ten. We also balanced the power at MAG. Currently, the power and the decisions to be made are dictated by two cities. Now, all of our cities will have an equal say in this process,” Petersen said.
The passed Prop. 400 also ends lane restrictions, provides ballot transparency, and prevents California-style combustion engine vehicle bans in Arizona.
“We have ended road diets through lane restrictions. Any efforts to increase vehicle congestion are now unlawful. We provided transparency on the ballot, voters will know exactly how much of their money is going where. We are requiring strong accountability. Cities who are under performing with bus services lose their funding. We’ve targeted government inefficiencies and built-in real protections to keep them honest. Republicans protected driver freedom, this law stops any attempts to enact California-style combustion engine vehicle bans,” Petersen said.
According to Petersen, this plan closely mirrors the Republican plan passed in June that Hobbs vetoed, which aimed to send the sales tax extension to voters.
“Transportation funding is squarely within the function of government, but we have revamped Prop 400 to ensure that building highways and streets remain our priority. This plan closely mirrors the Republican plan passed a month ago, and I’m proud that we were able to accomplish this together in a bipartisan way. We have secured a good, responsible product for the citizens of Arizona to consider in 2024, giving voters the option to enhance critical infrastructure that our entire state relies upon,” Petersen said.
The legislature passed an extension that would last 20 years. The current extension expires in 2025. The legislation now heads to Hobbs’ desk for her signature.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
