PIMA COUNTY – Gov. Doug Ducey’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget proposal, which was released on Jan. 18, includes the elimination of a long-standing state cost-shift to the County and added funding for an important local technical education program.

The Governor’s budget plan proposes the resumption of full state funding for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. Previous state budget plans has required counties to remit funding to the state for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, where the state houses some juvenile offenders. This came at an additional cost to Pima County taxpayers of $1.8 million annually.

“We appreciate Gov. Ducey eliminating this past inequity from the State budget,” said Pima County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Elías. “For Pima County this was a particularly problematic issue because our County maintains a model juvenile justice system and sent very few minor offenders into state custody.”

The Governor’s budget proposal for FY 2020 also includes increased funding for Pima Community College.

As proposed, the state spending plan would add $20 million to Pima Community College’s Aviation Technology Center. The additional funding will allow PCC to increase the education and training opportunities in the community for those seeking to enter the growing aircraft industry and aviation maintenance industries.

“Increasing state funding for this program at Pima Community College will result in expanded opportunities for residents to attend college and acquire the necessary training and skills to work in an important industry,” Elías said. “State support for higher education and technical training is a key factor to improving the regional economy and the lives of our residents.”

County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said the proposed state support comes at a time when more companies have expressed an interest in relocating or expanding in Pima County and will need a qualified workforce.

“This is welcome news from the Governor’s office and fits well with our Economic Development objectives, which include promoting Aerospace, Defense and Technology related business,” Huckelberry said.

Prices for U.S. imports decreased 1.0 percent in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, after a 1.9-percent fall the previous month. Lower fuel prices drove the decline in December, and nonfuel prices recorded no change. U.S. export prices fell 0.6 percent in December following a 0.8-percent drop in November.

Imports
U.S. import prices declined 1.0 percent in December, after decreasing 1.9 percent in November and rising 0.5 percent in October. The November drop was the largest monthly decline since the index fell 3.2 percent in January 2015. Prices for imports decreased 0.6 percent in 2018 following a 3.2-percent increase the previous year. The decline in 2018 was the first calendar-year drop since import prices fell 8.3 percent in 2015.

Fuel Imports: Prices for import fuel declined 9.2 percent in December, after a 13.3-percent drop the previous month. The December decrease was driven by an 11.6-percent decline in petroleum prices which more than offset a 30.3-percent advance in natural gas prices. Import fuel prices fell 10.4 percent in 2018 following a 21.8-percent increase the previous year. The 2018 decline is the first calendar-year decrease since 2015, when import fuel prices fell 41.0 percent. In 2018, a 14.0-percent drop in petroleum prices more than offset a 67.6-percent increase in prices for natural gas.

All Imports Excluding Fuel: Prices for nonfuel imports recorded no change in December, after declining 0.3 percent in November. Higher prices for consumer goods; automotive vehicles; and foods, feeds, and beverages offset price declines for capital goods and nonfuel industrial supplies and materials. Nonfuel import prices advanced 0.5 percent in 2018 following a 1.3-percent rise in 2017. The price index for nonfuel imports has not recorded a calendar-year decline since a 3.4-percent drop in 2015. In 2018, higher prices for nonfuel industrial supplies and materials; consumer goods; and automotive vehicles drove the increase in nonfuel import prices.

Nonfuel Industrial Supplies and Materials: Prices for nonfuel industrial supplies and materials edged down 0.1 percent in December, after falling 0.2 percent the previous month. A 0.9-percent decline in prices for chemicals drove the December decrease.

Finished Goods: Finished goods prices were mostly up in December. Prices for consumer goods and automotive vehicles each ticked up 0.1 percent. In contrast, capital goods prices edged down 0.1 percent.

Foods, Feeds, and Beverages: Foods, feeds, and beverages prices rose 0.1 percent in December, after declining 2.2 percent the previous month. The December increase was led by a 10.9-percent advance in vegetable prices.

Exports
U.S. export prices fell 0.6 percent in December following a 0.8-percent decrease in November. Nonagricultural prices declined in December, more than offsetting higher prices for agricultural goods. Despite the December downturn, U.S. export prices increased 1.1 percent in 2018. The price index for U.S. exports has not recorded a calendar-year decrease since falling 6.6 percent in 2015.

Agricultural Exports: Prices for agricultural exports advanced 3.9 percent in December, the largest increase for the index since a 4.8-percent rise in August 2012. The December advance follows a 1.7-percent rise in November and a 0.1-percent drop in October. Price increases for soybeans and nuts contributed to the December advance, more than offsetting lower fruit prices. Agricultural export prices rose 2.5 percent in 2018, after increasing 1.9 percent in 2017. The 2018 increase was the largest calendar-year advance since the price index for agricultural exports rose 13.4 percent in 2012.

All Exports Excluding Agriculture: Prices for nonagricultural exports decreased 1.1 percent in December, after declining 1.0 percent in November and rising 0.5 percent in October. The December drop matched the decrease in December 2015; those were the largest monthly declines since the index fell 1.3 percent in August 2015. Lower prices for nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials led the December decrease, more than offsetting rising consumer goods and automotive vehicles prices. Despite the December decline, nonagricultural export prices advanced 1.0 percent in 2018.

Nonagricultural Industrial Supplies and Materials: The price index for nonagricultural industrial supplies and materials decreased 3.4 percent in December, the largest monthly decline since falling 3.7-percent in August 2015. An 8.4-percent drop in prices for export fuel drove the December decline.

