1. Special 2004 Ballot Initiatives Report
Voters Support $28 Billion In Transportation Funding Ballot Initiatives
Large Increase in Number of Transportation Ballot Measures
Most voters asked at the ballot box November 2 whether they would support increasing their tax burden to fund
transportation improvements said “yes.” In total, the revenue measures approved would generate at least $28
billion in new revenue for transportation infrastructure work.
Reflecting growing transportation infrastructure demands across the nation, Americans in 21 states voted on at
least 55 transportation funding-related ballot initiatives in this year’s election. This was nearly a 40 percent
increase over the number of such ballot questions decided in 2002.
Of the 55 ballot measures, 46—over 80 percent—asked voters to initiate, extend, or increase taxes to fund
transportation improvements. Thirty-six—78 percent of the bond and tax measures—were approved.
This included all 12 bond measures proposed to raise capital for transportation projects. Voters in eight states
approved ten of 17 ballot measures that will levy a new tax dedicated to transportation programs. Approval to
increase existing transportation-related taxes was given in five of seven ballot measures. Eight of ten measures
to increase existing transportation funding mechanisms were also approved.
And large majorities in two states—Missouri (79 percent) and California (84 percent)—told the state
government to stop using highway user revenue to fund non-transportation programs or services.
Following is a summary of these and other transportation measures decided November 2:
Copyright 2004: American Road Transportation Builders Association, Page 1

2. State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
Arkansas Statewide Bond Roads
Voters were asked to approve a $500 million bond to be allocated to various
economic development projects, including transportation improvements.
Approved 61% 39%
California
San Francisco/East
Bay Area
Bond Measure,
subsequent property
tax increase
Transit system
maintenance
Voters were asked to approve a $980 million general obligation bond measure
to fund shoring up the BART system against a major earthquake. Voters
narrowly defeated a similar measure two years ago. The bond will raise
property taxes for 40 years in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco
counties to pay for the measure. The average increase is about $7.04 per
$100,000 of assessed valuation.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
68% 32%
Florida Miami-Dade County Bond Issue
Bridges, public
infrastructure
Voters were asked to approve eight separate ballot questions for bonds worth
$2.93 billion. Each ballot question was for a different project category, one of
which was bridges, public infrastructure and neighborhood improvement
projects. This bond issue will be for $352 million.
Approved 55% 31%
Louisiana City of New Orleans Bond Issue Roads
The $260 million bond request will fund various city improvements, including
streets.
Approved 66% 34%
Maryland
Prince George's
County
Bond Issue Roads & Bridges
Voters were asked to approve a bond issue not to exceed $55.9 million for
public works and transportation facilities projects, including work on roads and
bridges.
Approved 86% 14%
New Mexico Albuquerque Bond Issue Roads Voters were asked to approve a bond for $52.5 million in street projects. Approved 61% 39%
Ohio
Columbus City
(Fairfield County)
Bond Issue Roads & Bridges
Voters were asked to approve up to $605 million of bonds to pay for capital
improvement projects, including roads and bridges.
Approved 63% 37%
Rhode Island Statewide Bond Issue
Transportation
improvements
Voters were asked to approve $66.5 million in bonds for transportation
improvements. The bulk of the money will be used as matching funds for
federal transportation projects.
Approved 66% 44%
Texas Corpus Christi Bond Issue Roads
Proposition 1 asked voters to approve a $68.4 million bond for street
improvements.
Approved 69% 30%
Virginia Fairfax County Bond Issue Roads & Transit
Residents voted on more than $300 million worth of bonds for a variety of
projects, including road construction and improvement. An estimated $110
million of the bonds will go to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority for infrastructure renewal, improved system access and system
expansion.
Approved 76% 24%
Virginia Arlington County Bond Issue
Transportation
improvements
Voters were asked to approve a general obligation bond issue of $35.9 million
for a variety of projects, including transportation initiatives. Voters were also
asked if the county should issue bonds to finance the cost of construction,
acquisition and rehabilitation of Metro facilities by the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Approved 81% 19%
Virginia Chesterfield County Bond Issue
Transportation
improvements
Area voters decided on five separate ballot questions issuing bonds worth a
total of $341.7 million. The money authorized would be used for a variety of
projects, including road improvements.
Approved 82% 18%
State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
California Marin County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Roads & Transit
Marin county residents voted on Measure A, a .5 percent transportation sales
tax which will generate about $14 million annually for bus service, the Highway
101 widening, local road improvements and other local transportation needs
over the next 20 years. An increase will boost the county sales tax from 7.25
to 7.75 percent, and raise approximately $311 million. This will be the third
transportation related tax in the county.
