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NewsProp 400 Sides Unevenly Funded By Pat Flannery The fall campaign asking voters to embrace a $15.8 billion regional transportation plan and extend the Valley's half-cent transportation tax is shaping up, in the words of one participant, "like a David and Goliath fight." According to campaign-finance documents filed by forces for and against Proposition 400, the pro side already has raised $1.3 million to stump for passage. Opponents have raised only $4,490. Wednesday was the deadline to file spending reports for the period from January through May. "We're hoping to attract some significant money as we get closer to the election," said conservative activist Tom Jenney, chairman of Voters Opposing Tax Extension. Jay Thorne, spokesman for Yes on 400, suggested the financial imbalance showed strong business support for the transportation plan. A large chunk of the pro-400 money comes from major Valley business interests. Proposition 400 will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot, asking voters to extend Maricopa County's half-cent transportation sales tax for an additional 20 years. Without the extension, it expires Dec. 31, 2005. The tax, enacted in 1985, helped build the Valley's freeway network. Its extension would pay for $8.5 billion, or 54 percent, of the county's new regional transportation plan. The rest would be financed by federal or state highway and transit funds. Adopted last fall by the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council, which includes all Valley mayors, the plan envisions spending $9 billion on new and improved Valley freeways; $1.4 billion on streets; $2.3 billion on enhancing the regional bus system; $2.3 billion on expanding a light-rail system already planned in Phoenix; and $333 million on other regional transit items. Some money would be spent on planning, air-quality programs, and bicycle and pedestrian amenities. Jenney said VOTE opposes the light-rail portion of the plan but wants voters to reject the entire package to force Valley mayors to consider a new plan without light rail. Yes on 400 officials believe most voters will support the variety of transportation choices. Proposition 400 supporters raised $1,089,300 of their cash through a previous campaign committee known as Maricopa 20/20. Roughly $773,000 of that amount was rolled over into the new Yes on 400 committee, which also has raised nearly $200,000 since April. The balance of the money raised by Maricopa 20/20 was spent on lobbying and campaign activities. The largest contributor was Pinnacle West Capital Corp., which donated $100,000. Pinnacle West is the parent of Arizona Public Service Co. Another Pinnacle West subsidiary, SunCor Development Co., gave $20,000. Salt River Project gave $75,000; and Greater Phoenix Leadership Inc., Wells Fargo Bank and the Carpenters Union, each gave $50,000. Most of the committee's expenditures to date have been for polling, printing campaign materials and fund-raising. VOTE, meanwhile, had to rely on a $3,500 loan from Paradise Valley executive Tom Husband for most of its funds. Its key expense was a flier. For Immediate Release Proposition 400 Opponents Announce New ChairmanTom Jenney To Lead V.O.T.E. (Voters Opposing Tax Extension) (Phoenix, AZ) May 24, 2004 -- Community activist Tom Jenney is the new chairman of V.O.T.E. (Voters Opposing Tax Extension), having taken on that role as of Thursday, May 20. Jenney replaces former chairman Tom Husband. The change was necessitated by health considerations. “I know that Tom will do an excellent job, and I can relax as I recover from my surgery knowing that a strong, honest fighter is at the helm of V.O.T.E.,” Husband said. “We will convince voters to vote ‘NO’ on Proposition 400, the transportation tax extension,” Jenney vowed, “to force the State Legislature to come back with a plan that puts the money where it’s really needed: improved bus service, improved freeways, and improved surface streets.” Jenney asks, “Why should county residents spend $2.3 billion of sales tax money to get a trolley that will increase traffic congestion, increase carbon monoxide levels, and remove fewer than one car in 1,000 from traffic? Jenney urges the press to visit www.votenotax.com for more information. Tom Jenney is a Tucson native and, most recently, the Director of Communications for the Goldwater Institute. He is a member of the Arizona Federation of Taxpayers Associations and the Arizona Tax Research Association. His fluency in Spanish will be a useful tool in reaching out to Maricopa County Latinos. Contact information: Tom Jenney Goldwater Institute official won’t take public money for campaignArizona Republic Tom Jenney, director of communications for the conservative Goldwater Institute think tank, is running for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives. Jenney, 33, said his top priority is school choice for Arizona children. And he pledged not to take public money for his campaign. The Goldwater Institute has written articles criticizing Arizona’s Clean Elections system, which lets candidates use public money to finance their political races. “I’m not taking any taxpayer money,” Jenney said. “That, to me, is running clean.” Jenney’s legislative district, which runs through Osborn Road and 24th Street in Phoenix, is a heavily Democratic area. |