If we vote “yes” on Propositions 418 and 419, we take a risk the projects won’t turn out exactly as RTA Next envisions. As we experienced with the original RTA plan, it turns out major recessions (2008) and Covid pandemics (2019-2023) and other local factors can really slam our best plans. Many of the projects in RTA Next were accomplished and helped drivers and businesses throughout our communities as well as area residents who rely on affordable public transportation. Although a few were delayed or changed as needs changed, the RTA was an overall success.
If we vote “no” on 418 and 419, we will have to start planning all over again. Each city or county area will have to spend the resources and time to make its own plan. That means we taxpayers will be on the hook for planners, engineers, and other staff for each of these cities/areas instead of one regional group. Each city will have to then sell their plan to their voters and get them to pass a tax on themselves to fund that plan – something the City of Tucson has been unable to accomplish. And what fun it will be to cruise along a nice divided four-lane arterial only to have it disappear into a rough, old, two-lane road because separate cities went their own way.
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Tim Stellar in his weekend column was right that any plan has risk. We haven’t invented the crystal ball yet; so we don’t know everything that will happen for the next 20 years. We do know “yes” on 418 and 419 will keep our transportation system moving forward for our businesses and our taxpayers. Or we can vote “no” and only hope somebody does something, somewhere, sometime.
I am voting “yes” on both Propositions 418 and 419 to keep our major roads from totally disintegrating, build new projects to take employees to their jobs and us oldies to the doctor, and provide affordable transportation options. Please join me.
Marian Hill
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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