Voters greenlight $2.1 billion road plan

Transportation measure passes on fifth trip to polls
By Andrea Kelly and Erica Meltzer

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Published: May.17.2006

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/129563

A delighted Steve Farley, who helped draft the regional transportation plan as a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee, celebrates the victory with his 7-year-old daughter Genevieve during a gathering of transportation and psychiatric-car-bonds backers at La Cocina Restaurant Downtown.

Voters ushered in a “new era” in transportation in Pima County Tuesday by approving the Regional Transportation Plan and half-cent sales tax.

With about 75 percent of the precincts reporting last night, the transportation plan was ahead 60 percent to 40 percent, and the sales tax to fund the plan was ahead 58 percent to 42 percent.

“Fifth time’s a charm,” noted County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, in reference to four previous unsuccessful transportation and sales tax elections.  “This is so thrilling, it’s just a totally new day for Tucson,” Steve Farley, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee that helped draft the RTA plan, said after preliminary results were announced.

The passage of the transportation plan means the community is ready to work together to solve problems, he said.  “We can start to show the rest of the country we’re growing up,” Farley said. He said the transportation issues go hand-in-hand with the psychiatric bonds that voters also approved Tuesday.

He and others were “ecstatic” when they found out the transportation plan and sales tax passed. The mood at La Cocina Restaurant, 201 N. Court Ave. turned from one of nervous discussion to excited celebration after the first results were announced around 8 p.m.

Many said they believe the election signifies the community is ready to work together on other issues too, such as water needs and economic development.

“This is a wonderful step to go build on,” said Rick Myers, chairman of the Yes!! for Regional Transportation committee, which supported the plan.  “A vote like this shows that people are thinking of what they want tomorrow,” Myers said.

Opponents gathered at Bobo’s Restaurant, 2938 E. Grant Road, to await the news. The mood there deflated after the first round of results was announced.

By 8:30 p.m., with almost 70 percent of the votes counted, the Enough! committee against the plan and tax acknowledged defeat.  “We do have transportation problems,” said Ken O’Day, who campaigned vigorously against the plan. “Maybe people thought we’d reached a point where something was better than nothing.”

Opponents said they will stay involved and work to hold the governments accountable for carrying out the plan.  “They have a real bad history of not delivering,” O’Day said. He said impact fees need to go up so growth pays for itself and he worries that the passage of the plan will take pressure off governments to raise impact fees.

Bonnie Poulos said she was disappointed and predicted people will not be happy with the results when the plan is implemented.  “This isn’t going to make it any easier to get to work,” she said. “It’s not going to make Grant Road flow any better.” Opponents attributed the lopsided vote to the big money and big names backing the RTA plan. “I just go back to my Berkeley days,” Poulos said. “This is the best democracy money can buy.”

Supporters of the transportation plan and half-cent sales tax raised almost $1 million to reach out to voters with commercials, fliers, mailings and roadside signs. The Yes!! for Regional Transportation committee was backed by individuals and big businesses and many in the construction, real estate, car sales and materials industries.

The Enough! committee against the plan, brought in less than $8,000 in its campaign. Much of that money was donated by individuals and was used for roadside signs and fliers.

But Larry Hecker, treasurer for the Yes!! committee said the special election gave voters a chance to learn about the issues. Still, Hecker was surprised by the margin. A week before the vote, he said the group’s tracking poll showed the transportation plan just squeaking by on a narrow margin, well within the poll margin of error, with many undecideds. He said he couldn’t hazard a guess as to what pushed so many to the Yes!! side. “Voters took the time to understand what was on the ballot and understand the more regional approach,” Hecker said.

The sales tax will go up by half a cent on the dollar across Pima County on July 1 to pay for the road and transit projects in the plan.

More buses will hit the streets of Tucson as early as August, said Jim Glock, director of the Tucson Department of Transportation.  The first will be used to ease overcrowding on busy routes he said. After that, the funding will be used for expanded weekend and evening service.

Construction on roads and other projects will begin in five-year phases. The first phase starts July 1 of this year, although major construction isn’t expected until 2008

The second phase will begin July 2011, the third July 2016 and the final phase will start July 2021. Some projects, like intersection improvements, will be ongoing through all phases, while others, including most of the road projects, will be contained to one or two phases. The plan calls for 35 road projects, some involving widening current roads, others for new roads or projects to improve existing roads.

The sales tax is expected to raise about $2.1 billion during the next 20 years. Some projects have additional funding from local jurisdictions; others, like the Downtown-area streetcar line, will depend on federal funding to cover the expense.

Supporters of the plan said it had something for everyone because of the variety of projects included. Opponents said it wasn’t enough to rely on transit and road projects to carry the plan, and that it needed money for maintaining the roads too.

About the Regional Transportation Authority ~ http://www.rtamobility.com/

For updated results, see www.azstarnet.com

When the Star went to press only 75% of the precincts had reported. To get the final election results from the Pima County Division of Elections Web site, click here.

Question 1: The $2.1 billion Regional Transportation Authority plan for 51 projects in Pima County over the next 20 years including road widenings, intersection improvements, buses, bicycle lanes and sidewalks.

Yes - 60%-40% (75% reporting)

Question 2: The half-cent sales tax to pay for the RTA plan. If voters OK both the plan and the tax, the tax kicks in July 1 on all items except groceries, rent and prescriptions.

Yes 58%-42% (75% reporting)

Question 3: Bonds to build an $18 million psychiatric urgent-care center at the Kino Hospital campus.

Yes - 64%-36% (75% reporting)

Question 4: Bonds to go toward building an 80- to 100-bed psychiatric inpatient facility at the Kino Hospital campus.

Yes - 63%-37% (75% reporting)

What’s Next

● On July 1, merchants countywide start collecting an additional half-cent sales tax on everything except groceries, prescriptions and rent.

● In August, expanded bus service, the first RTA improvement, should hit the streets.

● By December, neighbors will be notified they can apply for seats on corridor design committees for the first projects, probably on the Northwest Side.

● In early 2007, the first bonds to pay for the psychiatric urgent care unit should be sold.

● By mid-2008, the first major road construction using RTA funds should start, probably widening either North La Cholla Boulevard or North La Cañada Drive.