Pinal County adopts $1.229 billion tentative budget with modest tax-rate cuts, employee pay provisions

Pinal County supervisors on June 18 approved a tentative budget for fiscal year 2025–26 that sets a $1,229,099,966 spending ceiling and includes lower county property tax rates and budgeted pay and benefit adjustments for staff.

The tentative budget, presented by Angie Woods, director of the Office of Budget and Finance, reduces the county's primary property tax rate from the current adopted rate and proposes smaller secondary rates for the flood control and library districts while keeping a structurally balanced plan. "This budget is built upon that continued commitment to financial strength and stewardship," Woods told the board as she summarized revenue forecasts and proposed uses.

Why it matters: the tentative budget establishes the legal ceiling for county spending ahead of final adoption at the July 2 meeting, and it funds both ongoing operations (including public safety, courts and justice functions) and capital investments such as vehicle replacements, facility repairs and a $190 million estimate in bond-funded capital projects included in the plan. Woods said vehicle allocations include roughly two years' worth of vehicle purchases because prior orders are still being completed.

Key details from the presentation: Woods said general fund revenue is driven heavily by primary property taxes and intergovernmental sources; she reported a Pinal County population of 513,862 (a 5.6% increase for 2024) and noted county unemployment at about 3.6% compared with the U.S. national rate of 4.2% (May 2025). The budget package includes a centrally budgeted 3% across-the-board pay proposal (excluding sheriff's sworn and detention step systems) and accounts for a 7% medical cost increase in the county's employee benefits trust.

Supervisors asked for clarifications during the hearing. Chair Miller and others confirmed that new position requests are being held centrally pending additional review and that the tentative budget can only be reduced, not increased, before final adoption. Woods reiterated that some departmental requests remain under review and that vacant positions are being examined before any funds are released.

The board voted to approve the tentative budget. A motion to adopt the tentative budget as presented passed on an affirmative voice vote.

Background and next steps: the tentative budget must be published as the county's budget ceiling; the board may reduce allocations before the July 2 final adoption meeting. Woods emphasized that the schedules and compensation plan submitted with the tentative budget are available from the clerk's office on request.

For the public: Woods noted that the budget includes fund balance detail for every fund and that employees and capital projects will be funded from the appropriations in the schedules, subject to later board action and any further refinements.