Maricopa County adopts FY2026 budget; board funds large pay increases for sheriff's staff and approves $4.9 million extradition plane

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Monday adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget and approved a package of public-safety spending that includes 10%–15% pay increases for deputies, 5%–10% raises for emergency dispatchers and one-time retention payments for detention officers, plus a $4,900,000 purchase of a new extradition airplane for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

The budget adoption was unanimous. Chairman Galvin opened the meeting and said the board would consider public hearings and then a special meeting to adopt each budget. Mike McGee, the county chief financial officer, and Kirsten Prindle, deputy budget director, presented the final changes from the tentative FY2026 budget before the board voted to adopt the total county appropriation the budget document names as $3,001,076,905,199.

Why it matters: The board redirected contingency funds to cover the pay adjustments and equipment purchase, saying the moves are meant to retain law-enforcement staff and improve public-safety operations while keeping the county within state expenditure limits.

Key elements of the package and the board discussion

- Pay adjustments and bonuses: The board approved a market-alignment package that McGee described as a 10% to 15% pay increase for deputies and ranked law-enforcement positions and a 5% to 10% increase for emergency operators and dispatch-related management positions. Kirsten Prindle said the law-enforcement market adjustment totals $8,100,000, the dispatch market adjustment totals $373,000, and the detention retention incentive payment will cover the first year of a three-year program. The first-year retention payment…