After a year of tightening its belt during the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic and thanks to federal coronavirus aid, the city of Phoenix is forecasting a large surplus for the upcoming fiscal year that can be spent on public services or employee raises.
“It’s a good opportunity for us to reflect on the events of the last year,” Mayor Kate Gallego said during last week’s City Council meeting. “It looks like we got it right. We were careful and mindful. We made early reductions of around $27 million from deferring vehicle purchases to a hiring freeze, and it helped us get where we are today… It seems like we’re in a position where we can make modest investment in community programs as well as employee compensation.”
She also thanked other levels of government for their help in fighting the virus in the community.
