Veto of Maricopa County transportation tax bill may affect SR 347 expansion

Gov. Doug Ducey vetoed House Bill 2685 Tuesday, a measure that would have put the issue of extending the half-cent Maricopa County transportation tax on the ballot next spring. One project budgeted to be funded with the tax revenue was an additional lane northbound and southbound on the Maricopa County portion of State Route 347.

Ducey wrote a letter to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs explaining the veto.

“Today I vetoed HB 2685, a measure to extend a sales tax for transportation funding,” Ducey said in the letter. “Across the country, families are facing unprecedented costs for food, gas, housing and other necessities. Now, with inflation higher than it has been in 40 years, is not the time to ask voters in Arizona to tax themselves. Further, if and when voters consider such a proposal, they deserve to cast their ballot for a measure that is responsible and transparent – HB 2685 does not meet that standard.”

He added the current tax measure does not expire until the end of 2025 and an early election next year would require unnecessary costs and put an important measure on the ballot in a special election, which typically draws far lower voter turnout than a presidential general election.

Ducey also had problems with the language of the bill, which would extend the excise tax on sales in Maricopa County for 25 years – five years longer than the term of the current tax.

“The changes in the title and description narrative are inflated, embellished, and fail to accurately reflect the reality of this tax burden on Arizonans,” Ducey wrote.

He also said the language was biased and failed to mention the additional five-year life of the bill and the extended period constituted a tax increase for Maricopa County voters.

State Sen. TJ Shope (R-LD8) said Ducey’s action will not impact Pinal County’s efforts to have its own sales tax reinstated in November’s election.

“Yes, Governor Ducey vetoed HB 2685, but that bill is in no way, shape or form, related to any of the other counties transportation issues, including Pinal’s,” Shope said. “No other county other than Maricopa requires the extra step of Legislative and Executive approval, so I really don’t see them being connected at all.”

Maricopa Interim Mayor Vincent Manfredi has a different perspective.

“Governor Ducey’s veto has no direct impact on Pinal County as a whole, but it does have an impact on SR 347,” Manfredi said. “We would need (the tax measure) to pass in Maricopa County to provide money for the extra lane on the northern end of SR 347 in Maricopa County.”

Maricopa City Councilmember Henry Wade said the veto and Pinal County’s efforts are different.

“I believe these are two separate issues,” Wade said. “In that, I think Governor Ducey is being short-sighted by not considering the will or desire of the citizenry. Recent surveys suggest the voters are favorable of re-establishing the half-cent transportation tax as we are more than ready to take action to make our roads safe.”

The Legislature can override Ducey’s gubernatorial veto if two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and Senate vote to pass the bill. The bill passed the House by a margin of 37-21 and the Senate 19-9.