FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 31, 2023
Most Conservative Prop. 400 Plan in Arizona History
Passes out of Legislature, Heads to Governor's Desk for Signature
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senate President Warren Petersen issues the following statement on today's passage of SB 1102 (transportation excise tax; Maricopa County):
Following months of intense negotiations, Republicans are sending the voters the option to approve the most conservative transportation plan in our state'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.
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% of the tax to 63%. Republicans have ended the shell game, no longer can dollars be shifted unilaterally after taxpayers have approved the measure.
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.
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 underperforming 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.
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.
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
kquintero@azleg.gov