Guests – Ted Maxwell, Alex Kolodin, Betsy Smith
Winn Tucson: Inside the Debate Over RTA Next, Election Integrity, and Pima County Politics
On a rainy Tuesday in mid-February 2026, Winn Tucson dove deep into the hot-button issues shaping southern Arizona: the future of regional transportation funding, ongoing battles over election observation and security, and the frustrations many residents feel toward local governance.
Host Kathleen Winn led spirited, no-holds-barred conversations with three key guests: Ted Maxwell, RTA Board member and Chair of the Arizona State Transportation Board; Alex Kolodin, Arizona State Representative (LD 3) and candidate for Secretary of State; and Betsy Brantner Smith, retired police sergeant and vocal Pima County Republican activist.
Clearing Up Misconceptions About RTA Next and the Campaign Mailers
Ted Maxwell, who serves on the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board after being appointed by former Governor Doug Ducey, joined Kathleen to discuss Propositions 418 and 419 — the March 10, 2026 ballot measures that would extend the half-cent sales tax and approve the new 20-year RTA Next plan.
Maxwell emphasized that the RTA itself cannot fund or take positions in the campaign. “The RTA doesn’t fund any of the campaign. The RTA is not allowed to take a position,” he explained. Mailers, glossy publications (including one with a die-cut pothole cover), and educational outreach come from independent Yes and No campaigns, not taxpayer dollars.
He addressed widespread confusion: “When people get stuff in the mail, they think that’s a waste of RTA and taxpayer dollars. No, it’s not. It’s all being funded by the campaign.”
Maxwell also defended required legal publications, such as the lengthy ballot pamphlet containing pros and cons. “That comes from the county recorder’s office… That is required by law.”
The Alternative If RTA Next Fails — and Why Trust Remains the Core Issue
Kathleen pressed Maxwell repeatedly on what happens if the measures fail. He acknowledged deep public distrust, especially toward the City of Tucson, but argued that the RTA structure provides the strongest accountability available.
“The plan becomes voter-approved countywide… The RTA is the banker. We don’t just hand money to municipalities… Each step of the project — the design, the build — has to come back through,” Maxwell said.
He highlighted improvements over the original 2006 RTA plan: using pessimistic revenue forecasts (80% chance of meeting or exceeding projections), stronger Citizens Advisory Oversight Committee reporting, quarterly updates, and required state audits every five years.
Maxwell contrasted this with municipal-only funding: “If any of the municipalities run their own tax… there’s no oversight.” He pointed out that seven remaining projects from RTA 1 need completion or redesign — some scaled back from six lanes to four due to slower-than-expected population growth.
On transit spending, he noted that 59% of RTA transit dollars support services outside the City of Tucson, including Dial-a-Ride and paratransit heavily used in Oro Valley and Green Valley. “Those are folks and families who need additional help… to get from place to place.”
Listener Call-In: Frustrations with Road Design and Traffic Flow
Caller Al voiced anger over traffic backups on First Avenue, lowered speed limits, and designs like center islands on Campbell Avenue. Maxwell agreed that intersection improvements — including added right-turn lanes — are critical and part of planned upgrades.
He conceded that some local road designs fall under city jurisdiction, not RTA, but stressed that regional infrastructure investment remains essential: “Without good infrastructure… is still a better investment than doing nothing.”
Election Integrity: Mobile Voting Centers and Observer Rights
State Representative Alex Kolodin, running for Arizona Secretary of State in 2026, addressed what he called blatant violations of recently enacted observer laws.
Kolodin co-authored legislation — signed by Governor Katie Hobbs — guaranteeing political party observers at any voting center, including in-person early voting and emergency locations. He argued the Pima County Recorder’s new mobile voting center (funded and branded by the Tohono O’odham Nation in purple and yellow) violates this statute by excluding observers.
“The law makes it clear that… each political party, including the Republican Party, is allowed to have at least one observer in each voting center at all times,” Kolodin stated. He dismissed space excuses: “If such agreement cannot be reached, the number of representatives shall be limited to one… per political party.”
He criticized Pima County Recorder Gabrielle Cázares-Kelly for launching the unit without consulting the Board of Supervisors and accused Secretary of State Adrian Fontes of repeatedly attempting to restrict protected political speech through the Elections Procedures Manual.
“This is in no way a partisan issue… Free speech for our political opponents protects us, too,” Kolodin said, vowing continued legal pushback.
On-the-Ground at the Pima County Board of Supervisors
Betsy Brantner Smith reported live from a heated Board of Supervisors meeting, where members passed symbolic resolutions opposing masked federal ICE agents on county property — measures she called “political theater” with no enforcement power.
“The anti-ICE group… they’re the same people that are going to be at the Marana Town Council tonight… harassing the town council,” Smith said, describing emotional accusations and lies about federal officers.
She contrasted the board’s actions with real-world needs: “These ICE agents are simply police officers, just like the deputy who is standing to their right, protecting them while they’re in this meeting.”
Smith also noted ongoing discussion of the mobile voting center and praised Supervisor Steve Christy as the lone voice challenging the Recorder’s plans.
Kathleen Winn’s Closing Thoughts
Wrapping the show, Kathleen urged listeners to vote — regardless of position — and return ballots. She highlighted Republican voter registration gains in Pima County and stressed the importance of turnout.
On RTA Next, she acknowledged universal desire for better roads but questioned trust in spending priorities, especially given City of Tucson policies on transit, homelessness, and public safety.
“People are saying they don’t trust the City of Tucson,” she said. “That is why you want the RTA, because… the plan becomes voter-approved countywide.”
Whether the conversation turns to infrastructure, election security, or local governance, Winn Tucson made one thing clear: informed, engaged citizens remain the ultimate check on power.