🏙️ vs 🏘️ Urban-Suburban Showdown: Tucson Demands Lion's Share in RTA Next Battle
💰 Show Me the Money: Tucson's 65% Claim Ignites RTA Funding Feud
Based on the 9/5/24 RTA Special Meeting.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🚗🏞️ Imagine a big, bustling family trying to plan a road trip, but they just can't agree on where to go or how to spend their 💰. That's the situation in Pima County! 🏙️ The big city, Tucson, argues they should get more money for roads because they’ve put more in the piggy bank 🐷. Meanwhile, the smaller towns worry they won't have enough for their 🚧 if Tucson gets too much. Everyone wants better roads and 🚌, but they're struggling to find a fair way to make it work for all. They need to decide soon, or their old plan will run out of ⛽ in 2026! ⏳
🗝️ Takeaways
🏙️ Tucson demands 50-55% of RTA Next funding, citing 65% revenue contribution
🏘️ Suburban communities fear Tucson's demands could shortchange their growing needs
🛣️ Shift from project-centric to percentage-based planning causes regional benefit concerns
💰 Arterial rehabilitation emerges as potential common ground, with up to $210 million allocated
⚖️ Tension between fair funding allocation and regional transportation needs
🗓️ Debate over election timing: May 2025 vs. later dates, with concerns about overlapping campaigns
🚧 Unresolved RTA One projects complicate RTA Next discussions
In a meeting that exposed the deep-seated divisions within Pima County's Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the future of Southern Arizona's transportation landscape hangs in the balance. The RTA Next plan, intended to succeed the current RTA, which expires in 2026, has become a battleground where urban and suburban interests collide, exposing long-simmering tensions between the City of Tucson and its surrounding communities.
At the heart of this urban-suburban rift lies a fundamental disagreement over the fair allocation of transportation funds. The City of Tucson, representing the urban core, demands a larger share of the RTA Next pie, citing cold, hard numbers to back their claim. Mayor Regina Romero, voice tinged with frustration, laid out Tucson's position in no uncertain terms:
"We produce about 60% of the sales taxes that would go to the RTA, and so you would be asking the city of Tucson if you decide to allocate less than 50-55% with the baseline numbers you would be asking the residents of the city of Tucson to leave a lot of money at the table. We cannot, in good conscience, based on our infrastructure needs, do that. We cannot. We cannot."
This stance reflects a growing urban sentiment that Tucson has long subsidized suburban growth at the expense of its own aging infrastructure. The city's push for a minimum of 50% of the pessimistic revenue projections and up to 55% of the baseline revenue represents a significant shift from previous plans that allocated as little as 43% to Tucson.
On the other side of this divide, suburban representatives from communities like Oro Valley, Marana, and Sahuarita express concerns that Tucson's demands could leave their growing communities shortchanged. Mayor Joe Winfield of Oro Valley highlighted the interconnected nature of the region's transportation needs:
"When I'm out talking with constituents about this particular plan, the discussion isn't going to be what Oro Valley is getting and what percentage Oro Valley is getting of these RTA funds. The discussion is going to be, Mayor, how does this improve my commute time?"
This perspective underscores the suburban view that regional transportation should focus on connecting communities and improving overall mobility rather than adhering strictly to contribution-based allocations.
The tension is further exacerbated by the shift from a project-centric approach in the original RTA to a percentage-based allocation in RTA Next. Suburban leaders argue that this change fails to account for projects that benefit the entire region, even if they're geographically located within a single jurisdiction.
Mayor Ed Honea of Marana pointed out this dilemma, stating, "I think when we're dividing and trying to come up with 55 or and how much each person gets sometimes you have to look at those projects... Tangerine Road follows everybody out in the Foothills and the Oro Valley, I mean, and you know, and I would say even Oro Valley gets about as much benefit as we do from Tangerine."
The unresolved issue of incomplete RTA One projects, predominantly located within Tucson city limits, adds to the complexity. The specter of these unfinished projects looms large over the RTA Next discussions, with Mayor Tom Murphy of Sahuarita emphasizing the need for clarity: "We need to come to some kind of consensus on RTA One that we can present to the public."
As the debate rages on, the RTA board is grappling with not just the allocation of funds but also the nature of regional cooperation. The push for arterial rehabilitation funding, which could provide up to $210 million for fixing major roads across the region, offers a glimmer of hope for a truly regional approach. However, questions remain about how these funds will be prioritized and distributed between urban and suburban areas.
The timing of the RTA Next election has become another point of contention, reflecting the complex political calculations at play. While some board members advocate for a May 2025 election to allow for a potential second attempt before the current RTA expires, others worry about voter fatigue and competing ballot measures, particularly with Tucson's plans for a separate public safety initiative in March 2025.
RTA Board Chair Ted Maxwell noted that the stakes couldn't be higher: "If we don't get this moving forward at a 9-0 [unanimous vote], we may be dead in the water."
The pressure is on to find a solution that serves all residents of Pima County, from the urban core to the suburban fringe, before the current RTA expires in 2026.
