What's funded, what's not in Scottsdale’s FY26 budget

Solange Whitehead

Submitted photo

Scottsdale’s 2025-26 tentative budget is poised for approval. With some notable exceptions, it funds long-standing community priorities.

The fiscal discipline of past City Councils and voter-approved funding streams make this budget possible. In my six years on the council, we’ve reduced police retirement debt by $60 million, built a $120 million reserve and lowered taxes. Our community focus led to key ballot victories — Propositions 490/491 in 2024, the 2019 bond package and the 2018 transportation tax.

When voting for this budget, I will recognize our past successes make this year’s good budget possible.

What’s in: Funding includes wildfire mitigation, park reinvestments, preserve protection and police park rangers thanks to Prop 490. Prop 491 allows the city to reduce police retirement debt and will save millions annually. The 2019 bonds fund a range of resident priorities. With resident support, the 68th Street sidewalk and wildlife overpass remained funded. Paving allocation spiked to over $40 million, more on that below.

What’s out: The city forfeited $31 million in federal transportation grants, defunded the reconstruction of Thomas Road and eliminated sustainability programs. A successful bridge housing program that transitioned residents out of homelessness was cut as were cultural diversity events. The city also lost over 100 years of institutional knowledge due to forced retirements and resignations of staff.

What’s with paving? Tripling the paving budget occurred without council or public input. The value of this investment depends on avoiding past mistakes — like the use of subpar materials in the 2010s that led to early road deterioration. Today’s focus on citywide Pavement Condition Index scores versus focusing on safe, durable roads risks more short-term thinking. Scottsdale must follow proper paving standards, avoid cosmetic fixes and prioritize roads in the worst condition — yet our most deteriorated road, Thomas Road, was inexplicably defunded.

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