Senate OKs sending transportation tax to Maricopa Co. voters

By BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Proponents of extending an existing half-cent tax that funds Maricopa County transportation projects are closer to seeing it on the county ballot in November after the state Senate approved the measure. Senators spent more than an hour debating the issue before it passed Wednesday. It now must get approval by the House and Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Tyler Pace of Mesa would ask voters to extend a tax that has helped pay for major Phoenix-area freeway projects in the past two decades as well as bus service and the Phoenix light rail system. Opponents said they did not want light rail spending and said asking voters to tax themselves during a time of high inflation was tone deaf.