Guests - Ted Maxwell, Bill Beard, Jon Riches
Debating Tucson's Future: Roads, Taxes, and Government Trust on Winn Tucson
Kathleen Winn Explores the RTA Ballot Measures with Retired General Ted Maxwell
In a wide-ranging discussion on regional infrastructure, host Kathleen Winn sat down with retired General Ted Maxwell to examine Propositions 418 and 419—the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) plan set for a March vote in Pima County. Maxwell, a longtime Oro Valley resident and member of the State Transportation Board, emphasized that the half-cent sales tax extension is essential for maintaining and improving roads across the region.
"The original RTA delivered significant improvements," Maxwell noted. "Roads like Oracle, La Cholla, and La Cañada are now beautiful four-lane corridors, all funded by the first RTA. We've invested $1.6 billion so far, and projects like Grant Road, often criticized as a failure, will be transformative once complete."
Maxwell highlighted the differences between Pima and Maricopa Counties. While Maricopa benefits from decades of regional transportation funding—now on its third 20-year plan—Pima County has struggled with revenue shortfalls from the 2008 recession and slower-than-expected population growth. The new plan uses a pessimistic revenue forecast to avoid past pitfalls, with excess funds directed toward arterial reconstruction and rehabilitation.
State law mandates a 20-year timeframe for such plans, Maxwell explained, allowing for large-scale projects that span years from design to completion. "Infrastructure investment never stops," he said. "Maricopa passed its first tax in 1986 and now enjoys far better connectivity. Without this extension, there's no Plan B—individual municipalities would impose their own taxes, fragmenting the regional approach."
Both propositions must pass together: 418 approves the plan, while 419 enacts the tax. "A yes on one and no on the other is effectively a no-no," Maxwell stressed. Oversight includes a proposed citizens' committee with representatives from every municipality and unincorporated areas, plus regular reviews to monitor revenue and timelines. Significant changes would require returning to voters.
All Pima County mayors and conservative supervisors support the measures, Maxwell added, citing the need for regional cooperation. "Roads don't care about city boundaries. This is voter-protected investment in ourselves."
A caller, Jeff, reinforced the point: "RTA represents a commitment to good roads. People forget how bad they were before. You're either committed to making Tucson livable or you're not."
Goldwater Institute's Bill Beard on City of Tucson Budget Tactics
Shifting to local fiscal concerns, Kathleen Winn welcomed Bill Beard, Municipal Affairs Liaison for the Goldwater Institute, to discuss Tucson's recent attempts to address budget shortfalls.
Beard pointed to the city's contradictory stance on utility rates. While Mayor Regina Romero and the council publicly opposed Tucson Electric Power's rate increase—filing interventions with the Arizona Corporation Commission to protect ratepayers—they simultaneously considered raising the public utility tax by half a percent, projected to generate $5.25 million.
"They're trying to have it both ways," Beard said. "One day they're champions against monopoly utilities exploiting customers; the next, they're quietly proposing taxes on the same ratepayers to fill budget holes."
The proposed tax increase appeared on the consent agenda, avoiding open debate until public outcry forced discussion. Beard criticized the lack of transparency and reluctance to cut existing spending in a $2.4 billion budget that has grown substantially in recent years.
Projects like Downtown Links—promised in 2006 at $76 million and now at $110 million for 1.3 miles of pavement—illustrate ongoing cost overruns. "Instead of owning up and trimming waste, leaders point fingers elsewhere," Beard argued. "Trust requires honesty: address internal mismanagement before asking taxpayers for more."
Winn and Beard agreed that free bus fares, defended fiercely by some council members, represent a "sacred cow" that drains resources without corresponding revenue or safety improvements.
John Riches on Pima County's Withdrawn Truck Ordinance
Later, John Riches, Vice President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute, joined Winn to celebrate a quiet victory: Pima County's indefinite tabling of a controversial ordinance capping heavy-duty truck trips on county roads.
The proposal, aimed at limiting access to new copper mines despite state-approved permits, would have restricted trucks to 75 daily trips—an arbitrary number with no basis in state law.
"Counties are creatures of the state," Riches explained. "They can only act where expressly authorized. No law allows this restriction, and existing statutes prohibit it as long as vehicles are legal and safe."
After Goldwater's letter highlighting the legal flaws, the county pulled the item for review and ultimately tabled it. Riches viewed this as part of a broader pattern where local governments overreach, creating patchwork regulations that hinder business and economic growth.
"Statewide rules ensure predictability," he said. "Arbitrary local caps would disrupt commerce without justification."
Riches praised Arizona's structural reforms, including protections for the right to earn a living and ending judicial deference to administrative agencies, positioning the state as a leader in limiting government overreach.
Restoring Trust in Local Government
Throughout the morning, a common thread emerged: eroded public trust. From infrastructure delays and revenue shortfalls to opaque budget maneuvers and regulatory overreach, residents demand accountability.
As ballots mail out February 11 for the all-mail March election, Pima County voters face a clear choice on regional transportation. Meanwhile, ongoing scrutiny of city and county fiscal decisions underscores the need for transparency and restraint in an era of tight household budgets.
In Winn's words, loving Tucson means wanting it to be the best it can be—and that starts with honest conversations about roads, taxes, and responsible governance.