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1. How is road maintenance and repair funded in Pinal County?

Road maintenance and repair in Pinal County is primarily funded through three revenue sources:  the half-cent transportation excise tax, vehicle license tax, “use fees” generated from gasoline purchases and other items collected by the State of Arizona and placed in the Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF).

2. Do our property taxes pay for roads?

No, property taxes pay for things like school districts and general government operations but not roads. In Pinal County, roads are only funded through Federal and state grants, state-shared revenues of the Highway-Use Revenue Fund (also known as HURF), vehicle license taxes, and half-cent transportation excise tax (pothole tax).

3. What would happen if the tax expired in 2026?

In the last five years, the half-cent transportation excise tax has generated between $10 to $15 million annually for road repairs, mitigation for air quality, small projects, and pavement preservation.  It is used to fund local projects in unincorporated Pinal County as well as through a population-based formula between the ten incorporated cities and towns.  If the tax were to expire, this would lead to transportation cuts for Pinal County and all cities and towns, which would impact transportation investments – especially pavement preservation.

4. What is pavement preservation?

Pavement preservation is a cost-effective way to maintain our roads. The process includes various types of treatments such as crack sealing, fog sealing, chip sealing, slurry sealing, and microsurfacing to prolong the condition of roads. The overall goal is to have a long-term strategy that enhances pavement performance by having cost-effective practices and treatments to extend pavement life, improve safety and satisfy the need of our motorists. 

5. What is the importance of pavement preservation?

Federal Highway Administration guidance describes preservation as work that is planned and performed to improve or sustain the condition of the transportation facility in a state of good repair.  Preservation efforts extend the life of pavement, keep road conditions safe, and are significantly less costly than rehabilitation or reconstruction.  Preservation ensures that roads last longer with preventative maintenance and can help to avoid more expensive rebuilds.

6. Is the reauthorization of the road excise tax an increase?

No.  The road excise tax is not a tax increase.  It is the local funding that has been in place since 1986 and renewed in 2005.  It has helped Pinal County keep up with growth and offer well-maintained roads as the population has grown from under 100,000 in 1985 to nearly half a million residents today.

7. Is the half-cent road excise tax the same as Proposition 469 that was on the ballot in 2022?

No.  The half-cent road excise tax is the existing tax that has been in place since 1986.  It was most recently passed as Proposition 400 in 2005.  The “pothole” tax, as it is sometimes called, is used mostly for maintenance and preservation.  Proposition 469, which was on the ballot in November of 2022, was an additional tax that was dedicated to new construction under the direction of the Pinal County Regional Transportation Authority.