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Arizona Lawmakers Support County Sales Taxes For Road Improvements

State lawmakers are debating legislation that would allow Arizona's counties to better fund critical road and transit issues.

As the statewide gas tax funds have dwindled, Maricopa and Pima counties have leaned heavily on a voter-approved half-cent sales tax to build and improve highways and transit systems.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Bob Worsley points out, "The rest of the state, the rest of the rural areas of the state, have been left out from this. And the roads show that."

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure unanimously approved his bill, which allows the remaining 13 counties to place a half-cent sales tax for roads on their ballots. The bill would also allow Maricopa and Pima counties to extend their sales tax deadline.

The bill has bi-partisan support, although at least one lawmaker wants provisions written assuring payments are fairly distributed.

Another lawmaker has voiced concern that it would be the second of two separate sales tax measures on this year's ballot, which could result in voters rejecting both.

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Holliday Moore was a reporter at KJZZ from 2017 to 2020.