capitol media services
PHOENIX – The future of the Arizona transportation tax extension takes a critical turn on Monday when Peoria House Speaker Ben Toma said he plans to adjourn Congress later this year.
Republicans, who hold a majority in the Arizona legislature, are leading Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs and the cities, counties and tribes of the Phoenix metropolitan area to extend the transportation tax that has funded the expansion of highways and roads in the region. We are working towards a final agreement with these parties. For nearly 40 years, we have underpinned systems, bus routes and light rail.
If the governor fails to bring a plan to the legislature to sign and get support from voters in Maricopa County next year to extend the 50-cent sales tax for another 20 years, it will have ramifications for all of Arizona.
That’s because a regional planning agency called the Maricopa Government Association uses sales tax revenues to fund its own projects outside the state’s General Fund, which will average about $1 billion annually over the next 20 years. will reach. With the tax repealed, transportation projects in 14 other counties will compete with counties in which nearly two-thirds of Arizonas live for limited state transportation costs.
Mr Thomas said the plan was postponed until the end of the year on Monday due to the possibility of agreement on an extension of Proposition 400, the main agenda item.
He and Republican Senate Speaker Warren Petersen (R, Queen Creek) said they had made progress toward resolving the Proposition 400 extension, but had not yet declared a breakthrough.
But Sen. Ken Bennett (Republican, Prescott) said he heard a tentative deal was in place, but said the bill’s wording still needed to be worked out.
“Unfortunately at this time, we cannot say whether a deal will be reached,” Thoma said last week, adding, “We are waiting for a response from MAG, but my understanding is that they have not yet responded to us. , we are waiting for input from some employees.”
Getting Thomas on board is crucial, as new House rules adopted by the majority Republican Party in January require the speaker to sign all bills before they can go to a vote.
“The starting point is that they have to get back a word or something that will get us votes. Frankly, let’s start with my opinion,” he said. , at the moment I don’t know how they plan to get other players. “
Hobbes spokesman Christian Slater declined to comment on the status of negotiations. So did the MAG spokesperson. He reached out to MAG’s new chairman, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