Finished Goods: Finished goods prices mostly rose in December. The price indexes for consumer goods and automotive vehicles each ticked up 0.1 percent. Export capital goods prices recorded no change in December following a 0.1-percent drop in November. In 2018, automotive vehicles export prices rose 0.9 percent, the largest calendar-year increase since advancing 2.6 percent in 2011.Measures of Import and Export Prices by Locality
Imports by Locality of Origin: The price index for imports from China recorded no change in December. Prices for imports from China decreased 0.2 percent in 2018 and have not risen on a calendar-year basis since advancing 3.6 percent in 2011. Import prices from Japan edged down 0.1 percent for the second consecutive month in December. Despite the monthly decreases, prices for imports from Japan rose 1.0 percent in 2018. Prices for imports from Canada declined 1.5 percent in December and fell 6.1 percent in 2018, the largest calendar-year drop since a 15.1-percent decrease in 2015. The price index for imports from Mexico declined 0.5 percent in December and prices for imports from the European Union fell 0.1 percent over the same period.

Exports by Locality of Destination: Export prices to China decreased 0.3 percent in December following a 0.1-percent drop the previous month. The price index for exports to China declined 1.5 percent in 2018. Prices for exports to Japan fell 0.2 percent in December, after recording no change in November and rising 0.2 percent in October. In 2018, export prices to Japan rose 0.5 percent. Prices for exports to Canada increased 2.2 percent in December, and advanced 7.3 percent in 2018. The price index for exports to Mexico fell 0.9 percent in December. Despite the monthly decrease, export prices to Mexico increased 1.6 percent in 2018. Prices for exports to the European Union declined 0.7 percent in December, after rising in each of the previous 3 months. The December drop was the largest 1-month decrease for export prices to the European Union since the index was first published in December 2017. In 2018, export prices to the European Union advanced 3.2 percent.

Terms of Trade Indexes: Terms of Trade indexes are based on country, region, or grouping and measure the change in the purchasing power of exports relative to imports. The index for U.S. terms of trade with China decreased 0.3 percent in December, driven by decreasing export prices to China. Overall, the U.S. terms of trade with China declined 1.3 percent in 2018. The U.S. terms of trade with Japan edged down 0.1 percent in December following 0.1-percent increases the previous 2 months. In 2018, the index for U.S. terms of trade with Japan fell 0.5 percent. The U.S. terms of trade with Canada rose 3.8 percent in December and increased 14.3 percent in 2018. The index for U.S. terms of trade with the European Union declined 0.6 percent in December and the U.S. terms of trade with Mexico fell 0.4 percent. Despite the monthly decreases, the U.S. terms of trade with the European Union and Mexico each advanced 1.8 percent in 2018.

Import and Export Services:
Imports: The index for import air passenger fares rose 7.6 percent in December following increases of 0.7 percent in November and October. Higher Asian and Latin American/Caribbean fares drove the rise in December. Import air passenger fares advanced 1.8 percent in 2018, after increasing 4.2 percent in 2017. Prices for import air freight decreased 2.7 percent in December following a 0.7-percent advance the previous month. The index for import air freight prices rose 4.1 percent in 2018 and has not recorded a calendar-year decrease since falling 3.1 percent in 2015.

Exports: Export air passenger fares advanced 1.4 percent in December, after edging up 0.1 percent the previous month. Higher Asian and European fares contributed to the monthly increase. The index for export air passenger fares fell 5.0 percent in 2018 following a 5.8-percent drop in 2017. Prices for export air freight declined for the second consecutive month in December, edging down 0.1 percent. Despite the monthly decrease, export air freight prices rose 3.4 percent in 2018, the largest calendar-year increase since a 5.8-percent advance in 2014.

Tucson, Arizona — Brett Anderson, Vice President of Cadden Community Management recently joined the elite group of community association managers who have earned the Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM®) credential from Community Associations Institute (CAI). Anderson is one of more than 2,200 managers worldwide who have earned the highest level of professional recognition in the community association field.

More than 60 million Americans live in an estimated 315,000 association-governed communities.

Brett was born and raised in Tucson and holds a Bachelor’s degree in environmental microbiology with a minor in business administration from the University of Arizona. She joined the Cadden team in 2012 as a portfolio manager. She is now responsible for overseeing a team of community managers, as well as being responsible for quality assurance.

Cadden Community Management has enjoyed over 30 years of success in the association management industry. Today, the company is responsible for maintaining and increasing property values of homes in over 225 communities in Tucson, Green Valley and Sierra Vista.

To earn the PCAM credential, managers must have five years of community association management experience and complete more than 100 hours of course work. In addition, credentialed PCAMs must fulfill continuing education and service requirements, as well as adhere to a code of ethics.

“Professionals who earn CAI credentials maximize the value they can provide to their community association clients,” said CAI Chief Executive Officer Thomas M. Skiba, CAE. “Not only have these professionals demonstrated a personal commitment to self-improvement, but they have also elevated their practical knowledge and expertise. That’s what all community associations need, and what board members and residents deserve.”

Professional managers provide administrative, operational and managerial counsel to the boards that govern homeowners and condominium associations. Managers typically are responsible for managing budgets and contractors, directing association personnel and overseeing compliance with association covenants and restrictions.

CAI is an international organization dedicated to building better communities. CAI and its 60 chapters work on behalf of the professionals and volunteers engaged in the management and governance of homeowner and condominium associations, cooperatives and other planned communities. CAI’s nearly 32,000 members include community association volunteer leaders, managers, management companies and businesses that provide products and services to these communities.

More information is available at www.caionline.org.