Image: Mike Licht NotionsCapitol.com
Four Five of nine transportation ballot measures passed on Tuesday, now that I-1125 has been defeated with one still too close to call (I-1125 in WA state). That means for the year, 18 of 23 transportation ballot measures passed. The bulk of the measures are transit-related at the local jurisdiction level.
Here’s the running total for the past few years:
| Year & success rate |
# Winning |
# Losing |
| 2011 – 77%* |
18 |
25 |
| 2010 – 77% |
44 |
13 |
| 2009 – 72% |
8 |
3 |
Big props to the crack team at Center for Transportation Excellence who track this information.
Perhaps the lesson is that when people clearly understand exactly what they’re being asked to pay, what it will cost them, and precisely what they’ll get for the investment – they will support investing in transportation infrastructure.
The November 8 measures:
|
Pass |
Ark – Statewide | Approve selling bonds to fund interstate repairs/improvements |
|
Fail |
MI – Montcalm County | 30 cent per $1000 of assessed value property tax increase to fund a countywide bus system |
|
Pass |
NC – Durham | Half-cent sales tax increase to expand bus service, help launch commuter trains by 2018, light rail by 2025 |
|
Fail |
OH- Trumbull County | 50 cent per $1000 of assessed value property tax increase to keep local transit system operating. |
|
Fail |
OH – Lorain County | .25% sales tax increase for county services; defeat=50% reduction of funding to county transit system |
|
Victory |
OH – Cincinnati | Charter amendment to deny funding for streetcars (it loses) |
|
Fail |
WA – Seattle | $60 car tab fee increase. New funding: 49% to transit, 29% to road maintenance/safety, 22% to bike/ped projects/programs |
|
Too Close |
WA – statewide | Initiative 1125 bans variable tolling, transfers toll setting to state Legislature; limits tolling to construction, prevents light rail from running on interstate from Seattle to a suburb. |
|
Pass |
WA – Clark County | 0.20% sales tax increase to prevent further service reductions |