(The Center Square) – Maricopa County’s proposed $4.157 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2027 is up $150 million from FY 2026. But the county says it’s lowering the overall property tax rate.
The county’s Phoenix-based Board of Supervisors adopted the tentative budget in May and is scheduled to vote on final approval on June 22.
Maricopa County said it’s setting the tax rate to collect the same level of money on existing properties as it did in FY 2021.
The county is getting new revenue from taxes on new construction and growth in the county, according to Kate Brophy McGee, chair of the county Board of Supervisors. She discussed the budget with The Center Square.
The FY 2027 budget proposal levies property taxes at a level $278.4 million below the maximum the county could receive from them.
Page Patterson Gonzales, chief of staff for Brophy McGee, told The Center Square by email that Maricopa County is “collecting the same amount of tax revenue from existing properties” as it did in FY 2021.
“Existing property owners are not saving on taxes,” Gonzales said. “Property values went up significantly in the last few years, and the board cut the rate to try to mitigate the impact on taxpayers.”
Supervisor Debbie Lesko added that keeping residents’ “taxes as low as possible has always been one” of her top priorities.
“This year, we are once again voting to cut your property tax rate, showing that Maricopa County leads the way in fiscal responsibility,” she said.
Brophy McGee told The Center Square that the 2027 budget’s $150 million increase over the 2026 budget is due to inflation and state-mandated costs that make up 20% of the county’s budget. She said state-mandated costs have increased by almost 47% over the last five years.
The two drivers of the increase are “behavioral health and long-term care for the elderly,” according to Brophy McGee.
She noted the county rejected an estimated $50 million in new money requests. She added that the board knew that developing a budget for FY 2027 would not be easy.
“To best serve our taxpayers, we had to say ‘no’ to most [new] spending requests,” she said. “However, I am proud we found efficiencies to ensure we provide the same level of services and give some relief to taxpayers while safeguarding against an economic downturn.”
She noted the county is not in debt.
Brophy McGee called the proposal a “very lean budget,” with its primary income coming from state shared revenues and property taxes.
The budget continues the county’s funding for correctional health services to help reduce inmate intake time.
Brophy McGee said the county hired contract nurses and additional staff at jails to allow prisoners to be checked in immediately, rather than having police officers wait around to check them in.
The program has reduced inmate intake time by 40%, according to a Maricopa County press release.
The FY 2027 budget includes one-time funding for the West Valley Animal Shelter and Vulture Mountains Recreation Area.
The budget allocates $30.7 million to Vulture Mountains Recreation Area, which is under development near Phoenix. The budget also provides $5.3 million for a new animal shelter, also near Phoenix. The shelter is set to open during summer 2028.
Maricopa County’s budget will also provide one-time funding for two pilot programs.
The first program seeks to reduce the shortage in beds and treatment delays for people experiencing serious mental health issues. Brophy McGee said the program’s funding is $600,000.
The second program will help people facing eviction in the city of Phoenix. The program, which is the result of a city-county partnership, is projected to cost the county $800,000.
