Tempe voters may decide on sales tax increase to fund government programs – AZ Family

TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — Tempe voters may get to decide on raising the city’s sales tax to fund public safety, transportation and pre-K education efforts this November.
The Tempe City Council will vote on May 14 on whether to put a 0.5% sales tax on the ballot.
According to the proposal, 60% of the tax increase would fund public safety, 20% would be dedicated to transportation, and the other 20% would be for Tempe PRE, a free and reduced-cost preschool program.
Supporters said the extra cash would improve emergency response times, create additional opportunities for pre-K education, protect community parks and stabilize the city’s budget.
City leaders said without the tax increase, they would face “difficult choices,” like having fewer police officers and firefighters, reduced transportation services, reduced city services, reduced city services like Tempe PRE and shorten library and community center hours.
Tempe officials said the city is losing money because of state budget cuts and the end of the statewide residential rental tax. They also said the incorporation of San Tan Valley is expected to reduce Arizona’s shared revenues even more, by about $1.6 million, for a total of $25.7 million.
The city said other Valley cities raised their sales tax last year, such as Phoenix and Gilbert.
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