[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6493020,"mediaKeyId","5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717","parentId",5776730,"title","Mayor Winfield: RTA Next package approved for March ballot, outreach to follow","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1811000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717&start=1811&end=1811","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717/thumbnail_1811000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6493020/Oro-Valley/Pima-County/Arizona/Mayor-Winfield-RTA-Next-package-approved-for-March-ballot-outreach-to-follow","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493020-c858939ce7a51bf60e7a8f97cafe77e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775001591&Signature=ZbZWurpnwgr6wxg3t4dH-RG2rfKcedhjHMke~uOZ6oN5wDkC~OX34eBAND~z8WSAMD8yBNJUdGP9VQoe1vXynbY3KDhQjHGYzqC-KGxpAoJfIlDGty2Ice8FjpFwY6owvGCSuzyu2~0K89a96NUdrWOQeipK6~HTnUxdQzOiK75sdRJijQ~KqCz4UTwTm8iBXoLEI-1svTz8OXt8GkEXv1EIw90Jx2owMVMWu2SD-ymqPz9ezX3~d0iY1VTKZ1EnElOHy3ONKuKMZXgJg1eVIRygEi1Imperbtc7~Bm1DcRv6pdTDcbTRSi5FpNj6aVYL~FTeAOXWdbhJ8sO-CYE2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oro Valley","date","2025-09-16T00:00:00Z","article","Mayor John Winfield addressed the Budget and Finance Commission near the end of the Sept. 16 meeting to summarize regional work on RTA Next.

Winfield said the existing RTA 1 sales-tax program will expire midyear 2026 and that local and regional committees have developed a successor package, \"RTA Next.\" He said the RTA board unanimously approved a $2.7 billion package on Aug. 25 and the Pima County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved placing it on a March ballot.

\"We will begin the process of public outreach to inform and educate the citizenry and voters of the importance of RTA Next to our region,\" Winfield said, urging commission members to follow the outreach and become informed. He also encouraged residents who support the package to discuss it with friends; he added an admonition for those who oppose it to \"keep it to yourself,\" language he used in the meeting.

Winfield said the package includes roadway projects, transit, environmental and safety projects; he encouraged commissioners and residents to participate in the forthcoming outreach and education, but made no request for a formal town position at the commission meeting.

That concluded the mayor’s remarks to the commission.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oro Valley - Budget and Finance Commission","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Winfield told the commission that the regional RTA Next package — a $2.7 billion proposal of roadway, transit and safety projects — was unanimously approved by the RTA board and Pima County supervisors for placement on a March ballot; outreach will begin to inform voters.","taxTitle","Oro Valley, Pima County, Arizona","taxId",55016,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6493024,"Budget and Finance Commission recommends Oro Valley council consider new tax categories and fee increases",739,1179000,1918000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717&start=1179&end=1918","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717/thumbnail_1179000.jpg","/articles/6493024/Oro-Valley/Pima-County/Arizona/Budget-and-Finance-Commission-recommends-Oro-Valley-council-consider-new-tax-categories-and-fee-increases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493024-72eb09404d07b4765ed821231e1ed0bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775001591&Signature=SUV89aY6kNgQpwjMKGAxYdvvi3EXNFrY8H7p92~wTsa1KH5dMe9OOPz54-vtsyrbZzswoGkeNWNbXbqHv6MdGNgGrcuWFrOx~-B6uKeOMeOzA~qLkiocukksUdwACos6vcjdac10dHJqp7xjjQonGdMKgYJwtUK8YmRpQgZO~qfTZnUsh6ccy7Lgv-MLo1W16HKTF-OhioLa7YaE-tGnP~D75RTboRSoAANBwQjRBKyViCHXEeo9SaesCBT2SLMWNMyOUE5FoW8UesUKZFaF-CVK4WFqOGGC1RcS9WEIZVVxvE4R7DZFIap7bgxtNWK~nF3CWHwiTtBMiXtAWDgL-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oro Valley Budget and Finance Commission voted Sept. 16 to recommend the Town Council consider a package of new tax categories and revised fees, including a proposed stormwater utility fee and parks and recreation fee adjustments.

Vice Chair Carlsberg made the motion to recommend council approval; Commissioner Okezie seconded, and Chair Garland declared the motion passed by voice vote. The commission’s formal motion was: \"to recommend to town council the approval of new taxes and the revised fees.\" The transcript does not list an itemized roll-call tally for the vote.

Michael Spathe, principal planner for the Town of Oro Valley, summarized the public outreach program that preceded the recommendation. He said staff took the proposals to council for feedback in June, held three online community engagement sessions in July and provided recordings online, and conducted a joint business forum with the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce to solicit input from local businesses.

Spathe said attendance at the online events was modest but the chamber forum was “pretty well attended” and produced substantive discussion. He asked the commission for a recommendation on three separate proposals: the new tax categories, the stormwater utility fee proposal and parks-and-recreation fee revisions.

Dave Gephardt, staff liaison, framed the proposals around cost pressures the town is facing. He said rising public-safety costs and higher costs for road maintenance and pavement preservation create a “pinch point” and that many fee categories have not been adjusted in roughly 10 years. \"If that standard cannot be maintained due to lagging revenues, then that needs to be addressed,\" he said.

Commissioners who spoke during the discussion praised staff outreach and expressed support for recommending the proposals to council. One concern raised during outreach and relayed at the meeting involved a proposed commercial rental tax. Gephardt said a business representative and a resident expressed worry that adding a commercial rental tax on top of existing property tax and rental costs could make operating in town more difficult for small businesses.

