TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The City of Tucson says it needs your help for police and fire protection, crime prevention and work to help end homelessness. The help would be your approval of an additional half-cent for the sales tax.
Sometimes people dismiss just what a penny is worth. Now the City of Tucson is asking voters to approve a half-cent increase in the city sales tax to make up for money lost now that less money is coming down from the State of Arizona. But there’s a lot of controversy over whether what the city is promising is what voters want to pay for.
It takes a lot of money to run a city—to keep firefighters and their trucks on the road—and to have the right number of police with the right equipment. The city tries to stimulate business, house the unhoused, and support the arts.
But the City of Tucson says when former Governor Doug Ducey and the Legislature changed the state income tax to a flat 2.5% rate for everyone. That cut what the state sends Tucson by a projected $400 million over ten years—and it sent Tucson hunting for ways to make up the difference.
That’s where Prop 414 comes in. It asks Tucson voters to add a half-cent sales tax to every dollar they pay. It would last for ten years and raise a projected $800 million. Groceries are exempt from sales tax.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero says, “I think that Tucson voters are very open to the investments that we're asking them to do, public safety, community safety, health and wellness, affordable housing and investing in youth and in preschool. It's a very comprehensive approach to community safety in our community, and I think voters will respond positively to it.”
SEE WHAT SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF PROP 414 HAVE TO SAY:
A City of Tucson website offers a lot of detail on where the money would go over the ten years of Prop 414.
- Capital Investment for First Responders 31.75% $24,600,000
- Enhanced Emergency Response 22.75% $18,200,000
- Affordable Housing and Shelter 17.5% $14,000,000
- Neighborhood and Community Resilience 16.75% $13,400,000
- Technology Investments 12.25% $9,800,000
Source: City of Tucson
The sales tax you pay in Tucson is a combination of state, county and city tax. At present, it totals 8.7%.
The Tucson Metro Chamber is one group opposing Prop 414.
Critics say adding a half-cent kicks the tax to 9.2%, for what would become one of the highest total taxes in Arizona.
Say you had your eye on a $900 big screen for that big football game a few days ago.
The tax now would add $78.30 to the cost. The tax if Prop 414 passes would add $82.80—another four-and-a-half dollars.
You might put off buying a TV but you’d better not put off buying tires.
It’s not hard to pay $800 for all four wheels. Without Prop 414 sales tax adds $69.60. With it? It’s $73.60—a four-dollar bump.
Critics say that half-cent on top of a world of smaller purchases adds up to hurt people struggling to cover the basic expenses of life.
Trish Muir has been in business and with labor unions. She thinks the extra tax may make people avoid Tucson when it’s time to spend money.
“If I'm going to buy a vehicle, what would the difference be if I buy it inside the city of Tucson, or if I go buy it in Oro Valley or somewhere else? And so I think we'll see people make decisions with their pocketbook, and I think with the business community we may see decisions as well. Is this a place that I want to do business knowing that there's going to be this additional tax?”
But Mayor Romero thinks Tucson voters will see the tax as an investment in their city and notes they approved half-cent hikes before to support police and fix roads.
Prop 414 will be an all-mail special election. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The deadline to return ballots will be Tuesday, March 11.
For more information, the city will hold one more informational town hall Wednesday Feb. 12 at the Donna R. Liggins Recreation Center, 2160 N. 6th Ave. from 5:30 - 7 p.m.
——-
Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
