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State Rep. Theresa Martinez outlines district funding wins and priorities for Maricopa
Summary
State Representative Theresa Martinez (LD16) briefed the Maricopa City Council on the recently completed state budget, highlighting one-time rebates and district-directed allocations for road projects, studies, water infrastructure and social services; she urged continued local coordination with ADOT and the county to secure project delivery.
State Representative Theresa Martinez (LD16) told the Maricopa City Council she secured several district-specific allocations in the recently finished state budget and previewed priorities she will pursue in the next legislative session.
"This was a bipartisan budget of $17,800,000,000," Martinez said during her update. She told the council the budget was about 1.6% smaller than last year and included one-time spending and rebates: "This budget got $2,500,000,000 in 1 time spending. There was a 1 time $260,000,000 tax rebate for anyone with dependent children under the age of 18 years old. Up to $250 per child for a maximum of 3 children for a total Max of $750 state rebate."
Martinez summarized district wins she said she helped secure. She listed what she described as member-directed or district-specific allocations that were approved as part of the budget package: $5,000,000 to Coolidge for road improvements; $5,000,000 to Eloy for road improvements; $9,200,000 for the East–West corridor/Casa Grande–Maricopa freeway (identified in her remarks as House Bill 2449); $700,000 for a study of State Route 87 (House Bill 2532, as described by Martinez); $25,000,000 for the Santa Rosa Canal (House Bill 2448, as described); and $10,000,000 directed to Maricopa for State Route 238 (House Bill 2063, as described). Martinez also said the I‑10 corridor received an added $89,000,000 and referenced a mirrored bill process that preserved funding after earlier committee setbacks.
Martinez described additional smaller allocations she said were included for regional services: she cited $20,000 for a county juvenile center capital improvement line item and $20,000 for a Pinal County foster-care program she called Bridal Casa (quoted as "Bridal Casa program" in her remarks). She said some projects were funded through the state’s Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, which she credited for supporting the Santa Rosa Canal funding.
On project delivery, Martinez said she will press the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and other agencies to keep local projects on schedule. "ADOT has run amok, I'm sorry to say," Martinez told the council, and she said she has requested meetings with ADOT and the auditor general to press for timely completion of projects including the SR 347, SR 238, Seed Farm Road and I‑10-related work.
Council members and the mayor responded with thanks for the representative’s outreach and for what they described as frequent, direct communication during the session. Martinez said she will seek input from city leaders, the chamber and local nonprofits on drafting next-session bills and highlighted teen suicide prevention as a topic she hopes to pursue with local input.
Why it matters: Martinez presented specific dollar amounts and bill numbers she said were approved and emphasized that local coordination with ADOT and Pinal County will be necessary to translate capital allocations into built projects. Many of the items she cited affect transportation and water infrastructure that the council and residents have identified as priorities.
What’s next: Martinez said she will continue contact with the city and other local stakeholders, and she encouraged council members and residents to send ideas for next-session legislation and for work on local priorities.
