Quote:
Originally Posted by Pink Jazz
FYI, on the City of Phoenix's Talk Transportation website, one user suggested that the Orange Line should start further west at Bell Road and Jackrabbit Road. That way the residents of Surprise and Sun City can have a light rail route.
N830MH, what do you think about this?
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Do the cities of Surprise and Sun City fund Phoenix's light rail system? From the following, I don't think so.
History and Funding sources:
1985, Maricopa County voters approved passage of a proposition that approved a one-half cent sales tax to fund freeway construction with a portion, or $5 million per year (inflated annually), as seed money for regional transit service expansion.
1988, Scottsdale passed a transportation tax that allowed funding for transit and transportation projects.
1993, the RPTA Board of Directors adopted Valley Metro as the identity for the regional transit system.
1996, Tempe passed a half-cent sales tax dedicated for transit, allowing them to expand their existing bus service and explore future options, such as light rail.
1998, Mesa passed a quality-of-life half-cent sales tax, which dedicated a small portion for transit, with the remainder going toward parks and recreation, and police and fire departments.
2000, Phoenix passed a four-tenths of a percent sales tax for improvements to local bus service, BRT, LRT, Mini-Bus, and more.
2001, Glendale passed a half-cent sales tax dedicated for transit and other transportation improvements.
2004, Maricopa County extended the half-cent county-wide sales tax originally authorized in 1985. The tax allocates over one-third of tax revenues, or $5.8 billion (before inflation) for transit, including light rail.
2005, Peoria voters approved a three-tenths cent sales tax increase dedicated to funding transportation projects and services in Peoria.
2010, the State legislature repealed a large portion of money ($22 million annually in Maricopa County out of $34 million statewide) that has supported public transportation services in the Valley for 30 years.
The cities of Sun City and Surprise do not contribute any revenues for the light rail system. So the likelihood the transit board will extend light rail to them is extremely small.