Gov. Katie Hobbs speaks with attendees at a Statehood Day ceremony in the Old Senate Chambers at the Arizona State Capitol building in Phoenix on Feb. 14. || Photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr
Camryn Sanchez And Jakob Thorington
Arizona Capitol Times
On Tuesday evening the Legislature passed a partisan, controversial half-cent sales tax extension, which Democrats called a “slap in the face” and the governor said she will veto.
The House passed the measure 31-26 on party lines. The Senate passed the bill 16-12 on party lines about an hour later over the objections of Democrats.
Republicans worked out 11th hour negotiations between their own members, resulting in a product that differed greatly from the deal that Gov. Katie Hobbs said last week that she worked out with Republican leaders.
Hobbs publicly confirmed over Twitter she will veto the proposal when it reaches her desk.
“Now, it’s time for legislators to vote on a compromise that is supported by a bipartisan majority in both chambers, business and labor leaders, and Maricopa County cities. Republican leadership needs to stop playing partisan games, put the bipartisan compromise up for a vote, and stop holding our state’s economic potential hostage,” Hobbs wrote.
Hobbs, Prop 400, light rail, freeways, transgender, veto
Republicans and Democrats couldn’t agree on continued funding for light rail projects, which was one of the main reasons why Democrats voted against the bill. The Republican proposal would ask voters to determine if light rail should be funded by splitting the ballot item into two separate questions.
The first question would ask voters to allocate $0.43 of the $.50 sales tax collected by Maricopa County to freeways, arterials and public transportation capital costs, excluding light rail. The second would drop the remaining $.07 for public transit, including light rail. Speaker of the House Ben Toma, R-Peoria, said during Tuesday’s vote that splitting the question on the ballot gives voters a “real choice.”
“This transparent legislation puts Maricopa County residents first and fulfills our commitment to smart and responsible spending,” Toma said.
