WASHINGTON – Phoenix was held out as a model for the nation during a conference call Wednesday by transit officials pushing for approval of about $200 billion in transit projects on local ballots across the country next week, according to Cronkite News.

Mayor Greg Stanton, on the call organized by the Center for Transportation Excellence and the American Public Transportation Association, talked about the city’s passage last year of an increase in the sales tax, which will be used to fund an estimate $31.5 billion in light-rail expansion, bus services, bike systems and street improvements and other projects over the 35 years, the report said.

The call was aimed at boosting support for 49 different ballot measures that would fund roughly $200 billion in transit projects in 25 states, including Flagstaff’s Proposition 411 to continue collection of a sales tax funding the Mountain Line bus service, Cronkite News reported.

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