Pinal County, AZ
11/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/07/2024 11:24
Pinal Road Tax Wins Three-Fourths Approval
By MARK COWLING Staff Writer | Maricopa Monitor
FLORENCE - Pinal County's Proposition 486, renewal of the county's half-cent sales tax to repair and build roads, was supported by 77% of votes counted by Wednesday.
"That's wonderful; I hope we can maintain that," Pinal County Supervisors Chairman Mike Goodman of San Tan Valley said. "It's critical that we get that one. We need to stay on the upkeep of our roads. If it doesn't pass we'll have to look at some alternatives, because we can't let our roads go.
"… We've been there before already when (the state) was taking HURF (road) funds," Goodman said. "And we've done a good job coming back. There's still a lot more to do."
The tax, also known as the Transportation Improvement and Maintenance Program or TIMP tax, was first passed almost 40 years ago and Pinal voters renewed it almost 20 years ago. If voters didn't renew it, it is set to expire at the end of 2026.
The tax raises approximately $36 million per year. Economist Jim Rounds has predicted it will raise between $800 million and $1.2 billion over the next 20 years, depending on economics and county population.
"It's very, very encouraging," Pinal Public Works spokesman Ray Telles said of the early returns. "Once that's official and certified, it's going to secure the future of transportation for Pinal County and ensure we can do the work we need to do as far as maintaining the roads.
"We want to thank everyone involved in educating the public and getting the information out there," Telles said. He especially thanked the cities and towns. "Pinal County is not getting any smaller so we just needed to make sure that this funding source was in play for the next 20 years, and we can try to continue to keep up with the amazing growth that we're having," Telles said.
Pinal officials had to walk a tightrope of getting the word out that voters had a choice to make without expressly pushing a "yes" vote.
"That was definitely the trick, and laws are like that for a reason," Telles said. "We're not in the business of telling people how to vote. But we can educate people." The 'Preserving Our Future' website will remain active to show citizens how their tax dollars are preserving and building roads," Telles said.