Mesa parks and recreation outlines $57.8 million FY26 budget plan and flags pressure from lost revenue

Andrea Moore, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, presented an overview of the department’s operations, usage and finances at the City Council study session on Oct. 23, highlighting staffing levels, the department’s major cost drivers and the need for council guidance on service priorities ahead of the next budget cycle.

Moore told council that the department’s fiscal year 2025 operating expenditures totaled about $54 million with roughly $16 million in revenue, and that the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget stands near $57.8 million, including about $35 million from the general fund. She said the department employs roughly 209 full-time positions and more than 700 seasonal/part-time staff through a pool of about 112 part-time positions.

Moore framed the department’s work around maintenance and programming and said asset maintenance consumes the largest share of resources. “When we look at doing a 2% reduction in our budget … 53% of our budget is going towards maintenance of our facilities,” she said, and added that the programs that are easiest to adjust are those that are staff- and program-based rather than asset maintenance.

Key figures and service mix

- FY25 operating expenditures: about $54,000,000; FY25 revenue: about $16,000,000 (Moore). - FY26 proposed operating budget: about $57,800,000, with roughly $35,000,000 in general-fund support (Moore). - Staff: about 209 full-time positions; 112 part-time positions filled seasonally by roughly 700 workers (Moore). - Estimated visits/participation across programs and facilities: roughly 3,000,000 annual visits/uses (Moore). - Park inventory: about 1,800 acres across roughly 209 parks…