Tempe unveils proposed five‑year capital improvement program totaling nearly $2 billion
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Summary
Tempe staff introduced a draft five‑year Capital Improvement Program Feb. 24 that lists nearly $2 billion in department project requests and outlines public engagement and key budget dates; no formal council action was requested.
Tempe City Council on Feb. 24 received an introductory presentation on a proposed five‑year Capital Improvement Program that lists nearly $2 billion in project requests and will return to council with a recommended plan March 20. Interim Budget Director Julie Heider and Deputy City Manager Lisette Camacho presented the document and the public engagement schedule.
The presentation explained that the CIP is a planning document and that only the first fiscal year is adopted; staff said the item was being presented for familiarity and input rather than approval. Heider said, “We are not looking for council direction at this time.”
The CIP packet available online contains a table of contents, program summaries for 13 program areas, and detailed project pages that include project descriptions, council priorities, budgets, funding sources and expected operating impacts. Staff said departments submitted project requests totaling almost $2,000,000,000 and that the document took many months of departmental and budget‑staff work to assemble.
Camacho and Heider reviewed the public outreach plan for the budget process. Outreach so far has included a virtual and in‑person budget forum Feb. 4, targeted meetings with the mayor’s youth advisory groups, a Tempe forum survey (open through Feb. 28), presence at community events and ongoing online materials. Heider walked council through the document navigation using bookmarks and the police program as an example of a project detail page.
Staff listed the public timeline: March 20 (initial recommended CIP), April and May budget review sessions, tentative budget adoption May 22, final adoption June 5 and property tax levy adoption July 1. Heider reiterated that this introduction is intended to increase transparency and allow council and the public to identify priorities before staff returns with recommendations.
Less critical details: staff named budget team contributors (Kevin D. Domenico, Carrie Taylor and Benicia Benson) and noted that department directors are available for project‑specific questions. Councilmember Adams was noted to be attending virtually. The presentation concluded without a motion or vote; staff will return March 20 with the initial recommended CIP.
