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Flagstaff staff outline 2026 state lobbying priorities including home-hardening tax credit and annexation fixes
Summary
City staff briefed council on anticipated legislative items and funding requests for the coming state session, including a proposed state tax credit for home-hardening and targeted transportation and justice-related funding requests.
City staff briefed council on anticipated state legislative items and targeted funding requests that the city intends to pursue or support in the upcoming legislative session.
Sarah Langley, the city’s Public Affairs Director, said staff expect a tight state budget and plan a mix of policy requests and limited funding asks. Policy ideas she described include pursuing a state tax credit to incentivize homeowner "home hardening" work to reduce wildfire risk and exploring ways to simplify annexation of city-owned facilities that are outside but adjacent to municipal limits. Langley also said staff will monitor any bills related to helium drilling and changes to aquifer protection-permit programs.
On funding requests, Langley said staff will advocate for a direct appropriation to support targeted home-hardening work in high-risk pathways into the city and will push for reinstatement of a now-cut funding source she described as "light tech funding." She also proposed seeking a small Arizona Heritage Fund appropriation for preservation work on the May Hicks House.
Langley said the city plans to support partner requests, including MetroPlan's request for $18 million for West Route 66 Corridor improvements and an $8 million request for US-180 corridor work to appear in the RTAC bill. She also flagged a request from Coconino County related to justice-system services or facilities in Flagstaff. Langley said staff will return for a wider priorities discussion in late December ahead of formal priority-setting.
