A unanimous Maricopa County Board of Supervisors adopted a budget of $2.21 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, some $8.6 million lower than the FY 2014 Budget. The operating budget will rise, with offsets in capital and technology spending.
The budget includes money for three new court divisions, salary increases for deputies and probation officers, and increases in the number of adult and juvenile probation staff. There are additional expenditures for detention operations in the jails as the inmate population continues to climb.
Maricopa County is estimating growth in sales and vehicle licenses taxes between 4.5 percent and 6.0 percent. Property taxes are expected to grow by $32.5 million, but the tax levy will be $50 million below the property tax level prior to the recessionary reductions in property values. The county will be $162.9 million or 26.9 percent below the maximum levy.
Zero-based budget reviews were completed for several large departments including the County Attorney’s Office and Public Defense Services.
Supervisor Steve Chucri said, “We collaborated with other county elected officials to shape a conservative budget that reflects our needs, not our wants. Everyone came together, understanding that the criminal justice system is complex and has long-standing needs that must be addressed.”
The new budget restores structural balance to the general fund, officials said. This means that reoccurring revenues exceed reoccurring expenditures. Reserves and contingency funds are included for when an economic downturn occurs.
“This balanced budget is really a culmination of a yearlong effort to build a new County strategic plan,” stated Supervisor Andy Kunasek, “as good fiscal stewards of the taxpayers, I am proud to deliver on our strategic priorities and goals in the most cost-efficient way possible.”
Supervisor Clint Hickman emphasized the importance of properly funding the criminal justice system and said, “Fifty one percent of our budget goes directly to criminal justice. The county budget reflects the complexity and ripple effects of the justice system. All are tied together: investigation and enforcement, prosecution, victims’ services, probation, defense costs, and incarceration. It must be a highly functioning system. Our citizens expect nothing less.”
Newly appointed Supervisor Marie Lopez Rogers was not on the board during its development over recent months. “I am impressed that the budget has incorporated the mission of being fiscally responsible while addressing the necessary public services so residents can enjoy living in a healthy and safe environment,” Rogers said. “I fully support and embrace this budget’s commitment to public safety and the criminal justice system. It is important to the county that we build trust and collaboration between MCSO, law enforcement in general, and the community.”