By Jason Stone | Surprise Independent
Surprise City Manager Mike Frazier probably summed it up best when he started his presentation at the recent city council budget retreat by saying, “What a difference three weeks makes.”
The COVID-19 pandemic that has wreaked havoc across the globe has trashed Surprise’s previous budget plans for the upcoming fiscal year.
Just in time to deal with the crisis head on — and the financial uncertainty it’s bringing — city budget officials are working on putting together a contingency plan based on reduced revenue. But they’re also trying to be flexible in case things get better faster than expected.