Voters reject sales tax for education, transportation, human services

By Danielle Verbrigghe Tuesday

Cronkite News

Voters have rejected Proposition 204, a ballot measure to enact a permanent 1 cent-per-dollar sales tax to fund education, transportation projects and human services.

Cronkite News bases its projection on unofficial returns showing Proposition 204 trailing by a wide margin.

Most of the estimated $1 billion a year the measure would have raised was for education.

A temporary sales tax that Arizona voters approved in 2010 to support education is due to expire next year.

Proposition 204′s supporters said education needs a permanent revenue source that the Legislature can’t touch.

Opponents said the permanent sales tax would hurt the economy and restrict the Legislature’s ability to budget effectively.