Tuesday, February 23, I had the pleasure of hosting my first Council Conversations show. I interviewed Human Service & Community Vitality Director Seth Dyson about what types of assistance are available at the Surprise Resource Center, including rent and utility help! You can view the conversation on my website at d2.surpriseaz.gov.
State of the City Video Premiere
The 2021 State of the City will be presented as a video premiere on Tuesday, April 13 at 6 p.m. Join us as as we reflect on the resilience of our community and look forward to what’s on the horizon. Watch LIVE online at surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv.
Salvation Army Fundraiser Golf Tournament
The Salvation Army is hosting a Northwest Valley Corps Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Arizona Traditions. Check-in starts at 7:00 a.m. with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start in a scramble format. The cost is $75.00 per person or $300 for a foursome. All proceeds will benefit social services and the food pantry. If you’re not a golfer, please consider volunteering to help or donating prizes. To register, please contact Fred Folder at 714-420-9886 or Frederick.folden.jr@usw.salvationarmy.org
Miller Massage Therapy Ribbon Cutting
On February 26, Mayor Hall and I attended a grand opening ribbon cutting for Miller Massage Therapy, located at 17100 W Clearview Blvd., at Cimarron in Sun City Grand. Congratulations to Nicole Miller, owner of Miller Massage Therapy, in celebrating their second office location.
Important Information for Southwest Gas Customers
Southwest Gas is transforming their customer information system from the ground up on Monday, May 3, 2021, to provide an improved customer experience along with enhanced security. For important information on how this will impact you and the way your account will be serviced, please visit www.swgas.com/new4u. The site will provide regular updates and tools to help you navigate the new system.
Drop-off Recycling
Surprise residents can drop-off clean/dry acceptable recyclable materials at the Public Works Yard, located at 17274 N. Litchfield Road on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 8-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.
Accepted materials are:
Plastic bottles #1 and #2 (including milk gallons, soda bottles, condiment bottles, water bottles, shampoo bottles, and detergent containers)
Please be sure to screw all lids on the bottles or remove them completely
Cardboard
Aluminum and tin cans
A city staff member will be available to help sort recyclable materials and ensure that the recyclables are not contaminated.
Budget Update
The city kicked off the Fiscal Year 2022 budget building process on February 2. At the February 16 Council Work Session, Council received an overview on Budget Revenues. The chart below shows Citywide revenues and the percentages that they make up out of the whole budget.
One area of this revenue pie chart that is often talked about is property tax. The City of Surprise has a Primary Property tax rate of $0.7591 (per $100 Assessed LPV), which is a tax levy used for general government operations and a Secondary Property Tax rate of $0.3880, which is a voter-approved tax levy limited to pay for General Obligation (GO) bonds. It is also important to note that the majority of the primary property tax rate that is collected by the County goes to entities other than the City of Surprise. Below is a graphic that represents the property tax distribution.
There was also a presentation on citywide budget expenses at the March 2 City Council Work Session. Future Council Work Sessions and Regular Meetings will include presentations related to department operation budget development. The Recommended Budget is scheduled for release in April, followed by Council and public review. The final budget adoption is scheduled for June 1. Fiscal Year 2022 begins July 1, 2021.
Join me Monday, April 26, at Sun City Grand Café, 19781 N. Remington Drive at 6 p.m. I look forward to discussing the latest city news and answering any questions you have.
