Valley Metro Concerned About Phoenix Ballot Language
During Tuesday’s Phoenix City Council meeting, Phoenix approved ballot language for two propositions in the Aug. 27 special election.
Proposition 105
A single word in the initiative to decide the future of light rail is especially concerning to Valley Metro.
The proposition asks voters to decide whether to stop construction of light rail extensions, including some projects already underway like the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub, the Northwest Extension Phase II and Capitol/I-10 West Extension Phases I and II.
If voters approve the proposition, the city’s share of funding for light rail would instead fund other transportation infrastructure improvements.
Proposition 105 would also stop funding improvements to light rail built on or after August 27, 2018. In an email to KJZZ, Hillary Foose, director of communications and strategic initiatives for Valley Metro said, the word “improvement” is not clear.
“The initiative language is unclear on this item, which does provide concern as it relates to our ability to maintain/upgrade the existing light rail system,” she said.
Proposition 106
The other initiative on the August ballot worries Courtney Sullivan with the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence. She’s concerned about fewer programs for kids if voters approve Prop 106. It would cap budget growth for most departments until pension liabilities are 90 percent funded.
“There’s evidence showing that after school programs like PAC and the programs offered by our libraries reduce school day absenteeism, increase classroom engagement, increase academic achievement and support the needs of working families,” she said.
Phoenix has about $4 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. That’s money the city’s promised future retirees but doesn’t have.
Ballot language
The descriptive title for Proposition 105 as approved by City Council:
Proposed amendment to the Charter of the City of Phoenix to: (1) terminate all construction, development, extension or expansion of, or improvement to Phoenix light rail authorized by Proposition 104 (2015); (2) prohibit using any funds from any source for the construction, development, extension or expansion of, or improvement to any light rail or other fixed rail line transit system (except PHX Sky Train) constructed on or after August 27, 2018 and to instead use Proposition 104 tax revenues for other transportation infrastructure improvements in the City; (3) redirect the City’s share of existing funding for the South Central Light Rail extension exclusively to other transportation infrastructure improvement projects located in South Phoenix; and (4) appropriate up to $25,000 annually to the Citizens Transportation Committee to solicit public input and recommend City Council action on potential transportation infrastructure improvement projects.
The descriptive title for Proposition 106 as approved by city council:
Proposed amendment to the Charter of the City of Phoenix to: (1) require the City to conduct an additional annual assessment of all of its pension liabilities; (2) impose a cap on budget growth for City programs including budgets for parks, libraries, and information technology but excluding budgets for police, fire, first responders, labor contracts executed before January 1, 2018, enterprise funds and voter-approved special revenues or revenue funds, if pensions are not at least 90% funded, and mandate that all funds above the budget cap be spent solely toward pension liabilities; and (3) require elected officials reimburse the City for all future pension contributions made by the City on the elected officials’ behalf.
