Source: Maricopa Countyย
Maricopa County is putting hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds to immediate use helping people impacted by theย COVID-19ย pandemic while also pulling back on discretionary spending unrelated to the crisis.ย The Board of Supervisors approved the final $3.071Bย budget for fiscal year 2021.ย The bulk of spending is focused on core responsibilities like public safety, with an increased amount dedicated to community health.โฏย
โThese are difficult times.ย This budget focuses on what people need right now: investments in their safety, their health, and their economic wellbeing, all within our state mandates, all without raising the tax rate,โ said Board of Supervisors Chairmanย Clint Hickman,ย District 4.ย โBecause weโve planned well and taken a conservative fiscal approach during the good times, we have the capacity to respond effectively to this crisis while continuing to fund other priorities like planning and executing successful elections.โโฏย
The overall county budget increased this year in large part because of an injection of federal funding through theย Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.ย As the nationโs fastest-growing county with the 3rd largest public health jurisdiction, Maricopa County received more than $398Mย to combat COVID-19, money that is being spent on priorities such as personal protective equipment, hiring extra case investigators, and mitigating the spread of disease among vulnerable populations.โฏย
As the scope of the pandemic and its economic impact became clearer, Maricopa County leadership considered new revenue and spending projectionsย โย assuming a recession scenario for major revenue streamsย โย and then took steps to reduce costs including:โฏย
- Two percentย reduction of General and Detention Fund operating budgetsโฏย
- Re-prioritization of capital projects based on adjusted available fundsโฏย
- Require Special Revenue funds to submit budget plans with no additional money from the General or Detention fundsโฏย
The FY 2021 budget keeps the combined tax rate flat and maintains structural balance.ย Maricopa Countyโs tax levy is $140.5Mย below the maximum.โฏย
As in years past, a significant portion (44ย percent) of the county budget is allocated to criminal justice and public safety with the next largest percentage covering health, welfare, and sanitation (32ย percent).ย โฏย
New investments in FY 2021 include projects such as:โฏย
- Theย Southeast Regional Justice Centerย and theย Sheriffโs Office Avondale Substationโฏย
- Additional staff in jails and probation officersโฏย
- Improvements to the regional park systemโฏย
- An increase in dollars for animal control enforcement in unincorporated areasย
The county will also continue to invest in new technology across departments and elected offices.ย