Approved 71% 29%
California Solano County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Roads & Transit
The proposed tax would have raised $1.4 billion over 30 years for
transportation projects.
Defeated -Two-
thirds approval
needed
64% 35%
State and Local Transportation Bond Measures on November 2, 2004 Ballots
New Tax Levies: Voters approved ten of 17 measures introducing new taxes for transportation funding. The main type of
tax approved was a transportation sales tax, although voters also approved a property tax in Lexington, Kentucky for their
LexTran system, and a special local option tax in Georgia for Richmond County roads.
State and Local New Tax Levies for Transportation on November 2, 2004 Ballots
Bond Issues: Ten local areas and two states asked voters to approve bond issues for transportation funding. All 12 of the
general issue bond measures on the November 2004 ballots were approved. On average, the measures were approved by 70
percent of voters.
Copyright 2004: American Road Transportation Builders Association, Page 2

3. California Sonoma County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Roads & Transit
The quarter-cent sales tax increase in Measure M will raise an estimated $478
million over 20 years for various transportation projects-mainly roads and
highways. This is the fourth time in six years that Sonoma County voters were
asked to raise sales taxes for roads, highways and transit. All three past
measures were defeated.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
67% 33%
California Ventura County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Roads & Transit
A half-cent sales tax initiative would have funded transportation projects,
raising $1.44 billion over 30 years.
Defeated -Two-
thirds approval
needed
40% 60%
Colorado
Basalt, Carbondale,
Glenwood Springs,
portion of Eagle
County (RFTA
lower-valley area-
results from Eagle
County Elections)
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Transit
The measure asked voters to approve a sales tax increase in the towns and
counties in upper portion of the Roaring Force Valley (RFTA) to support the
area Transportation Authority, which is facing a 50% service cut for the
second time in four years. The question was approval of a 0.2 percent sales tax
increase for RFTA. The election results from the areas are cumulative - even if
one area rejects the initiative, but it passes in the other jurisdictions, the new
tax will apply.
Approved 68% 32%
Colorado Garfield County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Transit
Voters were asked if they want to join RFTA and increase the transportation
sales tax by 0.6 percent. Of that increase, 0.4 cents would have been dedicated
to RFTA and 0.2 percent would have gone to Garfield County's transportation
and trails projects.
Defeated 39% 61%
Colorado Town of Silt
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Transit
Voters were asked if they want to join RFTA and contribute a 0.4 percent sales
tax to the group.
Defeated
not
available
not
available
Colorado Town of New Castle
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Transit
Voters were asked if they want to join RFTA and contribute a 0.4 percent sales
tax to the group.
Approved
not
available
not
available
Colorado El Paso County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Roads & Transit
Voters were asked to approve the creation and funding of "The Rural
Transportation Authority." Revenue will be generated through a 1-cent sales
tax increase, with .55 cents of the tax expiring after 10 years. Fifty-five percent
of the funding is for road construction, 35 percent for maintenance and 10
percent for transit.
Approved 55% 45%
Georgia Richmond County
Special Purpose
Local Option Sales
Tax (SPLOST)
Roads
The SPLOST will raise $468 million for various projects in Richmond County,
including several road projects. Other projects include expanding the county
jail, building a performing arts center and upgrading parts of the city's sewage
and water system.
Approved 62% 38%
Georgia Rockdale County
Special Purpose
Local Option Sales
Tax (SPLOST)
Roads
The SPLOST is expected to raise $99.6 million over six years, with
approximately $50 million for roads, streets and bridges. A similar proposal
was rejected in 2003.
Approved 60% 40%
Kentucky Lexington Property tax Transit
LexTran will use a property tax to raise $5.9 million for necessary service
expansions.
Approved 54% 46%
Michigan Kalamazoo
Transportation
Property Tax
Renewal
Transit
Voters approved a 1-mill property tax renewal for Metro Transit. The levy will
raise an estimated $1.56 million.
Approved 68% 32%
Nevada
Pahrump Valley,
Nye County
New tax on new
construction
Roads
Voters were asked to approve the creation of a regional transportation district.
A one-time tax of $650 would have been imposed on each new home. A tax of
65-cents per square foot would be levied on new commercial or industrial
developments. The revenue would have been used exclusively in Pahrump
value for road projects.
