The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors announced the creation of a Public Safety Funding Committee to identify and pursue long-term funding sources for several public safety initiatives. The Board of Directors has carefully selected and appointed nine respected members of society to advance the Committee's important mission. The committee's structure and operations will reflect the proven model established by the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Prison Planning, established in 1997.
“In my Chairman’s Address earlier this month, I pledged to establish a Public Safety Funding Committee to explore sustainable funding options for our public safety and criminal justice systems,” said the Board of Supervisors District 1. said Jack Sellers, chairman of the board. “This commission will allow us to work more closely with the public to transparently fund public safety and deliver superior value to hardworking taxpayers.”
The committee is being formed to address the expiration of the prison excise tax. The prison excise tax is a 1/5 cent tax approved by voters in 1998 and extended for another 20 years in 2002. This tax funds the construction, maintenance, and operation of adult and juvenile facilities. It is expected to generate an estimated $270 million in revenue in 2024.
The Public Safety Funding Committee will work with key stakeholders to determine long-term funding options. This review includes an evaluation of existing adult and juvenile prison facilities, current prison master plans, current prison capital improvement plans, and probation and other recidivism programs that impact public safety funding. The committee plans to submit its recommendations to the Supervisory Board by the end of the year.
Each member of the Supervisory Board appoints one member of the committee, and the Chairman of the Management Board appoints two members. The remaining individuals were appointed by the county attorney (MCAO), the sheriff (MCSO), and the presiding judge of the superior court. Committee members come from a variety of backgrounds and career fields, including law enforcement, correctional health, criminal justice, politics, and business. The nine people appointed to the committee are as follows:
- John Lewis, Chairman
- Dr. Heather Carter, District 1
- District 2 Deputy Chief Dan Butler
- Chief Brian Tobin, District 3
- Jason Baran, District 4
- Marissa Calderon, District 5
- Kimber Lanning, MCAO
- Dawn Noggle, MCSO
- Barbara Broderick, Superior Court
Brian Schmidt is tasked with ensuring the committee completes the tasks given to it by the Board of Supervisors. He most recently served as Executive Director of the Arizona Independent Zoning Commission and Chief of Staff for District 2 on the Phoenix City Council.
The Public Safety Funding Board was modeled after the Citizens Advisory Committee on Prison Planning, created in 1997. The commission held 19 public hearings, received input from citizens and nationally recognized prison experts, assessed the county's criminal justice system needs, and proposed funding solutions. did. This committee introduced a measure to put the original prison sales tax proposal on the ballot, which was approved by voters in November 1998.
Maricopa County residents can learn more about the Public Safety Funding Commission and provide feedback on the commission's progress at Maricopa.gov/SafetyFunding.
