Alexis Sussdorf of State 48 Public Affairs and Nick Ponder of High Ground Public Affairs told the Prescott City Council on Dec. 9 that the city's legislative team is tracking a high volume of bills for the 2026 session and urged council to stay engaged with targeted advocacy.

Sussdorf said the team secured $3,500,000 in state appropriations for the Prescott Airport to support a fire-service ramp, crediting a recent site tour that helped legislators visualize local needs. "We were very excited to secure $3,500,000 for the Prescott Airport," Sussdorf said, calling the award a "huge climb in a tricky budget year." (Alexis Sussdorf)

She and Ponder summarized several other items they are watching: a statutory cleanup clarifying that accessory-dwelling-unit mandates apply only to municipalities with populations of 75,000 or more; negotiations that left Prescott grandfathered for local food-sales tax (the matter will go to voters); and a portfolio of likely preemption bills that could limit local permitting and zoning authority.

Ponder warned council members that data-center legislation is likely to surface and would limit local control over siting, citing water and energy demands as key concerns. "We will probably see preemption legislation on data centers," he said, adding that the industry has driven similar fights elsewhere in Arizona. (Nick Ponder)

On timing, the presenters flagged two committee deadlines that will shape strategy: Feb. 20 for committee-of-origin action and Mar. 27 for action in the opposite chamber, plus the informal "100th-day" deadline that often falls later. They recommended bringing council members to Phoenix on Tuesdays or Wednesdays during the first weeks of session when committees meet.

The lobbyists also highlighted a state revenue shortfall tied to federal tax conformity; Ponder estimated a roughly $430 million statewide impact and said Prescott's urban revenue-sharing (income-tax portion) could fall by about $296,000 if certain adjustments hold. He urged council to expect delayed impacts because income-tax distributions arrive with a two-year lag.

Council and staff agreed to maintain the weekly update cadence with the lobbyists and to pursue strategic site visits to secure funding where possible. The council later approved the city's 2026 legislative platform for transmission to state and federal representatives.