The Pima County Committee of the Arizona Libertarian Party

PIMA COUNTY LIBERTARIAN PARTY FILES ARGUMENTS AGAINST PROPOSITIONS 200 AND 201

The Pima County Libertarian Party has filed opposition arguments against both Proposition 200 – a sales tax hike to fund transportation, and Proposition 201 – a light rail initiative.  These arguments will appear in the voter information packet going to all Tucson voters this fall.

Proposition 200, which would raise the city sales tax another .3%, is an inappropriate way to fund Tucson's transportation needs according to the Libertarian Party.  “Tucson already has a lofty sales tax and passage of this measure would make it a whopping 7.9%, one of the highest rates in the United States.” 

Proposition 201, which would expand bus service and create a light rail system, will not help Tucson's traffic problems and is just an expensive boondoggle that Tucsonans cannot afford.  “Even if it could be built for $500 million (expect to hear that figure double after the election), this is obscenely expensive for 13 miles of rail. With under 500,000 residents, this proposition will cost more than $1,000 for every man, woman and child in Tucson,” said David Euchner, chairman of the Pima County Libertarian Party.  Sally Milo, Libertarian Party Secretary added, “Due to its planned route, the rail would benefit just a few, primarily government employees at the expense of everyone else.”

Taken together, Euchner said that these two propositions present an enormous potential for corruption.  "Many of the same businesses are profiting off the pork barrel light-rail projects in all these cities adopting light rail plans. I say: Follow the money. Who will be Tucson's next Woodward and Bernstein and find out how deep the rabbit hole goes?" 

The full text of the arguments that were filed can be found here.