PIMA COUNTY, (May 19, 2023)
– The Pima County Board of Supervisors in a series of votes at its Tuesday meeting approved the tentative budget for fiscal year 2024. The vote caps the expenditure budget and the rates of the various taxes and funds that comprise the overall budget. The Board can still move money around in the budget before final adoption in June but is prohibited by state law from increasing the tax rates or the expenditure limit.
The $1.76 billion budget is $172 million less than the current fiscal year and sets the combined County property tax rate at $5.1048, which is 3.96 cents more than the current year, or a 0.78 percent increase. Final budget adoption is tentatively scheduled for June 20.
“The tentative budget balances meeting the needs of our community with the need to be fiscally responsible and responsive to the household budgets of our constituents,” Board Chair Adelita Grijalva said. “I’m really proud of the Board and staff on keeping the tax rate increase less than 1 percent when we’ve been facing 8 and 9 percent inflation and continued cost shifts of more than $100 million from the state.”
There are two components to County property taxes – a property’s assessed value and the tax rate. Using formulas set by state law, rates for the different County property taxes are multiplied by the assessed value to determine the tax bill.
The Board:
- Voted 3-2 to adopt the tentative County budget and set the primary property tax rate at $4.0102 per $100 of assessed value, which is 13.38 cents more than FY2023
- Voted 5-0 to adopt the tentative Library District budget and set the district property tax rate at 54.93 cents, which is 0.4 cents more than FY2023
- Voted 5-0 to adopt the tentative Regional Flood Control District budget and set the district tax rate at 32.53 cents, which is 0.18 cents more than FY2023
- Voted 5-0 to approve the tentative tax rate to pay back County debt at 22 cents, which is 10 cents less than FY2023
The Board also adopted the budgets for several special taxing districts for local infrastructure commonly referred to a facilities or improvement districts.
Recommended Budget Highlights:
Critical Infrastructure
- Allocates $223 million in capital improvements, including $20 million in road repair and $78 million for numerous Public Works projects, including expanding and improving the Loop in Marana, and continued construction of the new Medical Examiner’s Office and the Northwest Service Center.
- Provides nearly $9 million for affordable housing
- Designates $2 million in fragile desert and mountain lands through open space acquisition.
Justice and Law Enforcement
- Includes continued funding for Sheriff’s Department salary increases
- Underwrites the Blue-Ribbon Jail Commission’s study on the need for new or renovated jail facilities
- Funds crime reduction and prevention programs
Financial Stability
- Maintains the county’s General Fund reserve, ensuring financial stability that is routinely recognized by credit rating agencies, which rank the County as a low-risk, AAA organization for bonding and lending purposes
- Is a conservative budget that accounts for potential economic headwinds during the fiscal year
Employer of Choice
- Allocates $14 million to implement a market-based-pay system to keep the County competitive with pay rates in the private and public sectors
- Provides $5 million to improve employment recruiting to attract top talent to the County