The City of Buckeye hosted a town hall meeting July 16th at Desert Sunset Elementary School. Mayor Eric Orsborn and several city government leaders and administrators led the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, which focused on upcoming ballot measures, traffic infrastructure, commercial and residential growth and expansion, and Proposition 479.
What is PROP 479?
Proposition 479 isn’t new. The half-cent sales tax was passed in 1985 and renewed in 2004 to fund Maricopa County traffic infrastructure. However, it’s expiring at the end of 2025, and whether or not it’s renewed is up to voters in November. Proposition 479 will secure $15 billion in the next two decades if approved. Learn more on the city’s website.
“It leverages more money from the federal government to build out highways that we want to see expanded and some of the additional traffic interchanges we want to see increased in future plans,” Orsborn said. “It’ll keep the commuter travel times the same in 2050 as they are now, hopefully, better, but we at least have to keep up with the growth now.”
How will it affect your wallet?
It won’t — at least not any more than it has been since 1985. The bond will not increase taxes, it will only continue the half-cent tax already in place.
What will it do?
According to the city’s website, if approved, Proposition 479 would “help keep commuter travel times the same in 2050 as they are now, even with growth expected in the valley.” Fund projects in the city, including the Jackrabbit Trail and I-10 interchange and widening the I-10 from Citrus Rd. to SR-85.
Additional Information on Proposition 479:
Maricopa Association of Governments
Regional Transportation Plan
