The reason I now live in Phoenix is because it has light rail. If it wasn’t for the voters’ investment in transit nearly two decades ago which created the light rail, I would still live in Chandler and be absolutely dependent on a car for even the simplest things.
For some people, transit is freedom. It means spending less money on transportation, or never having to find a parking space, or being able to do Facebook or email while you travel, or knowing you can have one more drink, or avoiding the stress of driving, or getting in a few steps to offset our increasingly sedentary lifestyles -– or all of the above.
For others, transit is a lifeline. Car payments, registration, insurance, gas and maintenance all add up. Cars are expensive, and not everyone can afford one. So for many people, transit is their only way to get to work or the doctor. Older people that can’t drive need transit to maintain their mobility. Children deserve to be able to get to school or the park without having to be shuttled by their parents. Transit is important.
And for the city as a whole, transit is an investment in economic growth. More and more companies are making strong transit access and walkable neighborhoods a consideration and even a requirement for their location decisions. We see that with Samsung in Dallas, Motorola in Chicago, Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Yahoo in San Francisco, State Farm in Tempe and Mobile Mini in Phoenix, just to name a few.
Which is why Phoenix needs students’ help passing Proposition 104 in August.
Prop. 104 is a 0.7 cent sales tax for transit and streets that will replace the current 0.4 cent sales tax. That increase is less than a penny on a $3 cup of coffee. And it will transform our city in all the right ways.
It will make it possible to build both the South and West extensions of light rail, build a rail connection to ASU’s West campus, and build a streetcar around downtown Phoenix. It will improve the frequencies and hours of our drastically underfunded bus network and create “Bus Rapid Transit” on some of our most heavily used bus routes. It will also add hundreds of miles of bike lanes and repave the city’s aging streets.
This vote happens on Aug. 25, the week after ASU’s classes start. But to be eligible to vote, you have to be registered with a Phoenix address before July 25. Luckily, registering to vote takes literally two minutes online if you have an Arizona driver’s license. (If not, then it’s more difficult.)
Prop. 104 is a critical issue for Phoenix. It will determine whether or not we invest in our communities with better transportation options which in turn will determine whether or not we remain competitive with other cities. If it passes, then we will be able to transform Phoenix into a 21st century city with a robust transit network and multimodal options for everyone. It will help attract and retain that next generation of Phoenicians who want transportation choices, like I did.
But it’s not a sure thing; we need people to come out and vote. So, in August, I will be voting YES on Prop. 104 with gusto, and I hope that you join me.
Contact the writer at sean.sweat@gmail.com or @PhxDowntowner
Sean Sweat is a supply chain strategist at Intel Corporation and president of the Thunderdome Neighborhood Association.
