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Cochise County staff present baseline budget, propose levy reduction and timelines for tentative budget
Summary
County staff told the Board of Supervisors on May 14 that the county’s baseline shows a 3.78% overall budget reduction, general fund revenues of about $109 million and a staff proposal to reduce the property tax levy by 2%; the board reviewed revenue sources and set dates for tentative and final budget decisions.
County staff told the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on May 14 that the county’s baseline budget shows an overall reduction of 3.78% and that staff is recommending a limited levy reduction and specific timelines ahead of the June tentative budget presentation.
“So what we're looking at right now is an overall reduction in our total county budget, by 3.78%,” County staff Stacy said in the work session. Stacy said the county is estimating general fund revenues of about $109,000,000 for fiscal 2026 and highlighted projected receipts including the county half‑cent sales tax at about $10,000,000 and state‑shared transaction privilege tax receipts at about $18,000,000.
The presentation noted changes across funds: an increase in the general fund over the amended FY25 level, paired with falloffs in special revenue and capital project funds as COVID‑era grants and some capital work end. Staff also reported a voluntary reduction in enterprise fund charges tied to solid waste management decisions.
On property tax, staff said the board proposed a 2% decrease to the levy; Stacy and board members discussed how that reduction interacts with higher assessed values and recent rate changes. Stacy provided a levy dollar figure of $31,120,242 as the result of the board’s proposed 2% decrease combined with increases in assessed value from new construction and inflation. The board and staff discussed the tax rate history and how percentage changes interact with different base rates.
Staff framed the numbers as preliminary and subject to board direction and outside developments such as state legislative actions and federal funding changes. Key budget dates surfaced during the meeting: a tentative budget presentation in June, a final budget vote in July, and formal property tax‑rate adoption and the required truth‑in‑taxation hearings in August.
The staff recommendation included an allotment of $1,180,000 for market adjustments and $1,210,000 for discretionary funding requests; staff said those are the amounts the county could absorb without increasing revenues beyond current projections. Stacy told the board that the county is rolling forward the amended FY25 personnel budget into FY26 to capture last year’s market adjustments and funding requests.
Board members asked staff to prepare appendix material and rate calculations for follow‑up review before the tentative budget action. Staff emphasized the numbers could change as legislative and other external uncertainties resolve.
The work session was informational; no formal votes were taken on the tentative budget or the levy during the May 14 meeting.
