Casa Grande council adopts $338.63 million FY2027 budget, approves CIP and tax rates

The Casa Grande City Council unanimously adopted the city's fiscal year 2027 final budget and related spending documents at a special meeting called before its regular session.

Brenda Hassler, a city staff presenter, told the council that state law requires the special meeting to adopt the final budget and summarized the document, which staff presented as $338,629,939 in total appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. Hassler said the tentative budget had been published twice and a public hearing was held on June 1, 2026, in compliance with Title 42 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.

The council also approved an ordinance adopting the fiscal 2026-27 Capital Improvement Plan that staff said includes $161,787,824 in capital projects and streamlines the approval process so individual projects on the CIP list can be executed later by resolution rather than separate ordinances. Council approved a second ordinance authorizing an FY2027 large operating expenditure list (items over $50,000) and a third ordinance authorizing the purchase of budgeted vehicles to help staff act quickly amid supply-chain constraints.

During the budget presentation an unnamed staff member described personnel requests submitted across departments: roughly 70 new positions and 12 reclassifications were requested, with six positions recommended for immediate action as part of a phased approach aligned with ongoing internal operational analyses.

The council set property tax rates for FY2027 by ordinance. Staff reported the proposed primary rate (unchanged from last year) would raise approximately $6,239,577 for the general fund; the proposed secondary rate of 1.1291 per $100 of assessed valuation would raise roughly $7.36 million to pay voter-authorized general obligation bond debt tied to a recreation bond approved by voters in November 2025. The council approved the rates on a unanimous roll call vote.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 5942 (final FY2027 budget) passed on a roll call vote with Council members Dugan, Edwards, Huleston, the Mayor Pro Tem and Mayor Fitzgiven voting yes. Ordinances 3507 (CIP), 3508 (large operating list), 3509 (vehicles) and 3513 (tax rates) were all approved by unanimous roll call votes.

Why it matters: Adoption of the final budget and CIP sets the city's legally binding spending plan and authorizes the pipeline of capital projects for the coming year. The tax-rate ordinance implements levy amounts to cover general operations and voter-approved bond debt.

Next steps: Specific capital projects and purchases listed on the CIP and operating lists will return to council for separate resolution-level approvals as individual contracts, bids, or proposals are ready for execution.