You may have noticed you're seeing a lot of ads and signs in favor of the Regional Transportation Authority ballot issues, but very few against them.
You can chalk that up to a vast gap in fundraising between the pro- and anti- sides.
The pro-RTA campaign, called Connect Pima, has raised $1.37 million in support of the ballot issues, propositions 418 and 419, which would extend for 20 years a half-cent-per-dollar sales tax to pay for transportation projects. The election concludes Tuesday, March 10.
The anti-RTA campaign, called Tucson Deserves Better, had raised $7,391 as of Feb. 21, the last date for which records were availalbe.
That makes for a difference of about $1.3 million, which accounts for a lot of ads and signs. And RTA supporters also have the advantage of prominent supporters plugging the plan, from Mayor Regina Romero and most of the Tucson City Council, to members of the Pima County Board of Supervisors and U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva.
By and large, the region's power structure is in favor, and the big money is too, coming largely from construction-industry firms and associations. These are the top 11 contributors to the pro-RTA political action committee, Connect Pima:
• $240,000 from the Arizona Chapter of the Association of General Contractors
• $100,000 from the National Association of Realtors
• $85,000 from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Arizona
• $83,100 from the Southern Arizona Leadership Council
• $60,000 from the Arizona Transportation Builders Association
A three-year RTA project to build a new 22nd Street bridge started earlier this week. Mail-in voting is happening now on RTA Next, a new 20-year transportation plan.
• $50,000 from the Southern Arizona Homebuilders
• $50,000 from HSL Management Services
• $50,000 from The Sundt Companies
• $43,961 from Jim Click Nissan
• $30,000 from Borderland Construction
• $30,000 from Granite Construction
Of the donors to Tucson Deserves Better, the chair of the group, Jim Glock gave the largest amount, at $1,729. Tucson City Council member Miranda Schubert, the one Tucson council member openly opposed to the measure, gave $500. Former Oro Valley Town Council member Timothy Bohen gave $250.
Turnout at 22% so far
As of Tuesday, the turnout for the RTA election has hit 22%, the Pima County Recorder's Office is reporting. Out of 651,296 ballots mailed out to Pima County voters, 143,228 have been turned in and had signatures verified.
An additional 8,863 ballots that have been returned are awaiting verification. Out of those sent out, 30,932 ballots have been returned to the recorder's office as undeliverable or deceased.
It is too late for those who haven't sent their ballot in to return them by mail. Two 24-hour drop boxes are available, at 240 N. Stone Ave and 6920 E. Broadway.
On Election Day between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., ballots may be returned at these addresses: 240 N. Stone Ave, 6550 S. Country Club Tucson and 7820 E Broadway.
Ex-PAG director sues
In timing that could have gone better for the RTA, former director Farhad Moghimi has filed suit over his firing from the agency last year.
The suit, filed Feb. 17, echoes a legal claim made against the Pima Association of Governments in November. The Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority are governed largely by the same board and led by the same director, which for years was Moghimi.
He was fired in June 2025 via a 5-4 vote by the board. In the claim, and now the suit, Moghimi asserts a breach of contract, unlawful termination, and violations of open-meeting law.
PAG denied his earlier claim, in which Moghimi requested $3.8 million.