Defeated 35% 65%
Oregon Deschutes County
New Transportation
Property Tax
Transit
Voters were asked to approve an independent transit district funded in part by
a new property tax of 29 cents per $1,000 assessed value. The measure would
have raised an estimated $1.7 million in FY 2005-06
Defeated 41% 53%
South Carolina Charleston County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Roads & Transit
The half-cent sales tax will raise an estimated $1.3 billion over the next 25
years for infrastructure projects and the public transportation system.
Supporters of the tax say it was a "life or death issue" for the Charleston Area
Regional Transportation Authority, which has been forced to sell property and
lay off drivers to stay afloat. A similar tax was defeated by a thin margin in the
2000 election, and barely passed in 2002, but never took effect because the
state Supreme Court said the ballot language was flawed.
Approved 59% 41%
South Carolina Beaufort County
New Transportation
Sales Tax
Transportation
improvements
The defeated 1 percent Capital Project Sales Tax would have been limited to
five years or $122 million, whichever comes first. The revenue would have
been used for transportation projects and improvements.
Defeated 50% 50%
Copyright 2004: American Road Transportation Builders Association, Page 3

4. State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
Arizona Maricopa County
Transportation Sales
Tax Extension
Roads & Transit
Voters were asked to approve Proposition 400, a one-half cent sales tax
extension that will last for 20 years and a $16 billion regional transportation
plan, which includes funding for Phoenix's light rail system, freeways and other
transit improvements. The vote was originally scheduled for May 2004, but
was pushed back to the November 2004 ballot. The sales tax extension will
generate $8.5 billion of the total $16 billion for the plan.
Approved 57% 42%
California
Contra Costa
County
Transportation Sales
Tax Extension
Roads & Transit
Approval of Measure J will extend the current Measure C, which is a half-cent
sales tax for transportation projects. The extension of the tax will raise $2
billion for county transportation projects over a 25-year period.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
71% 30%
California Sacramento County
Transportation Sales
Tax Extension
Roads & Transit
Sacramento County voters were asked to approve an extension of the current
"Measure A," set to expire in 2009. The proposed half-cent sales tax measure
extension will raise an estimated $4.7 billion over the next 30 years for a
variety of transportation uses in the county.
According to a preliminary proposal, projects funded by that money will
include basic street maintenance; new light-rail lines; new freeway
interchanges; expansion of numerous roads; maintenance of the American
River Parkway; buses for seniors and people with disabilities; and traffic safety
programs, such as synchronized traffic signals.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
75% 25%
California
San Bernardino
County
Transportation Sales
Tax Extension
Roads & Transit
Voters were asked to extend the current "Measure I," set to expire in 2010, for
an additional 30 years to 2040. The extension of the half-cent sales tax will
generate approximately $6.1 billion over the 30-year period. The money will
be used for road and transit projects.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
79% 21%
California San Diego County
Transportation Sales
Tax Extension
Roads & Transit
The San Diego regional planning agency, SANDAG, has a draft expenditure
that includes the extension of a half-cent transportation sales tax (Proposition
A) for transit and highway projections. The current tax is set to expire in 2008.
The extension would provide funding through 2048. Under SANDAG's
proposal, 33 percent of the tax's revenue would be spent on local street and
road projects, 32.7 percent on freeways and highways, and 34.2 percent on
mass transit.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
67% 33%
California San Mateo County
Transportation Sales
Tax Extension
Roads & Transit
Voters decided to reauthorize Measure A, a half-cent transportation sales tax.
The measure will generate approximately $1.5 billion over 25 years. Transit
projects will receive 30 percent of the funds.
Approved - 2/3
approval
required
75% 25%
Colorado
Aspen, Snowmass
Village, Pitkin
County (RFTA
upper-valley area)
Redirecting existing
transportation sales
tax
Transit
Residents of Aspen, Snowmass Village and Pitkin County were asked if an
additional 0.165 percent of the county's existing 0.5 percent transportation
sales tax can be dedicated to RFTA.
Approved 67% 34%
Colorado Glenwood Springs
Extend Local Sales
tax
Roads
Voters were asked to extend a 1/4-cent sales tax increase earmarked for city
street improvements, along with an additional 1/4-cent sales tax to go toward
generating an impact study for certain projects. The two taxes will generate
about $1.8 million per year and will be in effect until 2025. A companion
initiative asked voters to allow the city to borrow from these anticipated
revenues by bonding up to $12 million with a maximum repayment cost of up
to $22.5 million.
