Maricopa Currents: County News for You

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COUNTY NEWS ROOM | May 16, 2022

County Budget Vote Today

The FY 2023 budget is focused on addressing the rising costs of good and services head-on.

Today at 9:30 am, the Budget Office will present the tentative FY 2023 budget to the Board of Supervisors with a vote to follow the presentation. The Chairman's Office guides the budget process, which started way back in January, with board staff, budget staff, and department and elected leaders working together to outline priorities and spending needs. Among the considerations this year:

Addressing pension debt
Allocating federal recovery funds to strengthen our community and improve people's lives
Supporting residents and county staff at a time of rising inflation

Watch the presentation live >

HEADLINE STORIES

Who's the Big Winner? Us!

The National Association of Counties announced its 2022 NACo Achievement Award winners, and guess what, we did pretty well! Maricopa County departments and elected offices won more than 40 awards, many of them for technology advances or pandemic-related services. You can see the full list here (just search by state). We'll share more information about these award-winning programs in the coming months!

Election News x 3

The work of the Elections Department and Recorder's Office has been front and center over the past few weeks. On May 2, the Board of Supervisors approved a comprehensive plan for the August and November 2022 elections that expands voting access and enhances security and transparency. And board members and Recorder Richer remain committed to countering misinformation about our election workers and operations. On May 4, they provided their official response to the Arizona Attorney General, who has spent six months investigating claims the County has already debunked about the 2020 election. And this Wednesday, Chairman Bill Gates will be part of a national panel discussion on free, fair, and secure elections if you'd like to tune in.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Downtown Construction Update

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but for the 9,000 or so employees who work in downtown Phoenix, getting in and out of the office is going to be a little tougher for the next few weeks. New closures on Jefferson Street (due to the light rail construction) will result in detours for traffic heading eastbound and delays for most everyone.

Get the details >

Saving Money on Fuel

Did you know, Equipment Services supports more than 3,400 county vehicles, and that the cost of fueling those vehicles as of April 30, 2022 has been 4.9 million dollars? If you drive a county vehicle, there are things you can do to cut down on costs.

Reduce engine idling
Turn off engine while making deliveries or stuck in traffic
Watch your speed, braking, and acceleration

New Resource for Job Seekers

Libraries are great at connecting the community to the resources, information, and services they need. And that's what makes a new agreement between the Library District and the county's workforce development team so great! It will enable job seekers to access career counseling and employment services from the comfort of their nearest county library.

Read the press release >

Commit to One Day!

Each one of us can have a positive impact on the quality of the air we breathe in Maricopa County, from the types of products we buy to the way we get around town. Air Quality's "Commit to One Day, Help Keep Ozone Away" campaign is about something bigger than any individual--it's about improving the quality of life for all residents, especially children and those with breathing difficulties whose wellbeing depends on clean air.

Get started at CleanAirMakeMore.com >

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

National Women's Health Week

On Twitter, we highlighted a new Public Health program giving newborns and moms the best chance to thrive.

Be Mentally Fit

On Facebook, we encouraged people to remember to prioritize their mental health.

Stay Calm

Triple-digit heat is here and likely will be for months. But on TikTok we're reminding you...whatever you do... to PLEASE STAY CALM.

CAPTION CONTEST

Congratulations, Martha Pelkey!

It's not every day you see a dog paging through a book... and looking pretty focused, too! We liked the caption from Martha Pelkey in the Finance Department, who imagined the dog wondering, "Why am I not listed in the Acknowledgements?" Why indeed.

Thank you Martha, and everyone who submitted a caption!

Now for this issue's photo...

Submit your caption online

This one's in honor of the Suns (deep sigh). Keri March in HR named her dog, McGee, a tribute to her favorite Suns' player, JaVale McGee. All he needs is the headband! If you have a caption for this photo, or maybe a message to pass onto fellow Suns' fans after last night's tough loss, send it our way using the link above. Or you email us your favorite pet pic and we may use it in a future issue of Currents.