Cochise County board reduces flood control levy, adopts amended FY2025-26 budget

The Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Thursday voted 3-0 to reduce the Flood Control District levy and adopt an amended fiscal year 2025–26 budget of $9,843,356.

At a public hearing in the Melody Lane hearing room, Miss Gilman, a county budget presenter, told the board, “Today, we present the flood control district budget… there are no changes from the tentative budget that was passed back in June.” The board then debated reductions to the proposed levy and budget before voting to lower the tax levy and finalize the budget.

The board reduced the Flood Control District levy from $2,623,414 to $2,518,356, a difference of $105,058. Miss Gilman said the levy figure represents the county’s estimated property-tax revenue for the district; she noted the assessed-value increase would have produced roughly a $150,000 revenue increase for 2026 without change. Board members said lowering the levy would avoid a Truth in Taxation hearing on that increase.

Supervisor Crosby proposed larger cuts during the discussion, saying, “I propose that we decrease the budget to 7,325,000 for the flood control district,” and argued for smaller, cheaper studies and projects. Crosby noted the district currently has a cash carryforward balance of about $7.3 million and said reducing planned revenue would preserve that cash balance rather than add to it.

Supervisor Gomez voiced caution about steep cuts and possible consequences for flood-prone areas, asking whether lowering the levy would affect federal flood-insurance eligibility or planned work at sites such as the port of entry. “If they don't want a tax increase, I would just wanna make sure that none of that reduction would impair us making sure that we get this port of entry because the whole darn thing is in a flood district,” Gomez said, adding that parts of her district have experienced repeated flooding and may need funding to pair flood-control work with road repairs.

County staff clarified that the taxes line on the budget also includes planning for delinquent taxes from prior years and that the current levy would generate about $2.6 million for FY2026 based on assessed values. After procedural motions and amendments, the board approved Supervisor Gomez’s amendment to reduce the levy to $2,518,356 and then adopted the amended Flood Control District budget, 3-0.

Board members also asked for an operational change: Supervisor Crosby requested that the Cochise County Treasurer spell out “Flood Control District” on the annual tax-breakdown postcards instead of using the acronym “FCD.” County staff said they would relay the request to the treasurer for future mailings.

Discussion included the costs of hydrology studies and concern about prioritizing projects in lower-income areas such as parts of Douglas and eastern districts that have seen repeated flooding. The board did not eliminate the Flood Control District or stop funding; rather, it reduced the levy so the district would not collect the assessed-value-driven increase while retaining the existing cash carryforward and budget lines.

The motion to reduce the levy passed 3-0; the final motion to adopt the amended Flood Control District budget for FY2025–26 in the amount of $9,843,356 passed 3-0.