Community members expressed concern over a possible hike in the current transit tax, which could be raised with the implementation of suggested improvements to the Phoenix public transportation system, at an open house hosted by the the Public Transit and Street Transportation departments at the Steele Indian School Park Memorial Hall Thursday.
The meeting was one of nine hosted around the city by the departments to gauge public opinion on improvements suggested by the Citizens Committee on the Future of Phoenix Transportation, a 34-member group appointed by the Phoenix City Council.
The main improvements presented to the public were the extension of the light rail, an expansion of operating hours for transit and the creation of new bicycle lanes. The more than a dozen attendees were able to view several different posters that explained the components of the transportation proposal, including the matching tax rate needed to gather the money for each improvement.
Attendees were also given the opportunity to speak to several Phoenix public transportation officials about the proposals, and a survey was distributed that asked if attendees approved the suggested improvements.
The current transit tax would likely have to be raised to implement the new programs.
Dennis McGarry said he was not sure how the improvements would be financed.
“It’s fine to have these events, and it’s fine to have a citizens’ commission to give ideas, but where they fall short is how to pay for that,” McGarry said.
While higher taxes weren’t ideal for many people, many said they would be willing to pay the extra taxes for the service provided.
“Taxes are an issue,” attendee William Nye said. “That’s always the kicker. Because we want to be able to provide more services, but how we pay for those services is a big issue. … I’d say for public transit, personally, I would be willing to pay higher taxes.”
“Public transit is a double-edged sword,” Nye added. “I think it’s a valuable service that helps communities, but it is hard to fund.”
People attended the meeting for a variety of reasons. Steven Sifferman said he went to the event because of the discussion about the creation of bike lanes on Phoenix roads.
“I commute by bike four days a week of my five-day work week,” Sifferman said. “My commute route doesn’t have bike lanes on the road, so I’m using sidewalks.”
Attendee Emma Wisehart, whose mother works for the Phoenix government, was interested in learning about the suggested improvements to the light rail.
“I live in Phoenix and I go to ASU in Tempe, so I have to take the light rail every day,” Wisehart said. “So, I’m interested in how it will be expanded and how it will affect me as a taxpayer.”
McGarry said he believes the most important aspect of public transportation is that it helps the environment.
“The more people that get out of their automobiles, the better for everybody,” he said. “They’ll save money, and it’s better for the environment. Mass transit can move people much more efficiently so that people can save money, live better, not have to own a car and not destroy the environment.”
Dates and locations for the other open-house meetings can be found here.
Contact the reporter at David.J.Marino@asu.edu.
