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Inside the tabulation office: City officials counting ballots for Proposition 411

Inside the tabulation office: City officials counting ballots for Proposition 411
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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It’s election day in Tucson, and there’s only one proposition on the ballot. Proposition 411 would extend the half-cent sales tax from 2017 for improving Tucson’s roadways. The revenue from the 2017 sales tax mostly went to the Tucson Fire and Police Departments, with $100 million for fixing roads.

City officials say they've completed 35% of those planned roadway improvements. They expect to finish the rest of these construction projects by next year.

“Where the tax sunsets in June of this year the projects still continue until they’re complete," said Erica Frazelle with Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility. "We have 19 roadway segments of major roadways still to do and 5 neighborhoods those will continue through this year through 2023. And all projects within this program will be complete.”

That was the last sales tax, this new proposition will extend that same tax for 10 more years. This time most of the money, $590 million, will go towards improving neighborhood streets. The rest of it, around $150 million will go towards making streets safer through things like sidewalk improvements, bike lanes, and speed humps.

So far, 25% of active voters in Tucson have sent in their ballots by mail. That doesn't include those who are dropping off their ballot today. The city says the official numbers of votes will be released after 8pm.

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