By Chase Kamp | Southeast Valley Ledger
Just a few years ago, in the midst of the nationwide recession, the Town of Queen Creek was cutting staff positions and tightening belts across its budget, contending not only with a slumping housing market but also massive cuts at the state capitol.
“We created a new normal for our budgetary forecasting,” councilmember Jason Gad said of the downturn years.
However, as 2012 came to a close, the Town saw a sustained boost in single family home permits, about two-and-a-half times that of the year prior according to the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.
“We were very cautious when we saw the uptick in the summer time—we didn’t get too excited,” Gad said. “Now we’ve seen it sustained month over month.”
Town leaders are feeling confident that the worst years of the recession are over, prompting efforts to accommodate an expanded anticipated population in the coming decades. Earlier this month, the town approved a $10 million infrastructure improvement project that includes enhancements to the Ellsworth Road town center and widening of select busy streets.
