(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents a coalition of property and business owners throughout Pinal County who have worked to bring new transportation infrastructure to the region.)
By Mark Cowling | Pinal Central
APACHE JUNCTION — State lawmakers didn’t sound optimistic about chances for keeping sales tax previously collected for the Pinal Regional Transportation Authority, but called for meetings with affected parties or “stakeholders” this summer to discuss solutions.
Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland, who is PRTA chairman, said $87 million was collected for the PRTA before the Arizona Supreme Court ruled it was an illegal tax. He asked legislators at Friday’s Pinal Partnership breakfast how they could help keep the money in Pinal County.The normal remedy would be to return the money to the taxpayers, but the Arizona Department of Revenue takes the position that the businesses that remitted the tax are the taxpayers, according to Rep. Neal Carter, R-San Tan Valley. Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, agreed that stores are the taxpayers in this case, “and Arizona law is very clear on that.”Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, said she met with the Arizona Department of Revenue the previous day on the PRTA tax, and the ADOR actually wants to refund the money. The Arizona Tax Research Association is very frustrated as well, she said.