Approved 51% 49%
Minnesota City of St. Joseph
Extend Local Sales
tax
Roads & Bridges
Voters were asked to extend a local sales tax to pay for various improvements,
including $20 million for transportation improvements.
Approved 71% 29%
Minnesota City of St. Cloud
Extend Local Sales
tax
Airport
Improvements
Voters were asked to extend a local sales tax to pay for various improvements,
including $5 million for improvements to St. Could Regional airport.
Approved 63% 37%
Extend or Alter Current Taxes for Transportation: Voters in ten counties and cities approved extensions of current
transportation and local sales taxes for transportation construction and improvements. The cities of St. Cloud and St.
Joseph, Minnesota, approved $5 and $20 million for airport and transportation improvements, respectively. Five of the ten
extension measures were for counties in California, and required two-thirds approval for passage. Of the ten measures, ten
passed.
State and Local Transportation Tax Extension Measures on November 2, 2004 Ballots
Copyright 2004: American Road Transportation Builders Association, Page 4

5. State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
California Santa Cruz County
Transportation Sales
Tax Increase
Roads & Transit
Measure J asked voters to approve a half-cent sales tax increase intended to
raise $577 million over 30 years for a variety of transportation projects. Two-
thirds of the funds would have been earmarked for Highway 1. The rest would
have gone toward improving local streets, expanding transportation for people
with disabilities and senior citizens, creating a passenger rail station in Pajaro
and building a coastal pedestrian and bike trail.
Defeated 43% 57%
Colorado Denver Metro Area
Transportation Sales
Tax Increase
Transit, Commuter
Rail
Voters were asked in referendum 4A to approve a 0.4-cent increase in the
metro transit sales tax, currently at 0.6 cents, to enact a transit expansion plan
called FasTracks. The $4.7 billion plan calls for construction of new light-rail
or commuter-rail lines from central Denver to Lakewood/Golden, Arvada,
Boulder/ Longmont, north Adams County and Denver International Airport, as
well as along I-225 in Aurora. According to the Rocky Mountain News,
"Seven years ago, the Regional Transportation District was defeated at the
polls when voters turned down the same sales tax increase - a 0.4-cent increase
on the current 0.6-cent rate, to a full penny on the dollar."
Approved 65% 35%
Georgia Fayette County
Special Purpose
Local Option Sales
Tax (SPLOST)
Roads
Voters were asked to approve a 1 cent sales tax increase to fund transportation
improvements. The goal is to raise enough local money to get federal funds for
projects. The SPLOST is expected to raise between $106 and $115 million.
Approved 51% 49%
Ohio
Monroe City
(Warren County)
Increase local income
tax
Roads
The increase of the local income tax from 1 to 1.5 percent would have
provided additional funds for "general municipal operations, maintenance of
equipment, new equipment, extension, enlargement and improvement of
municipal services and facilities and capital improvements." The Mayor
indicated that capital projects included road construction.
Defeated 15% 86%
Texas San Antonio
Transportation Sales
Tax Increase
Roads & Transit
A 1/4-cent increase in the sales tax will help fund area transit and roadway
projects. The tax will never expire. The chairman of VIA (the San Antonio
metropolitan transit authority) said the extra revenue was critical to pay for
service upgrades and prevent VIA from further eliminating bus routes. A
portion of the funds will go towards the Advanced Transportation District for
road upgrades, fixing potholes, and projects to ease freeway congestion.
Approved 58% 41%
Washington Clark County
Transportation Sales
Tax Increase
Transit
Voters were asked to approve a plan to double the 0.3 percent transit sales tax
that currently exists to prevent deep cuts in bus service. C-Tran lost $12
million in annual operating funds (40 percent of its budget) when voters
approved Initiative 695 in 1999, which limited car tabs to $30. The tax
increase will cost the average family an additional $34 a year. Without
approval of the measure, C-Tran would have been forced to cut 14 routes.
Defeated 54% 46%
Washington City of Auburn Property Tax Increase Roads
The Auburn City Council put a measure on the ballot asking voters to allow
the city to collect up to 2 percent more each year in property taxes for road
repairs.
Approved 60% 40%
State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
California Statewide
Protect Local
Government Revenue
Proposition 1A protects local governments from future raids on their revenues
to balance the state budget. The measure will constitutionally lock in levels as
well as sources of funding to cities, counties and special districts. The state
will not be able to reroute local funds from sources such as property taxes or
vehicle license fees.
