Pima County supervisors press RTA leader on $1 billion shortfall, ask whether county could bridge sales‑tax gap

County supervisors heard a two‑hour briefing July 31 on the financing gap in the Regional Transportation Authority program and the options staff and regional partners are weighing to avoid breaking continuity of transportation funding.

The RTA’s interim executive director, Mike Ortega, and Pima County staff told the board that revenues collected since the 2006 voter‑approved plan have fallen far short of original projections. Ortega summarized the scale of the problem in plain terms: revenue projections before the program began were roughly $2.7 billion while actual receipts were about $1.7 billion, and the region has used hundreds of millions in one‑time regional funds to try to make up the shortfall.

Why it matters: county and municipal officials said they fear leaving a gap when the current RTA collection ends June 30, 2026. Without a new funding measure or an interim bridge, transit and other regional programs could face disruption; staff estimated the region needs “another billion dollars” to finish the roads and other elements voters expected when RTA I passed.

What supervisors heard and asked - Supervisor Matt Hines, who led the briefing, said the technical analysis shows a multiyear pattern: “over the 19…