Kingman’s Roads Should Come First

vote4cblack
5 days ago
2 min read

When you drive through Kingman, you see the reality: potholes, aging streets, inadequate lighting, and drainage issues that impact safety and quality of life. These are not luxuries—they’re essentials. Before we spend taxpayer dollars on non-essential projects, we need to take care of the basics.

The State of Our Roads

Kingman Public Works maintains over four million square feet of roadway—enough to pave a two-lane road all the way to Long Beach, California. That’s a massive responsibility, and while the city works hard, rising construction costs and increased traffic make it harder to keep up.

In FY24 alone, Kingman invested $11 million in pavement projects, focusing on deferred maintenance and preventative strategies like crack sealing and chip sealing. These treatments extend road life at a fraction of the cost of full reconstruction—saving taxpayers money in the long run.

But here’s the truth: chip seal is not a cure-all. It’s a surface treatment, not a structural repair. Roads with severe rutting, base failure, large cracks (over ¼ inch), or potholes cannot be fixed with chip seal. And if you drive around Kingman, you’ll see firsthand that many of our roads are beyond chip seal—they need full replacement.

Funding Challenges

Currently, road maintenance is funded by:

33% from Arizona’s Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF)
48% from the City’s general fund
12% from the 1% bar and restaurant tax
7% from other sources

While these funding streams have remained stable, costs keep rising. That’s why we need smart policies that ensure growth pays for growth—so taxpayers aren’t left footing the bill for new development.

My Commitment

If elected to City Council, I will:

Make roads, lighting, and drainage a top priority.
Ensure new development contributes its fair share to infrastructure costs.
Push for responsible budgeting that focuses on essentials before non-essential projects.