Voters in the state will decide whether Maricopa County residents get the chance to extend the sales tax on transportation projects by half a cent.

Gov. Katie Hobbs said Wednesday she supports a 2024 ballot-in-progress proposal that repeals a state law requiring Congressional approval before tax updates apply to voters. .

The governor acknowledged that he may recall lawmakers to the Capitol after Republican lawmakers vetoed a funding plan they approved late Tuesday. The governor said the content sent to her, ranging from less funding for public transit than requested by the Maricopa Government Association, to the fact that the Republican plan would require two separate votes said unacceptable.

But Hobbs said it didn’t make sense given the Republicans’ drawing the line.

“I think it serves no purpose for anyone if they are not willing to come to the table and discuss the deal. It needs some cooling effect,” she said.

However, it is unlikely that time will resolve it.

Rep. David Livingston (Rep., Peoria) of the Republican bill said, “This will be the only bill this Congress will pass on extending the tax,” adding, “This is the only bill that gives voters a chance.” Told. to vote. “

And other Republicans, from their point of view, say that unless Mr. Hobbes accepts their plan, Maricopa County voters will have no chance to extend the levy first approved in 1985 for another 20 years. I made it clear that it would happen.

If so, the current tax will die out by the end of 2025. And the money this tax was supposed to raise (an estimated $20 billion over the next 20 years) will not be recovered, and all the projects that were funded with that cash will not be recovered. It doesn’t happen.

But MAG president and Avondale mayor Ken Wise said that wasn’t true. In fact, he said Wednesday he had already sent a letter to the governor asking for a veto.

What remains is Plan B, which Wise calls the “Free Maricopa” initiative, which promotes the idea that residents of the state’s largest county shouldn’t be held back by restrictions that apply nowhere. said to sell to voters. other than that.

“Maricopa County is the only county in the state that has to go through this process,” Wise said, adding, “And how dire it is.” We’ve seen what it can be,” he said. “

This means collecting 255,949 valid signatures on a petition by July 3, 2024, and bringing the issue up to voters in November of the same year. Then, if passed, the Maricopa County Oversight Board will set a date for a special election on the tax extension in early 2025, but if the election is held in time enough and approved, the current levy will go into effect. Elections will begin as soon as the deadline expires. at the end of that year.

Wise said he expects he will have no trouble getting the support he needs, especially after Republicans have effectively told Maricopa County that it’s their way or the highway when it comes to transit taxes. Stated.

“When something like this happens, it tends to energize and energize the stakeholders involved in this plan,” he said. I hope,” he said.

Financial issues aside, Hobbs said he believed voters across the state would be happy to support lifting restrictions placed on Maricopa County operations.

“They’re holding them hostage. It’s ridiculous that Maricopa County has to go to Congress to get permission to go vote for something for the community,” she said.

Livingston said the willingness to go to the polls proves that MAG never negotiated in good faith with Congress.

“This was their plan from the beginning,” Livingston said.

That’s not true, said Ed Zukor, MAG’s managing director.

“We conceded to build highways. They wanted more highways, so we increased the number of highways,” he told Capitol Media Service.

At the same time, Zukor said MAG has cut back on the percentage it was asking for transit. And the group said it agreed that the light rail extension would be funded by other revenues rather than the half-cent sales tax.

Zukor also noted that MAG would also require Valley Metro to meet certain “benchmarks” based on comparable cities, such as what percentage of the operating costs of buses, trolleys and light rail are covered by fares. said they agreed.

“I mean, we’ve found time and time again how to give them what they need and ask for as much as possible while still maintaining a plan,” he said. I have more to give. “

Mr. Hobbes said he would be at the forefront of supporters of the retax on how they want to proceed going forward.

What Hobbes and MAG want is to extend the half-cent levy for 20 years, with 40% of the revenue going to highways equal to public transit, and the rest going to local roads and highways. be.

In contrast, Republican lawmakers approved a vote on the 0.0495-cent levy, giving a larger percentage to highways. Furthermore, they want Maricopa residents to approve a separate 0.07-cent tax on light rail construction and extensions, as well as a basic 0.43-cent tax.