$129M tentative budget approved by Apache Junction City Council
Arianna Grainey
The $33.9 million budget for the city’s public works department is up from last fiscal year’s $27.9 million. The department is responsible for the construction and maintenance of all city streets, traffic signals, street lights, medians, landscape and traffic control devices.
The city of Apache Junction is slated to operate with a nearly $129.5 million budget for fiscal year 2024-25, up from last fiscal year’s $119.3 million adopted budget.
Council voted unanimously at a special meeting May 20 to approve a resolution adopting the tentative budget for 2024-25 and setting the final adoption for a meeting at 7 p.m. June 17 in the council chambers, 300 E. Superstition Blvd.
“It totals under $129.5 million,” Finance Director Angelie Hawley told the council during a May 6 special meeting of the council.
The largest revenue source for the general fund is from sales taxes, which is slated to generate $24.2 million, she said.
Other revenue sources include $10.4 million for state revenue sharing, $6.1 million for state shared sales tax, $3.1 million from county vehicle license tax and $604,010 from a use tax, according to her presentation.
The rental tax in Arizona goes away Jan. 1, 2025.
“In January of ‘25, rental tax will be eliminated and that is an estimated decrease of $2.1 million,” Hawley said.
If plans go forward to incorporate a city in Pinal County, it will decrease Apache Junction’s portion of state-shared revenue, City Manager Bryant Powell said to the council May 6.
“I’ll just highlight a couple threats to revenue as we get into the coming years that we are watching closely in my office. They include San Tan Valley incorporation. We continue to watch as their effort to become a city can have impact on their proportional share of intergovernmental revenues both in the street and road department as well as the general fund,” he said. “(W)e are also looking at the impact to intergovernmental revenues in reference to the state income tax as it pertains to our proportional share.”
Top 5 department budgets
According to the city of Apache Junction expenditures/expenses by department for fiscal year 2025, the top five budgeted departments are:
$33.9 million for the city’s public works department, which is up from last fiscal year’s $27.9 million and includes monies from the general, capital, development fees, highway user revenue, street lighting districts, street projects sales tax and fiscal recovery funds. The department is responsible for the construction and maintenance of all city streets, traffic signals, street lights, medians, landscape and traffic control devices.
$23.3 million for the development services department, which is up from nearly $19.9 million in the last fiscal year, and includes money from the general, art in public places, grants and development fees funds; and also the Superstition Vista Community Facilities Districts. The department provides resources for economic and community development, planning for future growth, and improving the image of the community.
$22.4 million for the Apache Junction Police Department — called the public safety department in the budget — up from $21.2 million in last fiscal year, and includes monies from the general, capital, development fees, grants, narcotics seizure, public safety and fiscal recovery funds.
$14.2 million for the parks and recreation department, up from last fiscal year’s $12.5 million, with money from the general, capital, development fees, grants, senior services and fiscal recovery funds. The department provides a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
$8.1 million for the general government operations department, up from $7.2 million in the last fiscal year, with monies from the general, capital and grant funds. The department records activity not allocated in other departments; activities include debt service, bonds, insurance, utilities, property and liability.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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