Tucson Opinion: Citizen leader of 2006 RTA plan process invites healthy dialogue | Local Editorials and Opinion

In the 2006 voter-approved plan, the city of Tucson was designated to receive 61% of RTA funding shown on the ballot. Recently, the final five-year RTA budget was approved. While the city may have a larger number of projects in the latter schedule, it’s important for the voting public to remember the 2006 RTA plan and schedule was unanimously endorsed by all governing bodies in the region including by the City of Tucson prior to placement on the ballot.

On the funding side of the RTA, approximately 62% of the RTA sales tax is collected within the city of Tucson. Many people who live outside of the city spend their money in the city limits where they work, shop and recreate. Both city and regional residents and visitors contribute to RTA revenues collected within the city.

When it comes to transportation, people cross jurisdictional boundaries for many reasons, but they don’t see those lines. The RTA was never the entire transportation plan for our region, it was on top of the plans already in place for each jurisdiction and was always meant to make it all work better for our entire region.

By using a regional public involvement process with the 2006 plan development, all our local jurisdictions are receiving their fair share of RTA funding, and I believe a public-driven process for a second plan will again lead to similar results. The trust lies with the public.