By Howard Fischer / Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, 12.13.2006
PHOENIX - Calling it a “time tax,” Gov. Janet Napolitano said Tuesday that she will propose a way to accelerate both road construction and mass transit without raising taxes. Napolitano said too much of the state is being developed with homes coming first and plans for services later. But Napolitano, in a preview of her State of the State speech, conceded that simply building more roads faster addresses only the symptoms of the state’s meteoric growth.
…Napolitano told mayors meeting in Phoenix that the state and its communities need “more tools” to deal with the effects of growth…At or near the top of that list is traffic congestion, as drivers find themselves spending more time moving shorter distances. “We need to accelerate the construction of state roadways and expand other transportation options throughout the state,” she said… “Quite frankly, to me, sitting in traffic is a time tax…”
Napolitano said she will ask legislators to change how highways are financed… she also wants to accelerate mass transit funding and provide cash for intercity rail, something that does not now exist…
