Carefree council adopts $12.2 million budget for FY2026-27

The Town of Carefree adopted its fiscal 2026-27 budget on May 12, approving Resolution 2026-10 and setting the towns spending plan for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Town Administrator Kristen Craig told the council the "total proposed budget, excluding our contingency funding and our speculative grant revenues, is approximately 12.2 million." She said public safety remains the towns largest operational cost, at roughly 40% of operating expenditures, largely driven by contracts with the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office and Rural Metro Fire Department. Craig said general operational expenditures (planning, zoning, human resources and risk management) account for about 28% of operating costs and that personnel and benefits equal about 19% of the towns total budget under the towns contracted-service staffing model.

Craig told council that cost-recovery feescharges for development, permitting and similar servicesoffset personnel costs by about $1.4 million; she stated the towns net direct staff cost is "about $900,000," and noted the transcripts stated components total "2.3 million" when combined.

Craig highlighted priorities reflected in the budget-at-a-glance: pavement management, a zoning ordinance update, technology upgrades and town-center investments. She also emphasized transparency, saying the tentative budget and complete budget book were posted April 28 and that related documents and recordings are available on the town website.

During the public hearing, several residents spoke. John Mattis praised the presentation but pressed for clearer accounting of legal expenses and asked, "How many other lawsuits do we have? Because I can't get an answer." Craig responded that legal services are budgeted in multiple sections (risk management, legal services, public safety and court), that the specific lawsuits are the subject of public-record requests, and that she must review FOIA requests and records before commenting further.

Les Hardy, another commenter, said he had read the budget and described it as conservative and carefully constructed. "The town also has no debt," Hardy said, urging the council to approve the plan.

A commenter who identified himself as Mr. Taylor questioned a 3.5% cost-of-living increase for 16 town employees and contrasted that with reported federal increases; a councilmember or town representative replied that wage-setting mechanisms differ across levels of government, that the 3.5% increase aligns with local municipal practice in Arizona, and that consultants are used when specialized expertise is not available in-house.

The council moved to approve Resolution 2026-10; the motion was seconded (Roth offered the second) and passed unanimously. Councilors congratulated Town Administrator Kristen Craig on the budget work. The meeting then adjourned and staff noted a separate water-meeting would begin shortly to address utility matters raised by a public commenter.

The resolution adopts the towns spending estimates for FY 2026-27 and directs staff to implement the budget as presented; no dissenting votes were recorded.