Regional Transit in Tucson: Bigger Tax Bill, Worse Results?

In 2006, voters in Pima County made a deal: an increase in the sales tax for better roads and infrastructure. But now, after nearly two decades of taxpayers holding up their end of the bargain, the results are underwhelming. Of the 35 projects originally promised, only 18 have been completed—and much of the unfinished work lies within Tucson’s jurisdiction. The question is no longer whether the plan was fulfilled, but why one city fell so far short.

The mismanagement is staggering. Tucson’s unfinished Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) projects are estimated to be $400–$600 million short. At the current pace—roughly $50 million in spending per year—completing the work would take at least eight more years. There’s one big problem, however: the sales tax that funds the RTA is set to expire in 2026, and time is running out. Tucson officials have responded by throwing up their hands and admitting defeat, postponing four projects for inclusion in a future “RTA Next” plan.

Every infrastructure plan faces risks, and Pima County’s strategy was no exception. The 2008 recession slowed tax collections, and inflation has since driven construction costs well beyond the 10% buffer allowed by law. Tucson, however, made matters worse by repeatedly altering project scopes to appease neighborhood groups, further delaying timelines and driving up costs. Each time, Tucson failed to take responsibility by allocating more supplemental resources. Instead, city leaders appeared to hope the problem would simply go away.

Tucson’s leaders clearly misunderstand the purpose of the RTA, viewing it more as a construction manager responsible for overruns than a basic funding mechanism distributing tax dollars. Each city was responsible for designing and building its own projects. Any change in scope—additional lanes, neighborhood preferences, unforeseen costs—was theirs to fund, not the RTA’s. State auditors reinforced this responsibility repeatedly over multiple years, including in 2017, 2022, and 2024. While overruns in other areas were previously paid for by partner municipalities under the RTA, Tucson now appears ready to go hat in hand to the rest of the county asking for a bailout.

Why should voters trust them this time around?

Taxpayers deserve clarity. Tucson’s chronic delays mean taxpayers will be asked to pay more. Approval of any extension or revision to the existing projects should depend on city leaders being transparent with the public. Why should all of Pima County be asked to pay for Tucson’s poor planning and execution? Kicking the can down the road is not a transportation strategy—it’s a sign of dysfunction. If Pima County taxpayers are expected to foot the bill yet again, they deserve full accountability before a single dollar is spent.

William Beard is the Municipal Affairs Liaison at the Goldwater Institute.