There’s a sure way to gauge the economic health of the city: traffic.
If gridlock and the apparent wear and tear on Aurora roads is an indication, the city is prospering mightily these days. Aurora is expanding steadily, and so, too, are the city’s growing pains. Aurora desperately needs dollars for new roads, wider roads and better roads. The problem? Far more needs than money.
Proposition 2B asks voters to extend a property tax about to expire, and use the estimated $5 million a year it generates to try and keep up with the growing list of transportation projects.
If approved, the tax could fund about $75 million in transportation projects over the next 15 years. The tax is pretty minimal, costing the owner of a $200,000 home only about $2.25 a month.
A yes vote buys the city a specified transportation fund that lawmakers can use as needed, for transportation issues only. Likely suspects here include improvements in southeast Aurora, Parker Road, Chambers Road and the never ending mess on Mississippi Avenue and Colfax Avenue.
The measure offers big rewards for little personal investment and risk.