The commission asked when council would consider the proposals. Gephardt said staff planned a council study session on Oct. 1 and a possible final council action on Oct. 15.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of Aug. 19, 2025 meeting minutes — Motion passed by voice vote; transcript gives no roll-call tally and minute details were routine and uncontested.
- Recommendation on new taxes and revised fees — Motion by Vice Chair Carlsberg, second by Commissioner Okezie; Chair Garland declared motion passed by voice vote; individual vote tallies not specified in transcript.
- Adjournment — Motion passed; individual vote tallies not specified in transcript.

Staff indicated recordings of outreach events are posted to the town website and said they will present the proposals to Town Council in October for additional study and final action.","After a multi-month outreach effort, the commission voted to recommend town council consider proposed new tax categories and revisions to stormwater and parks fees; staff and some business representatives raised concerns about a proposed commercial rental tax.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6493031,"Oro Valley staff reports FY24–25 close with $21 million general fund balance, sales-tax shortfall",1049,256000,1305000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717&start=256&end=1305","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5776730-d0eb10ba7285272ea62f8b4443b79717/thumbnail_256000.jpg","/articles/6493031/Oro-Valley/Pima-County/Arizona/Oro-Valley-staff-reports-FY2425-close-with-21-million-general-fund-balance-sales-tax-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493031-523deb55c5e68f1c07498ae7532d3512/orig.mp4?Expires=1775001591&Signature=HFN6VIo~JWShN4K9-8bDSih5ShPNXyOsU3fQDNjOxQrpfuQZGra0SXh5tNf-w3Jl8A6H74vNAxWA87nNqsdjLvu-vHqRjql14kv-RreFdIKNJjhIDx1SrNMPv4M6YTcWpYsN~4-WpAnq0JZO2J5wIDwQ9m43hGDfpsQeWjtuFhUseFM7N2ME881wPB47kTB825eX2D4j9LKViE0gnXxu-u75amz4NZN5hAjdxQnWEmuuauj1cNKYRlh2WSEm~WQbCKbEepmqjoD4Xj9COa-75AypiMH9Un3lmBFi7o~KQLeDsOl10PWNTgZY4i3kTOVsuBv31C-KqPFPI0YAtx2ojA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dave Gephardt, staff liaison for the Oro Valley Budget and Finance Commission, presented the town’s fiscal year 2024–25 financial update at the commission’s Sept. 16 meeting.

Gephardt said total revenues were about $2.5 million lower than the prior fiscal year, primarily because local sales tax and state-shared revenues declined. He told commissioners the town ended the year about 99% of budgeted revenues, representing a shortfall of roughly $432,000, and that the change in the general fund balance decreased by about $1,070,000.

The report showed an estimated ending general fund balance of $21,000,000, which Gephardt said exceeds the town’s 30% reserve policy by roughly $6,400,000. He cautioned the presentation was not final while auditors complete their review: \"this report, even though it does encapsulate the entire fiscal year, there still may be some additional adjustments made, so it should not be considered final at this point,\" he said.

Gephardt reviewed major revenue drivers. Local sales tax collections underperformed budget (about 93% of budget for that category), with construction sales tax performing much worse than fiscal 2024; retail, bed tax and restaurant collections generally performed well. State-shared revenues were worse than the prior year but came in about 101% of budgeted expectations.

Permit and development-related revenues finished the year above budget overall, the presentation noted: staff issued 112 single-family residential permits versus 95 budgeted, and residential permit revenues helped that category finish at about 107% of budget despite lower dollar collections compared with fiscal 2024.

On the expenditure side, general fund outlays were about 94% of budget, producing roughly $3.27 million in expenditure savings that Gephardt attributed to vacancy savings and departments constraining O&M spending. He said personnel spending decreased roughly $104,000 from the prior year while operations and maintenance exceeded the prior year by about $585,000.

Fund-by-fund highlights included:
- Highway fund: sources roughly matched budget; expenditures came in at about 92% of budget, producing approximately $647,000 in savings and an ending balance near $1,590,000.
- Community center (CRC) and related enterprise activity: revenues outperformed budget, producing a roughly $1.09 million surplus versus a budgeted deficit; higher utilization (programs and memberships) accounted for much of the revenue gain, offsetting higher operating costs. Gephardt credited strong golf operations, noting rounds played increased more than 8% versus the prior year.
- Capital fund: timing of projects caused planned fund-balance draws to carry into the new fiscal year; sources slightly exceeded uses, increasing the ending capital fund balance by about $109,000 to roughly $16,800,000.
- Water utility: water sales were about $1,960,000 (12%) higher than the prior year because of a dry year and higher consumption; total sources ended about 104% of budget. Total uses were higher than the prior year but below some budgeted categories; Gephardt said capital spending and O&M increased, and the ending fund balance was about $7,300,000.
- Stormwater utility: revenues were about $238,000 higher than the prior year, driven by approximately $211,000 in grants; projected ending fund balance rose to about $1,280,000.

Gephardt closed by reminding commissioners that the town had submitted its adopted budget to the Government Finance Officers Association for the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and that auditors are scheduled to begin their field work later in September. He and staff remained available for questions.

Commissioners had no substantive questions following the presentation and moved to other agenda items.","Town staff presented the fiscal year 2024–25 financial report to the Budget and Finance Commission, noting a $2.5 million decline in revenues driven by local sales taxes, an estimated $21 million general fund balance and several fund-by-fund variances; auditors will review year-end adjustments later this month.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mayor Winfield: RTA Next package approved for March ballot, outreach to follow

Budget and Finance Commission recommends Oro Valley council consider new tax categories and fee increases

Oro Valley staff reports FY24–25 close with $21 million general fund balance, sales-tax shortfall