Fall 2013
Supervisor Barney has made the County budget
one of his top priorities. Beginning in August, he has been systematically meeting with each County
department to discuss individual budgets in greater depth. This has resulted in
increased trust and understanding, as well as opportunities to discuss
his core philosophy of fiscal responsibility and restraint.
Where our revenue comes from
 Maricopa County’s two
major sources of revenue are property tax and its share of the sales, vehicle
license and highway user taxes collected by the State of Arizona. Aside from the 5.94% sales tax used for
construction and operation of detention facilities, the County does not have a
sales tax of its own. For a more
detailed view of County revenues, click here.
How our revenue is spent
 County government’s primary
responsibility is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. About
75% of every dollar we spend goes to law enforcement, court and probation
operations, and to regulate food and environmental safety. The remaining 25% funds everything else and,
with some exceptions, is primarily focused on the unincorporated County. For more information, click here.
FY
2013 County controlled property taxes make up less than 12% of total property
taxes.
The
Board of Supervisors followed their tax cutting pledge in setting the county
property tax rate – which resulted in a $33 million drop in taxes countywide.
In
Arizona, counties are obligated to collect property taxes on behalf of the
various jurisdictions that impose them.
Thus, Maricopa County collects property taxes for cities, school
districts, community colleges, special improvement districts and even the State
of Arizona. This can lead to some confusion as to who is responsible when
property taxes go up.
The
portion of your property tax bill that is used to fund Maricopa County
government, and which is set by the Board of Supervisors, is about 11.7%. This
includes not only general County government, but the Flood Control and Library
Districts as well. Although it is a
small part of the overall pie, it is still a sizable amount.
 In Fiscal Year 2013, property taxes collected
by the Maricopa County Treasurer, amounted to more than $4 billion. Of that amount, $496.6 million went to fund
County government. In the current Fiscal
Year 2014, however, Supervisor Barney and the other members of the Board of
Supervisors voted on a budget that will result in an actual decrease in
the county portion of your tax bill.
To learn more about the property taxes levied on
your home or business or get a copy of your actual property tax statement, click here.
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Under the direction of the
Board of Supervisors, a formal task force has been put together to review
Planning and Development processes and services and identify opportunities to
reduce regulation and improve customer service. The task force includes both members
our Planning and Development staff and an outstanding group of community
stakeholders. Supervisor Barney and Supervisor Chucri have been an integral
part of this process. The Task Force is currently broken into the following
subcommittees for review:
-
Drainage
- Customer Service
- Regulatory Reform
- Permitting
The Development Ad Hoc Task Force is on track to bring forth
written recommendations to the Board of Supervisors by the end of the year.
If you have comments or
suggestions that you wish to be considered, please email barneyd@mail.maricopa.gov.
 This fall, Supervisor
Barney has had many opportunities to share the work he and his colleagues are
engaged in here at Maricopa County. In September he spoke at the Sun Lakes
Republican Club, Chandler Rotary, and Legislative District 12.
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He has also been a
strong presence representing Maricopa County at many community events including
the Town of Gilbert’s Mayors Ambassador Forum, Greater Phoenix Economic
Council, Sun Lakes Country Club Board of Directors luncheon, and the
groundbreaking of the new LDS Institute at ASU’s Poly Tech Campus.
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On September 25th the Board of Supervisors voted
to approve a six-month trial permit for new restaurants located in buildings
not specifically designed or constructed for dining. The concept known as “adaptive
reuse” has seen great success in Phoenix, Scottsdale and elsewhere
allowing for some of the Valley’s most interesting restaurants to spring up in
old post offices, banks, beauty parlors and private homes.
“This change to the regulatory code is a great way
to encourage innovation, while not sacrificing safety standards,” explained
Supervisor Barney.
During the six-month
trial permit period, the restaurants would be subjected to at least two county
health inspections. The trial permit expires after six months. If the
restaurant qualifies, it will transition into a regular 12-month permit.
In addition, during the permit time, the establishment must comply with
the same high health and safety standards (like food temperature, hygiene and
other health risk-related items) that the department demands of any restaurant
or food establishment.
The Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD)
was established as a result of the Federal Clean Air Act. The department
attainment of these federal standards ensures both clean air for our citizens, as well
the county not having to pay fines for non-compliance.
MCAQD processes more than 6000 air quality
permits each year. It also operates 24 air monitoring sites and performs more
than 10,000 compliance inspections per year.
The “Air Quality Rapid Response Program” was established
in 2010 and is a public-private partnership using email and text alerts to
notify subscribers when PM10 (“dust”) levels at an air quality
monitor have reached high levels. Over 7,000 subscribers from all walks of life
participate in this program. The EPA awarded the department a Clean Air
Excellence Award for this program in 2012.
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MCAQD is also the
first department in Maricopa County to produce a mobile app, providing a
resource that easily allows residents to access real-time information about the
air they breathe. And submit complaints on the go. This unique push-pull app with over 6,000
downloads won a 2013 American Marketing Association Spectrum Award.
For more information, click here.
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The Maricopa County Library District provides access to a wealth of informational and educational resources for people of all ages and backgrounds
so that they may have the opportunity to expand their horizons through reading
and learning.
“We look at the donations we accept every week
for the Maricopa County Library System and are grateful,” said Supervisor
Barney. We realize that beneath and
behind every donation are people who are working hard to serve and make a
difference. We talk about a lot of big
numbers here at Maricopa County, but I don’t want the little ones to get lost. Your
generosity is appreciated.”
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The County recently held a “Pillars of Honor” Ceremony to celebrate 29 current and
former employees. Honorees were divided into three groups: those who have
retired with 30 or more years of service to Maricopa County, those who have
received significant regional or national recognition and those who have lost
their lives during service. Concrete pillars are located in front of the Board of
Supervisors Auditorium to honor these honorees.
“These pillars honor the outstanding service
Maricopa County employees deliver to the community day in and day out,” said
Supervisor Barney.
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District 1 has the following open
volunteer board position:
Travel Reduction Program Regional
Taskforce
Employers with 50 or more workers in Maricopa
County are obligated by State law to implement
a Trip Reduction Plan to encourage alternate ways for their employees to
commute to and from work. The objective of the Maricopa County Travel
Reduction Program (TRP) Regional Task Force is to review, approve, enforce and
make recommendations to the annual Trip Reduction Plans submitted by such
employers. If you live in District 1 and have an interest in public
service and cleaner air, please contact us at the number below. Visit the Travel
Reduction Program (TRP) Regional Task Force page for more
information.
Please let us know how we can better serve you.
Best regards,
Denny Barney, District 1
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
www.maricopa.gov/dist1/
602-506-1776
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