A Nauseous Yes on Propositions 418 and 419

TUCSON – It’s making me nauseous, but I’m voting yes on Propositions 418 and 419, which will extend for another 20 years the half-cent sales tax in metro Tucson to continue to fund the Regional Transportation Authority and its plans to improve the region’s terrible road network while throwing money at public transit and other utopian fantasies.

For sure, the political monopoly that has run the City of Tucson and Pima County for decades will do its monopolistic thing and, once again, waste a lot of the funds from the half-cent sales tax, due to mismanagement and to a citizenry that has been conditioned to not hold their overlords accountable.

To understand Tucson, think of Mexico, where, in the tradition of the Spanish Empire, there are essentially two classes:  the aristocrats and elites at the top, and the peons underneath them.  Also, both Mexico and Tucson have an extractive political and social system that diminishes prosperity instead of a production one that enlarges prosperity.

So, why in heaven’s name should anyone vote yes on the propositions?  Because the alternative is far worse.  If the propositions fail, Tucson’s transportation network will continue to be stuck in the 1970s, and the metropolis will continue to be a sleepy, laid-back province that repels instead of attracts investment capital, high-wage companies and industries, and the best, brightest and most ambitious young talent.

Moreover, at least the propositions have some safeguards against the predatory political monopoly reneging on all of its promises and misspending all of the money.  There are no safeguards if the propositions don’t pass.

Voting yes goes against my political principles, but sometimes practicality has to prevail.

Coincidentally, City Journal has just published a commentary on the history of sales taxes in America, showing how they’ve ballooned over the years and how states, counties and cities play tax games so that taxpayers are tricked into paying ever-higher rates.  One sleight of hand is a separate sales tax for transportation.  The commentary can be found here.

By the way, if you’re interested in how the City of Tucson compares to other locales in sales taxes, read on.

First, a qualifier:  It can be difficult to pinpoint a tax rate due to exemptions, special assessments and carveouts.

Below are sales tax rates for selected locales, according to the State of Arizona.  A full list can be found here.

It’s interesting that of the cities above, Scottsdale has the lowest sales tax rate but the most prosperity and the best roads, upkeep, and city amenities and services.  It also has nonpartisan elections, which might have something to do with it.

Indian nations/reservations have sky-high rates, as exemplified by the Yavapai Nation’s 16% in the table above.  I have no idea why that is.

In closing, allow me to comment on the whopping 36% of the Tucson metropolis that is unincorporated county.  Contrary to what the county monopolists claim, if all or part of this 36% were to be incorporated, the affected residents would not necessarily see their costs increase but would almost certainly have better amenities and services.

To explain:  By living in the unincorporated county, residents have to pay separately for trash pick-up and fire service.  And if they make purchases in the City of Tucson, they pay its sales taxes but get no direct benefits.  Also, Pima County is a 9,000 sq. mile blob without a center, soul, or unique identity.  Given the immense size of the county, its government is better suited for rural areas than urban ones, and its board of supervisors, key departments, and sheriff department are far removed from constituents and thus far less responsive.

Last, the state returns less of what is called Highway User Revenue Funds to unincorporated areas than to incorporated ones.  These are monies that residents pay to the state in gas taxes and license vehicle fees.  In other words, unincorporated areas get less money back from the state for local roads.  That’s one reason why roads are in deplorable shape in much of the unincorporated parts of metro Tucson.

I need some Pepto-Bismol.

Mr. Cantoni can be reached at [email protected].