Yuma works to get more road funding, discusses budget

When you pump your gas your paying a tax that’s supposed to go to improving Yuma roads. That tax goes into the Highway User Revene Fund otherwise known as HURF but those taxes aren’t enough according to the Mayor of Yuma. Mayor Nicholls says that’s because the state of Arizona is taking a lot more money than they should be.

I think it’s owed to the taxpayers,” says Mayor Nicholls.

“We’re trying to stretch our funds so thin,” says Yuma City Administrator Greg Wilkinson.

Although under funded, the city of Yuma is still working on roads to maintain safety.

“We’re going to concentrate on the major streets that everybody is driving so there’s no pot holes,” says Wilkinson.

Even with maintenance the Mayor says the cities behind.

“At this point we have had so little funding for such a long time that our roads are suffering and we’re at a point now that we’re a$100,000,000 in back log of maintenance,” says Mayor Nicholls.

For now Wilkinson says he’s pushing the legislators to start giving more of the HURF tax to the city.

“I recommend everybody get on the phone and call them. They do listen to those calls and we’re really close to getting the full restoration back. This next year we’re going to try to concentrate on maintenance and patching and that kind of stuff and follow that up with asphalt replacement,” says Wilkinson.

For the 2016-2017 fiscal budget click here.