Tucson sales tax election

Tucson voters could decide on a new sales tax in August. The Tucson City Council is planning to set up a special election at their Tuesday meeting, although it’s still not entirely clear what the sales tax revenue would do, how much money it would raise, or how much it would add to prices. A memo from city staff said the sales tax would help put the “right foundational elements in place” to support Plan Tucson, while the meeting agenda says it would “fund community investments to promote quality of life.” The cost of holding the election is expected to be $1.1 million or less. (Tucson Agenda) (February 5)

In an ominous sign for RTA Next, the Tucson City Council earlier this month set an election for a half-cent sales tax election in July. Although they haven’t explained exactly how the money would be spent, one of the possibilities would be to give Tucson a path to “going it alone and not participating in RTA Next,” Councilman Steve Kozachik said Feb. 7 on the Buckmaster Show. (February 7)

The council didn’t put anything on the agenda regarding the sales tax election they’ve been talking about for more than a month. It has something to do with improving quality of life, but they still haven’t explained what it is voters will consider. The window to do so shrank a bit last week when the state Legislature moved up the election date from August 6 to July 30. The council’s next meeting is March 5. If they direct the city attorney to write the ballot measure, they could approve it at the March 19 meeting. Then they will have to launch a publicity campaign to get support for the tax before early ballots go out July 3. (February 20)

Now two Tucson City Council members, Paul Cunningham and Steve Kozachik, have discussed the sales tax election as a tool to have in case RTA negotiations fail, Tucson Sentinel columnist Blake Morlock reported. (February 23)

Tie breaker: The Arizona attorney general may weigh in on whether the Tucson City Council acted within the law when they set a sales tax election for this summer, the Tucson Sentinel’s Dylan Smith reports. State law says these types of elections must be held in November, but the city argues the city charter allows them to do it whenever they like. State Sen. Rosanna Gabaldon asked Attorney General Kris Mayes to issue an opinion within 30 days. The city appears to be using the sales tax election to pressure the other members of the Regional Transportation Authority, essentially saying if the city doesn’t get its fair share, then they’ll leave RTA Next. (February 28)

Green light for tax election: The Tucson sales tax election set for this summer can continue as planned, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a legal opinion, the Sentinel’s Dylan Smith reports. State law says those elections must be in November, but Tucson officials argued the city charter allows them to set sales tax elections whenever they like. Mayes said the matter is a “purely municipal concern.” (March 27)

The council didn’t put anything on the agenda regarding the sales tax election they scheduled for July 30. Council members have alluded to the sales tax being a way for the city to go it alone on transportation projects, rather than join what they see as an unfair funding formula for the nine jurisdictions in RTA Next. The council now has less than three months (ballots go out July 3 and most people vote early) to figure out what exactly they want in the proposition, draft and fine-tune the language, approve it, and convince voters it’s a good idea to add a half-cent to the sales tax they’ll pay for however many years. (Tucson Agenda) (April 8)

Time to talk turkey: The Tucson council voted in February to put a sales tax election on the ballot this summer, but they never explained any of the details. At yesterday’s council meeting, Cunningham said it was time to “talk turkey” about the sales tax. He called for the council to start hammering out the details within the next two weeks, saying that if they don’t, “we’re going to run out of time.” He suggested public safety and social work as goals for the revenue. (Tucson Agenda) (April 10)

One quirk of this budget is what to do about the sales tax election the council set up in February. Supposedly, there will be an election in July, but the council hasn’t explained what it’s all about. Time is running out to decide what they want to do and convince the public to approve it before early ballots go out July 3. In the meantime, city staff included $40 million as a placeholder in the budget for whatever happens with the sales tax election. (Tucson Agenda) (May 17)

No-go for now: Time has run out for the City of Tucson to hold a sales tax election in July, the Tucson Sentinel’s Jim Nintzel reports. The city council voted to hold the election in February, but didn’t give details about it. They would have had to approve ballot language by their April 25 meeting, but now it’s too late. City Councilman Paul Cunningham said they might hold the election in November or a later date. The scuttlebut was the city wanted to go it alone on transportation, rather than stick with the Regional Transportation Authority. Cunningham said the sales tax revenue would go to community wellness and safety, not transportation. (May 21)

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