By Joe Ferguson | Arizona Daily Star
The three Democrats on the Pima County Board of Supervisors are proposing a 7 percent property tax rate increase for next year, or about $52 for the average single-family homeowner.
The move would generate $3.9 million in unallocated revenue for the county in the next fiscal year, adding to the $1.27 billion budget proposed by County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry last month.
The proposal is slightly higher than the 5.5 percent property tax increase Huckelberry recommended last month. The three Democrats who voted for the increase say it is needed for programs that their constituents have been demanding.
Topping the list will be filling potholes, sealing cracks and otherwise fixing county-maintained roads – 62 percent of which have earned a failing grade. Some board members also said additional pay raises may be needed for Sheriff’s deputies to remain competitive with other law enforcement agencies.
Both Republican supervisors opposed the move, noting they were uncomfortable increasing the primary property tax rate even as assessments continue to fall.
