Maricopa County Supervisors are lowering property tax rates for the fourth consecutive year while reducing the countywide budget by 11 percent. The final fiscal year 2025 budget unanimously approved today demonstrates the board's commitment to easing the burden on families and individuals amid rising prices and continuing statewide fiscal challenges.

“This is a budget that supports future growth and quality of life issues while guarding against a potential recession,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Sellers, who represents District 1. “And because we've crafted our budget prudently in the past, we can lower tax rates while still making significant investments in high-priority areas like public safety, election administration, workforce development and heat protection.”

The final budget approval came after a legislative session that had to address a statewide budget deficit. While counties across Arizona are dealing with declining sales tax revenue, Maricopa County's longstanding conservative budgeting policies have put it in a better position than others to address these challenges.

“I am proud to vote in favor of a budget that puts taxpayers first,” said District 2 Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin. “We have fewer taxes and expenses this year, but we are still providing our residents with great customer service through our new online permit system, improvements to our animal shelter, and giving people a safe, secure and convenient way to vote in this year’s election.”

The $3.87 billion county budget includes many measures to protect taxpayers, including paying $257.1 million less than the maximum taxes allowed by state law, even though some other counties have the highest taxes allowed by state law.

The commissioners lowered the county's main property tax rate for the fourth consecutive year to 1.16 ($116 for a $100,000 home). The 2021 rate was 1.4.

The county also reaped financial benefits from paying off unfunded pension liabilities for retired law enforcement employees for the second consecutive year. By paying off large amounts of debt at low interest rates in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, board members ensured that pension liabilities would be a lower burden on taxpayers in this and future budgets.

“The budget I approved today delivers great value to our residents by investing in programs and projects that make our community safer and more economically and culturally vibrant,” said Supervisor Bill Gates, District 3. “This budget funds the staffing and technology to ensure our July and November elections are safe, secure, and accurate. And we've done all this while reducing taxes.”

Behind the Numbers

Maricopa County is an efficient government, spending less than $1,000 per resident, while some counties of a similar size spend three or four times that amount.

Maricopa County has a lean and efficient workforce with 3.3 employees per 1,000 residents, one of the lowest ratios in the country.

Maricopa County has maintained low property tax rates for its residents, with taxes increasing by less than 3% over the past five years.

Public safety funding accounts for 47% of the total budget, covering core services such as law enforcement, jails, probation, courts, and criminal prosecution and defense. The County Attorney's Office and Adult Probation have contingency funds to handle anticipated staffing increases. A committee established by Chairman Sellers is exploring long-term funding sources for public safety priorities.

Another priority is heat response. Maricopa County has led the nation in identifying and understanding heat-related deaths. After record numbers in 2023, the Department of Public Health created a heat response coordinator position and invested about $3 million in relief stations around the Valley that are open late into the night and on weekends. The Department of Human Resources has budgeted about $11 million for heat response in fiscal year 2025.

Meanwhile, Maricopa County has allocated all of the federal funding it received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in the wake of the pandemic, about $900 million, to public health and economic recovery efforts.

“Maricopa County is recognized as one of the best counties in the nation in providing career advancement and workforce development opportunities for our residents, and this budget will invest approximately $25 million more in that effort,” said District 4 Supervisor Clint Hickman. “We are training workers for high-demand occupations; Supporting people with significant barriers to employment When they gain the skills they need to get good-paying jobs, our entire community benefits.”

“I'm proud of the work we've done to use recovery funds to increase affordable housing, help people escape homelessness, connect people to new jobs and education, and improve our county's public health infrastructure,” said Supervisor Steve Gallardo, District 5. “Our FY 2025 budget continues to fund these important local priorities that expand access to opportunity for our residents, regardless of their circumstances.”

Major capital projects funded in fiscal year 2025 include a new West Valley Animal Shelter, an MCSO substation and warehouse project, a new Public Health Building, park and library improvements, renovations to the Southwest Juvenile Detention Center, and construction of a new Downtown Election Center.

For this year's election cycle, $29 million has been budgeted to support Maricopa County's 2024 primary and general elections.

An economist's perspective

Economist Jim Lowndes believes Maricopa County's budgeting practices “are the most formal, conservative and responsible practices I've ever seen in a government agency.”