State and Local Ballot Initiatives

Voters Approve $122 Billion In Infrastructure Funding

On Election Day, the American public voted overwhelmingly in support of investing in the future of the country. Voters in 25 states expressed strong support for infrastructure investment by approving about $122 billion in bonds and tax increases for public works projects. Most ballot initiatives addressed transportation and school funding; however many states and localities approved initiatives for improving water infrastructure and other building infrastructure, including libraries, hospitals, and parks.

More than 80% of the bond referendums passed, signaling the American public’s support to incur debt for increased infrastructure spending despite the recent economic woes. The results were the second-largest amount ever approved on a single election day.

For additional information contact Jim Young at (202) 547-0133 or youngj@agc.org.

Click on a state for state and local construction industry specific measures that passed. U.S. Map

Compiled by AGC from various sources

Alaska

Statewide - $315 million for transportation projects.

Arizona

City Of Peoria - $277 million for traffic improvements, including new traffic lights, storm drainage and road and widening, $60 million for technology improvements to dispatch and records management for the fire and police departments; and $40 million for park improvements, including new park construction, as well as new trails and bike paths.
Tempe - $241 million of bonds ($113 million for water and sewer improvements, $44 million for street improvements/storm drains, $32 million for public safety and $52 million for park improvements/community services).
Mesa - $111 million for roads, $58 million for public safety.
Deer Valley Unified School District 97 - $148 million of bonds.

Arkansas

Statewide - $300 million in bonds for water projects.

California

Statewide - $9.95 billion bond for high-speed rail and $980 million for projects at children’s hospitals.

Beverly Hills - $334 million of issuance for school construction.
Central Unified School District - $152 million in bonds.
Colton Joint Unified School District - $225 million package.
Contra Costa County - $500 million bond deal for East Bay Regional Park District.
El Monte School District- Measure KC, $148 million of bonds.
Gilroy - $150 million of bonds for Gilroy Unified School District. $37 million of bonds for a new City Library.
Long Beach - $1.2 billion construction bond program for the Long Beach Unified School District
Los Angeles - $7 billion facilities bond for the Los Angeles Unified School District, $3.5 billion measure for the Los Angeles Community College District. $40 billion over 30 years from a 0.5% sales tax increase to fund road improvements and other transportation projects.
Merced County - $149 million of bonds for Merced Union High School District. $3 million of bonds for the Planada Elementary School District.
Mount San Antonio Community College District - $353 million for construction.
Pasadena - $350 million for school construction and renovation.
Pomona - $235 million of bonds for school construction.
Sacramento County - $500 million of bonds for Center Unified School District.
San Diego - $2.1 billion San Diego Unified School District construction bond, $389 million of bonds for improvements in the Southwestern Community College District.
San Francisco - $887 million bond to rebuild San Francisco General Hospital.
Santa Barbara – extended two cent sales tax to generate $1 billion over 30 years to fund various transportation projects.
Santa Clara County - $840 million hospital seismic safety bond.
Santa Monica Community College District - $295 million of bonds.
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District - $890 million from 0.25% sales tax increase to construct a commuter line.
Torrance Unified School District - $265 million for construction and $90 million for improvements.
Victor Valley - $500 million of bonds for the Victor Valley Union High School District and $298 million for the Victor Valley Community College District.
William S. Hart Union Schools - $300 million of bonds for construction.

Colorado:

Alamosa - $12 million of school bonds.
Aspen - $12 million of school bonds.
Aurora - $215 million in bonds for school construction.
Cherry Creek School District - $204 million in bonds.
Denver - $454 million of school construction bonds.
St. Vrain Valley School District - $189 million in bonds.
Weld County and City of Hudson - $5 million bond issuance for road improvements.

Georgia:

Fulton County - $275 million of bonds for libraries and other capital improvements.
Gwinnett County - renewal of a 1% sales tax to generate $850 million for roads, bridges, libraries, public safety, and other improvements ($381 million dedicated to transportation)

Indiana:

Evansville-Vanderburgh School District - $149 million of bonds.
Indianapolis - $278 million of bonds for schools.

Kansas:

Lawrence - 0.3% sales tax for dedicated revenue for road and infrastructure improvement. 0.2% sales tax increase for funding public transit.
Sedgwick Co. Unified School District 259 - $370 million construction bonds.

Maine:

Statewide - $3 million in bonds for drinking water programs and construction of wastewater treatment facilities, and to leverage $17 million in other funds (still being tallied).