The RTA Next debate is more than just a squabble over dollars and cents; it's a referendum on the future of regional cooperation and sustainable development in Southern Arizona. As the board moves forward with public outreach, the question remains: can they bridge the urban-suburban divide and create a genuinely regional plan, or will the conflicting interests of Tucson and its suburban neighbors derail the vision of a connected, accessible Pima County?
The coming months will be crucial in determining whether the RTA can evolve to meet the changing needs of a diverse and growing region or whether the urban-suburban tensions will fracture the fragile coalition that has guided transportation planning in Pima County for the past two decades.
🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary
🌵 La Lucha Continúa: RTA Next Exposes Deep Roots of Environmental Racism and Suburban Privilege in Tucson
In the sweltering heat of the Sonoran Desert, a battle is brewing that goes far beyond mere transportation planning. The debate over RTA Next has laid bare the deep-seated issues of environmental justice, urban equity, and the ongoing struggle against suburban colonialism that has long plagued our beloved Tucson.
🏜️ The Urban-Suburban Divide: A Tale of Two Pima Counties
As we dissect the recent RTA board meeting, one thing becomes crystal clear: the current RTA structure is nothing short of a colonial system that subjugates the urban core of Tucson to the whims of suburban sprawl.
Mayor Regina Romero, fighting for la gente de Tucson, laid out the stark reality:
"We produce about 60% of the sales taxes that would go to the RTA, and so you would be asking the city of Tucson if you decide to allocate less than 50-55% with the baseline numbers you would be asking the residents of the city of Tucson to leave a lot of money at the table. We cannot, in good conscience, based on our infrastructure needs, do that. We cannot. We cannot."
This isn't just about numbers, mi gente. This is about dignity. This is about respect.
This is about recognizing that the people of Tucson – many of whom are working-class Latinos, Indigenous folks, and people of color – deserve better than to be treated like an ATM for suburban commuters.
🚌 Public Transit: A Matter of Environmental Justice
Let's be real: the push for more roads and wider highways isn't just bad urban planning – it's environmental racism, plain and simple. The people of Tucson, especially in our most vulnerable barrios, are choking on the exhaust fumes of suburban privilege. We need a transportation system that serves the many, not just the few. We need:
More frequent bus service, especially in low-income neighborhoods
Light rail connecting major areas of the city
Protected bike lanes that form a real network, not just random stretches
Pedestrian-friendly streets where our abuelos can walk without fear
This isn't just about convenience—it's about survival. It's about recognizing that, in the face of climate change, we can't afford to continue catering to car culture at our planet's and our people's expense.
💰 The Rigged Game of RTA Funding
The current RTA board structure is a slap in the face to the principles of democracy and fair representation.
The RTA board, with its one-vote-per-entity structure, is like a rigged game of lotería. Tucson, the heart and soul of Pima County, gets the same say as places with a fraction of our population.
This isn't just unfair – it's a form of structural oppression that allows wealthy, predominantly white suburbs to dictate the future of our diverse urban core. It's time to call this what it is: a modern form of colonialism that extracts resources from the city to fuel unsustainable suburban growth.
🛣️ The Road to Nowhere: RTA Next and Suburban Sprawl
The push for more roads and highways in RTA Next isn't just misguided – it's a direct assault on our environment and communities. Mayor Ed Honea of Marana, in defending the suburban perspective, said:
"I think when we're dividing and trying to come up with 55 or how much each person gets, sometimes you have to look at those projects... Tangerine Road follows everybody out in the foothills and the Oro Valley, I mean, and you know, and I would say even Oro Valley gets about as much benefit as we do from Tangerine."
With all due respect, Mayor Honea, this kind of thinking is exactly what's wrong with RTA Next. We don't need more roads encouraging sprawl and destroying our precious desert ecosystem. We need sustainable, equitable transportation solutions that serve the needs of all Pima County residents, not just those who can afford to live in suburban enclaves.
🌱 A Green Vision for Tucson's Future
As we look to the future, we must ask ourselves: what kind of Tucson do we want to leave for our children and grandchildren? Do we want a city choked by traffic and smog, where only those with cars can access opportunities? Or do we want a vibrant, connected community where people of all backgrounds can thrive?
The choice is clear. We need an RTA Next plan that:
Prioritizes public transit, especially in underserved communities
Invests in green infrastructure like protected bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly streets
Focuses on transit-oriented development to create jobs and housing near transportation hubs
Recognizes the urgent need to address climate change through sustainable transportation solutions
✊ La Lucha Sigue: The Path Forward
So what do we do, familia? It's time to stand up and say "¡Ya basta!" to this injustice. Here's what we can do:
Educate ourselves and our communities about the true impacts of RTA Next
Attend RTA meetings and make our voices heard
Demand fair representation on the RTA board that reflects Tucson's population and contribution
Support local leaders who prioritize sustainable, equitable transportation solutions
Be prepared to vote NO on RTA Next if it doesn't meet the needs of our communities
As RTA Board Chair Ted Maxwell said, "If we don't get this moving forward at a 9-0 [unanimous vote], we may be dead in the water." Well, maybe that's exactly what we need – a fresh start that puts the needs of Tucson's diverse communities first.
The future of our city is at stake, mi gente. Will we allow ourselves to be steamrolled by suburban interests, or will we stand up for a Tucson that works for all of us? The choice is ours.
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