Approved 84% 16%
Missouri Statewide
Protect
Transportation
Revenue
Roads & Transit
Voters decided to amend the Missouri Constitution to end or reduce what they
describe as the "diversion" of highway user fees - vehicle and driver's licenses,
motor fuel taxes and vehicle sales taxes - to various state agencies. Last year,
Missouri collected more than $1.3 billion in road-related taxes and fees. About
$255 million of that went to cities and counties for local roads, while about
$164 million went to general state revenue and school funds. And $176 million
went to state agencies that perform road-related duties. Following all the
subtractions, the Missouri Department of Transportation received barely 55
cents of every $1 collected in state highway user fees and taxes.
Approved 79% 21%
Diversion of Highway User Revenue:
State Initiatives Regarding Division of Highway User Revenues on November 2, 2004 Ballots
Measures to Increase Existing Taxes for Highway Revenue on November 2, 2004 Ballots
Increase Existing Taxes for Highway Revenue:
Copyright 2004: American Road Transportation Builders Association, Page 5

6. State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
Florida Statewide Repeal High-speed rail
This amendment repeals a previous amendment in the Florida Constitution
(approved by a ballot measure in 2000) that requires the Legislature, the
Cabinet and the Governor to proceed with the development and operation of a
high speed ground transportation system by the state and/or by a private entity.
Approved 64% 36%
Washington Seattle Monorail recall Transit
The Seattle City Council agreed to put a measure on the November ballot
calling for what would basically amount to the end of the monorail initiative
that voters approved in 2002. Specifically, Initiative 83 would ban city permits
for the 14-mile, $1.75 billion Green Line through the western half of the city.
However, Initiative 83 does not end the 1.4 percent car tax that supports the
building of the 14-mile system. Backers of the initiative said they will address
that issue if the measure passes.
Defeated 46% 54%
State Location/County Type of Change Mode How It Relates to Transportation Vote % Yes % No
California Napa Valley
Advisory vote on
future widening of
major county road.
Roads
Measure W serves as an advisory vote to transportation planners about
widening Jamieson Canyon Road at a future date. The vote has no actual legal
effect.
Approved 78% 22%
Nevada Elko County
Advisory Vote -
Increase Gas Tax
Roads
Elko County residents voted on an advisory measure to increase the area gas
tax by 5-cents per gallon for the maintenance of regional roads. Final action on
a gas tax increase must come from county commissioners.
Defeated 17% 81%
Texas Austin
Approval of
Commuter Line
Transit
Voters were asked to approve a commuter rail starter line that would run on
existing track owned by Capital Metro. Voters narrowly rejected an initiative
for a light rail plan in 2000. (According to a news article published by the
Texas Transit Association: "Austin's roads were the most congested in the
nation in 2001 when compared with those of other medium-size cities,
according to a 2003 Urban Mobility Study by the Texas Transportation
Institute."
Approved 62% 37%
Washington King County Advisory vote Roads and transit
The Metropolitan King County Council had two advisory questions on the
November 2 ballot. The first asked voters if they support developing a
package of congestion-relief and safety projects to be placed on the November
2005 ballot.
Approved 67% 33%
Washington King County Advisory vote Roads and transit
Voters were asked that if they approved of developing a package of congestion-
relief and safety projects, how would they propose paying for it? Voters had
the choice between a general sales tax (20.9% approval); a flat tax on motor
vehicles (16.9%); an excise on vehicle value (25.8%); an increase in the local
gas tax (20.1%) or a tax on annual miles (16.4%)
(see above)
Advisory and Other Measures Related to Transportation on November 2, 2004 Ballots
Repeal of Previous Transportation Initiatives:
Advisory Questions and Other Issues: Counties in three states asked voters their opinion of future transportation funding
initiatives. King County voters in Washington approved a measure that asked if they would support a package of
congestion-relief and safety projects on the November 2005 ballot. They also answered a second question on how they
would like to pay for it. Voters had the choice between a general sales tax (20.9% approval); a flat tax on motor vehicles
(16.9%); an excise on vehicle value (25.8%); an increase in the local gas tax (20.1%) or a tax on annual miles (16.4%).
Voters in Elko County, Nevada defeated an advisory measure asking voters if they would recommend increasing the area
gas tax by 5-cents per gallon.
Measures To Repeal Previous Transportation Initiatives on November 2, 2004 Ballots
Copyright 2004: American Road Transportation Builders Association, Page 6