It seems that the rocky roads of fiscal responsibility have led to varying outcomes in Gila County. According to a report published by the Arizona Auditor General, while much of the transportation excise tax revenue has been put to good use across the county's municipalities, a pair of towns might need to tune up their spending practices. These funds, generated from a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1994, are specifically earmarked for local transportation needs.

Most of the Gila County towns under review demonstrated a clear record of the funds bolstering their transportation infrastructure. The roads in question, those arteries of commerce and daily commute, lay maintained and improved. Yet, it was noted that two towns failed to fully display their expenditures' reach. Such lack of transparency doesn't necessarily imply misuse, but it does fog the window through which the public can witness their own investments at work. To this end, the Arizona Auditor General has recommended that these towns refine their accounting practices to better account for the tax monies.

While the auditor's office did not name the towns in the initial notice, they have laid out specific guidelines for all to follow. The purpose of these funds, as per the tax's original intent, is to finance, plan, and carry out street and highway maintenance, construction, and other transportation projects deemed essential.