Queen Creek needs you to vote YES on Proposition 479. Anyone who commutes from Queen Creek knows how congested traffic is for our area. Our town is frequently listed among the fastest growing communities across the country for our huge influx of new residents. With a current population of 83,700, we are anticipating a 50% population increase in the next 10 years.
Along with our strong residential growth, Queen Creek has become a hot destination for business development. Given this trajectory, town leadership and staff have been strategically and fiscally planning for smart growth, including building infrastructure to support more residents, commuters, and visitors on our roadways. Crucial to this effort is the passage of Proposition 479, the continuation of the half-cent sales tax, which funds arterial roads and freeways. For Queen Creek residents, this is one of the more impactful decisions on the ballot this November.
Proposition 479 will fund $119.9 million dedicated for the completion of the State Route 24 from Ellsworth to Ironwood Drive with full interchanges at Signal Butte and Meridian roads, assisting traffic flow more efficient and effectively.
The town would also receive a minimum $125.7 million towards improving arterial roadway projects, while supplying an additional $53.9 million of our own dollars.
As mayor and council we have continued to lower the town's property tax rate and just took action to reduce the sales tax rate in our Town Center. While lowering taxes continues to be a priority, Proposition 479 provides critical funding for regional roads and freeways that benefit not only our community, but are of regional and statewide significance.
For more than 40 years, Maricopa County residents have invested in roads and freeways that connect the Valley. The metropolitan area would not look the same without the Loops 101, 202 and 303, all of which were built and expanded through the half-cent tax. Now, it is our turn. Proposition 479 will fund the next generation of transportation projects, including the permanent expansion of the State Route 24. These improvements will have a generational impact enhancing connectivity, reducing traffic congestion, and furthering public safety by ensuring first responders can get to us as quickly as possible.
Please join me in supporting Proposition 479 this November.
For more information on Proposition 479, please visit azmag.gov/prop479.
Julia Wheatley is the mayor of Queen Creek.