Maryland:

Baltimore County - $314 million for a variety of purposes ($105 million for school construction projects).
Baltimore (City) - $43 million of bonds for schools, $82 million of bonds for parks and rec., libraries, and other purposes
Prince George’s Co. - $362 million ($153 million for public works and transportation and $113 million for county buildings).

Michigan:

Almena Township - extended .9418 mill property tax for 4 years to fund road maintenance.
Lincoln Township - extended 1 mill property tax for 4 years to fund infrastructure construction.
Midland County - extended 1 mill property tax for 4 years to fund road maintenance.

Missouri:

Statewide - A change in financing of storm water control projects and remove the cap on available funding.

Kansas City - increased sales tax by 3/8 cent for 25 years to fund a light rail transportation project

New Mexico:

Statewide - $11 million to make capital expenditures for libraries, $57 million for health facility improvements, $140 million for higher educational and special schools capital improvements and $14 million for senior citizen facility improvements and construction.

Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia Counties - increased sales tax by 1/8 cent to generate between $19 million and $27 million fund a commuter train project and other transportation projects.

North Carolina:

Charlotte - $170 million of roads bonds, $47 million neighborhood improvements and $10 million for affordable housing).
Greensboro - $134 million for transportation projects, $20 million for parks and recreation improvements and $1 million for housing initiatives.
Mecklenburg County - $250 million in parks and recreation bonds.
New Hanover County - $164 million of bonds for building projects at Cape Fear Community College.

Ohio:

Statewide - $400 million for the Clean Ohio program.

Columbus - $1.665 billion package ($552 million for sanitary, $525 million for water, $346 million for streets and highways, $124 million for recreation and parks, $86 million for safety and health, $32 million for refuse collection). $164 million of bonds for Columbus City School District.
Berlin Township - extended 1 mills property tax for 3 years to fund road and bridge maintenance.
Clarksfield Township - extended 0.9 mills property tax for 5 years to fund road and bridge maintenance.
Grafton Township - extended 1 mills property tax for 5 years to fund road and bridge maintenance.
Greenwich - extended 3 mills property tax for 3 years to fund road and bridge maintenance.
Pittsfield Township - extended 2 mills property tax for 5 years to fund road and bridge maintenance.

Oklahoma:

Tulsa - $285 million street maintenance bond plan.

Oregon:

Salem - $100 million bond over 15 years for road maintenance and improvement
Salem-Keizer School District 24J - $242 million of improvement and construction bonds.

Pennsylvania

Statewide - $400 million to repair and upgrade water and sewer systems.

Rhode Island

Statewide - bonds to match Department of Transportation federal funds for highways, roads and bridges and commuter rail, and to purchase or rehabilitate buses.

South Carolina:

Lexington County School District 1 - $336 million of bonds.
Lexington-Richland School District 5 - $244 million of issuance.

Texas:

Allen Independent School District - $219 million of bonds.
Arlington - $141 million in bonds ($16 million for park and rec. improvements, $104 million for road improvements, $.5 million for library improvements, $9 million for a new fire fighting facility, and $12 million for storm and flood water control).
Corpus Christi - $153 million of bonds ($105 million for roads, $22 million for parks and rec., $13 million for development, $10 million for public safety, $3 million for public facilities improvement, and $1 million for health). $192 million for the Corpus Christi Independent School District.
Dallas - $747 million in bonds for a public hospital.
Denton County - $185 million for buildings and technology, $310 million for road projects.
Hays County - $207 million of road bonds.
Keller Independent School District - $142 million bond proposal for new schools, technology upgrades and facility maintenance.
Rockwall County - $100 million bond proposal for roads.
Round Rock Independent School District - $294 million for a new school and school renovation.
San Angelo Independent School District - $117 million of bonds for improvements.
Tyler Independent School District - $125 million of bonds.
Wylie Independent School District - $98 million.

Virginia:

Arlington County - $170 million of bonds ($99 million for school construction, $10 million for transportation, $50 million for water improvement projects, and $11 million for other infrastructure).
Fairfax County - $77 million of bonds for park improvements.
Loudon County - $104 million of bonds for school construction and $13 million annually for school construction through a 4% tax on meals
Stafford County - $70 million of bonds for transportation projects.

Washington:

Puget Sound – increased sales tax by five cents per 10 dollars expected to generate $18 billion for light-rail lines, commuter transit, and bus service increases.
King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties – 0.5% sales tax increase to fund $17 billion in Sound Transit passenger train and bus projects.

Wisconsin:

Milwaukee County – $130 million annually by one cent increase in sales tax to fund park and transit improvements and emergency medical services.