Of the 37 state and local transportation funding-related initiatives presented to voters across the country on Nov. 4, 32 were approved-an 86 percent
CP STAFF
Of the 37 state and local transportation funding-related initiatives presented to voters across the country on Nov. 4, 32 were approved-an 86 percent success rate. The initiatives create, extend or increase taxes or user fees dedicated to transportation measures, or approve issuance of bonds to fund such investments. Twenty-five of the ballot initiatives, or 78 percent, were approved with an average vote of 63 percent and, according to an American Road and Transportation Builders Association post-election analysis, will generate more than $71 billion in new revenue.
Included among five statewide initiatives were a bond issue of up to $9.9 billion to partially finance an 800-mile high speed train linking San Francisco and southern California; $315 million in Alaska bonds; and, $87 million in Rhode Island bonds to match federal highway, road and bridge improvements. Local measures included 12 initiatives to extend or renew an existing sales tax for transportation purposes (10 approved), two new taxes for transportation (one approved) and 10 increases in existing sales or property taxes (five approved). The ARTBA report on the 2008 elections can be found www.artba.org/ballot.