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Coconino County adopts FY26 tentative expenditure ceiling; separate district budgets also set
Summary
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors set a $443,009,427 tentative spending ceiling for FY26 and separately adopted tentative budgets for multiple special districts, while one supervisor abstained from the county-wide tentative vote citing incomplete access to schedules.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors on June 3 adopted the county’s fiscal year 2026 tentative budget expenditure ceiling of $443,009,427 and separately adopted tentative budgets for several special districts, including the fire district assistance tax, flood control, public health services, jail district, library district and Tusayan street‑lighting district.
Siri Mullaney, county staff who led the budget section for the meeting, described the tentative adoption as a two‑step statutory process: the board sets the maximum expenditure ceiling now and returns for a final adoption after required public notices and hearings. Mullaney told the board the total is down from the previous year primarily because several large federal pandemic‑related and flood‑mitigation awards are tapering off.
After staff presentations and questions from supervisors, the board voted on the county tentative budget. Supervisor Fowler moved approval and Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez seconded; the board voted in favor with one abstention. Supervisor Begay explained earlier that she had not been able to access full budget schedules and stated she would abstain on the tentative adoption until she could review the full documents provided during prior departmental budget hearings.
The board then separately adopted the fiscal year 2026 tentative budgets required for other legal entities that are part of the county umbrella. Among those actions: the board set the fire district assistance tax budget at $2,429,300 (a statutorily required levy and distribution to local fire districts), approved the Flood Control District tentative budget of $47,710,993 (including about $36 million in anticipated federal funds and $11 million from property taxes), and adopted a $21,243,486 tentative budget for the Public Health Services District (about $6.0 million from a district property tax levy and roughly $15 million from federal, state or fee revenue). The jail district tentative budget was adopted at $57,882,760 (including capital project funding and local sales tax receipts); the library district at $7,498,506; and the Tusayan Special Street Lighting District at $15,000.
Mullaney emphasized that the tentative adoption preserves the board’s ability to amend the budget before final adoption. The board must publish required legal notices and hold truth‑in‑taxation hearings and public hearings in advance of final adoption, at which members of the public can comment and the board may make adjustments.
Ending: The board set the county and related district expenditure ceilings required by state law and scheduled public hearings and the final adoption date; staff said they will circulate the adopted schedules and the public‑hearing calendar and suggested supervisors raise any schedule questions before the final adoption.
