Published on May 07, 2024
More money in our pockets, more officers and firefighters safeguarding our streets, and major investments in roads and jobs are all on the immediate horizon, as City Council approved the 2024-2025 tentative budget this week. This marks just the beginning of an exciting era for Maricopa, with Mayor Smith emphasizing in her State of the City Address the notion of seizing the moment: "Day one or one day. You decide." Gone are the days of merely dreaming about future projects; with the recent budget approval, we have embarked on a new 'day one' and are poised at the starting line of the next phase of progress. View the full presentation given at Tuesday’s council meeting below.
Here are the big takeaways from the presentation made to council:
For the sixth consecutive year, Maricopa residents will benefit from a reduction in property taxes. The tentative budget includes a 7% decrease from last year, contributing to a remarkable 25% decrease in property taxes over the past five years. This continued effort reflects our dedication to fiscally responsible decisions for our residents and businesses while maintaining and improving services and infrastructure. Because of Maricopa's ongoing growth, we are able to reduce these taxes despite declining state-shared revenues impacted by Arizona’s newly implemented flat rate income tax.
One of the key highlights of this year's budget is the balanced growth between revenues and expenditures. Over the last three years, revenues have increased by 26.7%, and have outpaced the growth in expenditures, which stood at 22.1% over the same period. “Some people may see a gap between the money coming in and the money being spent and ask, ‘Why are we stockpiling money?’,” Kozlowski says. “We’re not. We are able to invest the difference back into our city with our capital improvement projects, thereby enhancing our streets and infrastructure, and ensuring we remain a safe community for many years to come.” A few highlights of the $150 million Capital Improvement Plan budget include:
$12.474 Million for Eagle Wing Land Purchase – Tied to the city’s economic development goals to bring in businesses to provide more jobs in our community. Creating an employment destination in Maricopa will keep more vehicles off of State Route 347.
$4.081 Million for Smith-Enke & SR347 Intersection Improvements – A stress point in our city, this project will improve access from Smith-Enke Rd to State Route 347 reducing commute times for residents and making our roads safer.
$16.199 Million for a Recreation Field House – This new facility will allow for greater recreation opportunities, as well as contribute to the city becoming a premier destination for sports tourism.
Some of these projects will impact residents while they are being completed. Maricopa City Manager Ben Bitter says it’s important to look beyond this initial inconvenience and to find ways that we each can contribute to the success of our community. “We must enhance our civility, focusing on the solutions instead of the temporary growing pains that will surely come on our path to lasting achievement… as we literally build a place that is worthy of our affection.”
The City of Maricopa remains steadfast in its mission to unlock the full potential of our community, creating a thriving and durable environment for all residents. To achieve this goal, the budget prioritizes investments aligned with four key objectives:
Maintain and Enhance Maricopa's Physical Environment
Ensure a Safe and Secure Community
Promote Economic Vitality and Sustainable Growth
Be a Premier City
A notable aspect of this commitment is the allocation of resources to critical areas such as public safety, street infrastructure, and economic development. In fact, an impressive 61.6% of all new budget approvals are dedicated to public safety initiatives. “I love that there are three firefighters and four police officer positions being added because I get asked if we are keeping up with where we need to be,” Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith shared. “I feel confident that we are headed in the right direction as we strive to keep Maricopa one of the safest communities in the state.” The final budget adoption is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4, where further deliberations and adjustments may be made within the established spending limit.