I keep writing these articles about taxes. It’s not that I have anything against taxes. They are a necessary evil. But I have found that few people know how their tax payments are used. Sales tax is especially easy to ignore because it is usually just a few cents per transaction. But sales tax really adds up. It is a much bigger factor than property tax.
The city charges 1.7 percent sales tax. The one percent of that goes to the general fund and operates the police, fire, parks, administration and most of the non-utility services. The 0.7 percent of the 1.7 is specifically designated for transportation. Of the 0.7 percent, almost half goes to the city bus system. That is about $4 million per year. This was approved by the voters in 2000.
The balance of the 0.7 percent sales tax goes to streets and the urban trail system. This amounts to $6 million per year. But it has not been used for regular street maintenance or repair. These funds are used for new streets, new traffic signals or major overhauls. Examples are the repairing and addition of curb, gutter and sidewalk (including a round-about) for Arrowhead and West Streets; the planned extension of Beulah Boulevard behind the ADOT/MVD offices. The urban trail system maintenance and expansion gets about $500,000 each year.
Recent uses of these transportation funds have been the medians in Butler Avenue; Huntington Drive paving extension; Industrial Drive paving extension; the repaving of Route 66 behind the mall; the repaving and added bike lanes on Lake Mary Road and several “studies” of various transportation issues.
The 0.7 percent transportation sales tax will come before the voters for renewal in 2020. FBN
Questions? Email jnabours@flagstaffaz.gov.