(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.)
Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents a coalition of property and business owners throughout Pinal County working to bring new transportation infrastructure to the county
Pinal Central
Pinal County’s new road tax has been struck down in Tax Court after a lawsuit was filed by the Goldwater Institute, a conservative and libertarian think tank. That puts on hold some big plans for new roads that otherwise will not get built for a long time. Pinal officials involved in the proposal are likely to appeal, and that appears to be residents’ best prospect for now.
Propositions 416 and 417 passed in 2017 — the latter, which imposed a half-cent sales tax, by only 1 percent. The transportation plan was designed to benefit the whole county, but widening of State Route 347 in the Maricopa area and a new north-south route down to the Coolidge-Florence area were especially popular with residents in those areas. Casa Grandeans were less supportive, but city officials bought into the proposal due to inclusion of some major projects. That included support for a freeway interchange at Kortsen Road, which will have to happen eventually. Developers were behind the proposal in a big way, as they see Pinal County becoming an even larger target for activity.
