Regional Area Road Fund (RARF)

RARF Reports:

Current Month 

FY 2009 Distribution

Historical Revenue Distribution

Year End 2009

Forecasting Process & Results FY 2010-2026

Revenue Forecast and Distribution: Please refer to pages 6 and 8 of the Forecasting Process & Results FY 2010-2026

 

RARF Executive Summary:

In October 1985, the voters of Maricopa County approved the Maricopa County Transportation Excise Tax, a tax which may equal up to ten percent of the State transaction privilege tax rates. This transportation excise tax, often referred to as the "1/2 cent sales tax", is levied upon business activities in Maricopa County, including retail sales, contracting, utilities, rental of real and personal property, restaurant and bar receipts, and other activities. The transportation excise tax revenues are deposited in the Maricopa County Regional Area Road Fund (RARF) which is administered by the Arizona Department of Transportation. The revenues deposited into the RARF account are the principal source of funding for the Regional Freeway System in Maricopa County and are dedicated by statute to the purchase of right-of-way, design and construction of controlled access highways. The "1/2 cent sales tax" is expected to yield $3.8 billion for the period January 1986 through December 2005.

On November 2, 2004, Maricopa County's voters approved Proposition 400 which extends the one-half cent sales tax for another 20 years through December 31, 2025. The sales tax extension will be used for construction of new freeways, widening of existing freeways and highways, improvements to the arterial street system, regional bus service and other special transportation services, and high capacity transit services such as light rail, bus rapid transit and express buses. The Arizona Department of Transportation will administer the freeway monies; the Maricopa Association of Governments will administer the arterial streets monies and the Valley Metro and Valley Metro Rail will administer the Public Transportation Fund monies.