By Adrian Skabellund | Arizona Daily Sun
A proposition overwhelmingly passed by voters this past November has cities across the state, including Flagstaff, gearing up for potential litigation.
Proposition 126, which passed with 64 percent of the vote statewide and with 55 percent in Coconino County, amended the state constitution to prevent future taxes on services unless they were already in effect as of the end of 2017.
But now, city officials are concerned that, depending on the interpretation of the amendment’s language, it could take a big chunk out of local tax increases approved by voters this November.
On top of this, the amendment could prove “devastating” for cities’ abilities to raise the money for basic services, said Ken Strobeck, the executive director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.
Three of Flagstaff’s transportation taxes have the potential to be affected by the proposition, including one to fund the city’s Lone Tree overpass project, according to city staff.