The City of Maricopa today proposed a new half-cent sales tax to fund widening State Route 347.

It won’t solve any problems overnight, but it’s a way to tell the county and the state that Maricopa is serious about how dire this needed road improvement is.

“It’s not likely the widening will move forward without additional funding becoming available,” said Maricopa City Manager Ben Bitter.

“Without this [sales tax], the SR 347 widening will not be prioritized in the foreseeable future, leaving our community to wait potentially decades for much-needed improvements,” read a release from the city. “Without a local funding match, ADOT will not be able to find the financial resources necessary to include the widening project in their expansion plan.”

This proposal has a long way to go. In the coming months, Maricopa city leaders will hold open houses to explain details and hear from residents on the plan. They’ll take that feedback and put it in front of the City Council for consideration. If approved, the new tax would be land at least 60 days later.

“We figure this will bring in about $9 to $10 million per year, if it were a half-cent, and then gradually increase over the course of the coming years,” said Bitter.

This same idea was proposed back in 2016 and ultimately failed.

An InMaricopa.com of 1,404 of our readers that ended Dec. 6 poll found residents supported this proposal by almost 2 to 1.

“By reducing property taxes for six consecutive years and funding projects without issuing bonds, the city has positioned itself to take this step when the time was right,” said a press release today. “As it currently stands, only eight cities in the state have a lower sales tax rate than Maricopa. This isn’t just about widening a road; it’s about being financially prudent while securing Maricopa’s future and making sure our infrastructure meets the needs of our growing community.”