PHOENIX - A House panel gave its approval Tuesday to letting five border cities spend more money.


HCR 2026 would alter a provision of the state constitution that limits each city's spending based on a formula. The net effect would be a higher expenditure limit for small border-area communities.

One component of the existing spending limit is the community's population. Lori Tapia, a Douglas City Council member, said that does not consider the number of people the city really serves.

August 25, 2004 - On Aug. 16, county supervisors across the state set property tax rates for their constituents. In Pima County, the Board of Supervisors did what they've done for the past five years. They kept the primary tax rate at $4, for a combined county property tax rate of almost $5.50 per $100 of assessed value, a slight dip over last year.


Yet the amount of taxes collected continues to rise steadily.

Call it a finger in the dike, or one small step, but Maricopa County officials took action Wednesday to ward off sticker shock when residents pay their 2006-07 property taxes.


The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to impose a 2 percent cap on the levy increase for a pair of special districts governing library and flood-control services. The move comes against the backdrop of residential property valuations that are expected to increase by an average of 43 percent when assessments are released next month.

New sales taxes may be in the future for some Valley residents as cities grasp for ways to widen growth-choked freeways ahead of the schedule approved by voters only 14 months ago.


The extent of desperation is evident in a political coalition built by Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye and Litchfield Park, where officials are discussing whether to ask voters to approve city sales-tax increases. New taxes would allow the cities to jump-start Interstate 10's expansion to next year instead of having to wait until 2011.

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors approved a tentative $498 million budget this week, topping last year's budget by nearly $100 million.


County officials said the 2007-08 fiscal year budget will reduce the primary property tax rate and will put money toward public safety and transportation.

Jennifer Schuldt of the Arizona Tax Research Association, asked a variety of questions about La Paz County's finances at the annual interview with the Board of Supervisors.


ATRA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization which analyzes each Arizona county's financial picture and tax rate.

Schuldt, who serves as vice president of ATRA has come to La Paz several times prior; and informed the supervisors La Paz County was her final county stop, at the Aug. 1 meeting.

Gilbert voters will be asked to approve several provisions on Tuesday’s ballot, including a $174 million bond issue aimed at improving town roads and an $82 million school construction bond package.


Town and school district officials argue proceeds from the bond issues, repaid through homeowner property taxes, will fill vital needs in the growing area.

Traffic congestion is the biggest complaint throughout the town, said Town Councilman Don Skousen.

Queen Creek has the highest per capita municipal debt in Arizona, and neighboring Gilbert ranks seventh for total municipal debt.


The information is reflected in an analysis by the Department of Revenue's Debt Oversight Commission and was released Monday by the Arizona Tax Research Association. Officials from both towns and an analyst with the Arizona Tax Research Association said the rankings aren't surprising with both towns growing and needing the money to put significant infrastructure in place for residents.

Queen Creek has put a lot of time and effort into preserving its small-town feel amid the waves of development washing east from Gilbert and north from Pinal County.


But pushing back against such a tide can require a lot of money, even beyond the expected expenses of dealing with growth within its own borders.

For those of us looking under rocks for the nation's Next Great Financial Crisis - failing investment banks and spiraling home-mortgage disasters? Bah! - bankrupt cities suddenly look promising.


Late last month, the city of Vallejo, Calif., came within hours of declaring bankruptcy, largely because it no longer could bear the weight of the salaries and retirement benefits it pays its employees.