By Bob Burns | YourValley
Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin, D-2, current vice chairman of the Board of Supervisors, presented a positive picture of the State of Maricopa County during a program at Fountain Hills Community Center Thursday, Sept. 19.
The event was hosted by the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce.
Galvin was able to provide the background to support his upbeat assessment of county operations. Maricopa County is operating this year with a $3.8 billion budget, down 14% from the previous year, and according to Galvin the supervisors have been able to reduce the budget along with property taxes for several years running. He also noted that Maricopa County has one of the lowest per capita tax rates among the largest counties in the nation second only to Harris County, Texas (Houston).
He said the formula for this success is simple, “Don’t spend more than you take in and make sure you have sufficient reserves.”
Among the largest counties in the United States, both by area and population, Maricopa County operates to provide state services in a more efficient manner, Galvin said. The Board of Supervisors is elected by the citizens as well as the heads of its major departments, Sheriff, County Attorney, Recorder, Treasurer and Assessor. It overlaps with municipal governments and oversees a vast area of unincorporated land.
