On May 16, Queen Creek broke ground on a new aquatics and recreation center that will located off Signal Butte Road, north of Queen Creek Road. It is set to open in 2024. (Via Town of Queen Creek)
By Janet Perez | YourValley
Queen Creek’s proposed $867.1 million budget for fiscal year 2023-24 was given final approval Wednesday night by the town council. The budget grew by $137 million over last year’s budget of $730.1 million. The new fiscal year begins July 1.
The council voted 5-2 at its May 17 meeting, with councilors Leah Martineau and Travis Padilla dissenting. Throughout the budget process, both said they were opposed to the $170.9 million for parks and trails infrastructure. Parks and trails were budgeted at $175.3 million in the 2022-23 budget.
“I will be voting ‘no’ on this budget as I did on the budget limit because there are things in here that do not support fiscal responsibility, that are outside of the purview of what I believe that the town should be involved in,” Padilla said.
The budget sets a spending ceiling and items in the budget will be presented individually to council throughout the year for approval. Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley stressed this point as she encouraged the dissenting council members to approve the budget.
