Road repair tax measure has merit

Fix Our Roads initiative would bring dedicated revenues to Yuma streets

For years, a popular complaint in Yuma has been tied to the condition of the roads. Too many potholes, too many cracks, too many bumps and irregular surfaces, etc. – when it comes to roads, people have opinions, and often, those opinions are negative.

Now, a grassroots coalition called Fix Our Roads is looking to remedy those concerns with a measure to raise funding to pay for road work improvements.

The initiative calls for a one-half of 1 percent transaction privilege tax, also known as a retail sales tax, with revenues to be used solely for fixing potholes, improving existing roads and replacing asphalt.

The organizers behind Fix Our Roads gathered enough signatures in Yuma to place the measure on the general election ballot in November.

That means Yuma voters will be able to decide – do they want road repairs enough to pay an additional tax for them?

According to a survey by the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, the answer may be yes. Seventy percent of survey respondents said they were fed up with potholes and were willing to pay to get the roads fixed.

Fix Our Roads organizers note that the proposed tax is relatively small. On a $100 purchase, it would equate to about an additional 50 cents, which is, for the most part, not a significant sum of money.

And because the tax is a voter initiative targeted specifically for roads, it can only be used for roads – it cannot be used for other expenditures, giving Yuma a dedicated revenue stream for the repairs. The initiative has merit. Roads have been a concern for years, since the state swept the Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF) intended to be spent on local roads and instead used those revenues elsewhere, leaving cities and counties in a bind.

Passing the Fix Our Roads measure would put local dollars on the table to get the necessary work underway.

However, it lets the state off the hook – and that’s a challenge. The state should still be held accountable for sweeping the HURF dollars, and restoring those funds to cities and counties.

What do you think, readers? Would you support the Fix Our Roads measure? Let us know your thoughts. Send us an email at letters@yumasun.com, or comment on this editorial at www.YumaSun.com.

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Thanks!

It takes a village. I was involved in a wreck on a Yuma street. Juan Juarez from Jack in the Box held me in his arms and prayed. Officer Mary Zavala helped with my tow bill. Accurate Automotive waived any storage fees. Anthony Felix of Anthony Felix Insurance came to the emergency room with a sack of rolled tacos and a burrito and gave me a ride home. My neighbors, Dennis and Shawn Black, trailered my motorcycle home. Patrick McCoy gave me a fist full of dollars.