Preliminary, unofficial results showed that a ballot measure to create a half-cent sales tax increase in Tucson was losing by a large margin Tuesday night. The tax would have raised some $800 million over 10 years to fund public safety and community investment.
Proposition 414, the Safe & Vibrant City ballot measure, asked Tucsonans to vote on raising the city’s sales tax from 2.6% to 3.1%.
City officials tout the measure as an effort to fund critical services following a statewide change in income tax policy that decreased the money the city receives from the state.
The campaign backing the measure underlined its disappointment after the initial release of results showed voters opposing it by roughly a 2-to-1 margin.
“While we are disappointed in the outcome of Prop. 414, we remain deeply grateful to everyone who stood with us in this fight,” said Yes on 414 in a statement on social media. The campaign led by Pat DeConcini was supported by the Tucson Fire Fighters Association, the Tucson Police Officers Association and city officials, among others.
The No on Prop 414 coalition celebrated the success but noted there are still unmet needs in the community.
“The resounding defeat of Prop. 414 is an important victory for all Tucsonans and an important first step in making sure city resources go to where they can do the most good,” said the coalition in a news release. “While we celebrate that we won’t be directly funding increased surveillance and the harms of policing with every dollar we spend for the next 10 years, we understand that there are still urgent, unmet needs in the community.”
What would the tax pay for?
Of the annual revenue projected to be brought in by the tax:
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$52 million would go toward police and fire departments.
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$14 million would go to affordable housing programs, shelters, and courts.
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$13.4 million would go to community and justice-related programs.
Tucson.
Critics argued that with roughly two-thirds of the tax dollars going to public safety instead of housing and community investment, the allocations of tax dollars do not reflect the values of Tucsonans.
Why do supporters say they like Proposition 414?
Supporters said the $800 million over 10 years would help pay for critical services like housing, police and fire, which have become more expensive to run.
One supporter of the measure is former state Sen. Kristen Engel. The Tucson Democrat lost against U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., in the 6th Congressional District race in November.
“Folks, we need to get off the fence and face the reality that passing Prop. 414 is necessary if we want the level of police, fire and shelter services we expect and which will maintain our reputation as a top destination to live, work, retire and recreate,” Engel posted on X.
Speaking on election day near a ballot drop-off location in downtown Tucson, retired journalist Carol Ann Alaimo told The Arizona Republic she supported the ballot measure.
“I don’t understand why the business community isn’t in favor of this when they are the first to complain about police service. They are the first to complain if they don’t get a speedy response … they are the first to complain about homeless people camping out near their businesses,” she said. “If you really want to have even a medium-term solution to all that, it requires money.”
Proposition 414 opponents have broad range of concerns
Critics argued that with roughly two-thirds of the tax dollars going to public safety, instead of housing and community investment, the allocations of tax dollars do not reflect the values of Tucsonans.
The Southern Arizona Leadership Council, a coalition of business leaders and executives, opposed the measure. Although the group said it supports properly funding public safety, it underscored the concern that the measure “perpetuates the structural budget challenges that have left our chartered priorities underfunded,” the group said in a news release.
Mark Murphy, a Tucson resident, told The Republic on election day that he did not support the ballot measure.
“I voted ‘no’ because that would make us pay the highest city taxes in all of Arizona. I don’t mind paying my fair share … a lot of times throwing money at stuff doesn’t necessarily fix it,” Murphy said.
Election spending tops $300,000
Interest groups spent more than $300,000 on campaigns in support of and against Proposition 414, according to filings with Tucson and the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
Yes on Prop 414: Safe and Vibrant City, a group backing the measure, reported spending $151,351 from Jan. 1 to Feb. 22. Among the large contributions to Yes on Prop 414 was a $10,000 boost from Fletcher McCusker, the CEO of UAVenture Capital and the chair of Rio Nuevo, a special taxing district focused on urban development. Other contributors included city Councilmember Kevin Dahl and Tucson Electric Power executive Cynthia Garcia, among others.
The Tucson Metro Chamber PAC, which opposed the measure, spent $179,970 on ballot measure expenditures including yard signs, attorney fees, flyers, social media management, and ads, among other expenditures. Some contributors included the Tucson Association of Realtors, which contributed $25,000, and the Pima County Automobile Dealers Association, which contributed $50,000.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Proposition 414: Tucson sales tax hike down big in early returns
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