Decade Long Voter Support for Transportation Investment Continues with Nov. 2 Election Results
WASHINGTON— Voters in 17 states Nov. 2 approved 89 percent of 275 state and local ballot initiatives aimed at boosting transportation investment. The results of 35 other measures are still pending.
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center (ARTBA-TIAC) estimates the 244 preliminarily approved measures will generate $6.9 billion in one-time and recurring revenue for transportation projects.
“While the U.S. House of Representatives should act as soon as possible to pass the pending $1 trillion infrastructure investment bill, voter action on November 2 will help empower state and local governments to be committed partners in ongoing efforts to repair and improve the nation’s transportation network,” said TIAC Center Director Carolyn Kramer Simons.
The Nov. 2 results are consistent with the overwhelming public support for transportation improvements demonstrated in the past decade. “Since 2010, voters in 45 states have approved 84 percent of more than 2,600 state and local ballot measures that account for an estimated $326 billion in new and renewed revenue,” Simons added.
In Texas alone, voters considered one statewide proposal, 34 local measures, and 33 special district referendums.
- Statewide, Texans approved a proposal that will permit counties to use bonds to fund transportation infrastructure projects in underdeveloped areas. Counties would repay these bonds by pledging increased property tax revenues. Currently that authority is only granted to incorporated cities, towns, and other taxing units. This measure could increase transportation investment throughout the state in the future.
- Voters in 34 localities approved 44 measures— primarily local sales taxes and bonds— to generate $1.6 billion for city, town, and county transportation improvements.
- Texas utilizes Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) to finance infrastructure development for new communities on vacant land outside of city limits. On Nov. 2, 15 MUDs approved $2.8 billion in bonds for new or improved roads and transportation infrastructure, to be paid back gradually with property taxes from the new residents.
Eleven Georgia counties had a one percent Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) on the ballot. Nine of those counties approved their measures for a collective $870 million in new or renewed revenue for the next five years.
Maine voters endorsed a $100 million bond for multimodal projects by a 72 percent to 28 percent margin, marking the state’s 10th transportation infrastructure investment initiative approval since 2010.
Ohio’s 140 county, city, and town transportation infrastructure measures were the most of any state. Voters approved 89 percent of them.
The results are available at ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center ™ (ARTBA-TIAC). The center is an educational and informational resource designed to help private citizens, legislators, organizations and businesses successfully grow transportation investment at the state and local levels. It is a signature initiative of the Transportation Makes America Work (TMAW) campaign.
