By Matthew Holloway |
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) approved a tentative $4.1 billion FY 2027 budget this week and scheduled a Truth in Taxation hearing over proposed increases in the county’s primary property tax levy and primary property tax rate.
In a May newsletter emailed to constituents, District 1 Supervisor Mark Stewart described the tentative budget as consistent with a focus “on keeping property taxes low,” despite the increases noted in the county’s Truth in Taxation Calculation.
According to Maricopa County, the tentative budget unanimously approved on May 18 reflects what county officials described as a fiscally conservative approach focused on maintaining services, preserving reserves, and reducing the overall property tax rate for a sixth consecutive year. County officials stated that the county’s tax levy remains $278.4 million below the maximum permitted under Arizona law.
In a press release announcing the tentative budget approval, Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said county officials faced difficult fiscal decisions amid economic uncertainty.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat this: with an uncertain statewide economic outlook, it’s a tough year to budget,” Brophy McGee said. “To best serve our taxpayers, we had to say ‘no’ to most spending requests.”
Vice Chair Debbie Lesko said the county continues to prioritize limiting tax burdens on residents. “Keeping your taxes as low as possible has always been one of my top priorities,” Lesko said. “This year, we are once again voting to cut your property tax rate, showing that Maricopa County leads the way in fiscal responsibility.”
However, documents accompanying the tentative budget show, as in 2025, the county is proposing an increase in its primary property tax levy that requires a Truth in Taxation hearing under Arizona law.
According to Maricopa County’s FY 2027 Truth in Taxation calculation, the proposed primary property tax levy would increase from $719.1 million, the maximum amount that could be imposed without a Truth in Taxation hearing, to approximately $735.9 million. After excluding new construction, the proposed increase totals approximately $16.46 million, or 2.34%. The proposed primary tax rate would be 1.1463, compared to 1.1201, the maximum rate that could be imposed without triggering a Truth in Taxation hearing.
A home assessed at $100,000 would see the county’s primary property tax rise from $112.01 to $114.63, an increase of $2.62. The county’s Truth in Taxation calculation estimates the proposed levy exceeds the non-hearing threshold by approximately $16.46 million.
The Truth in Taxation analysis provided by the county states that the current primary property tax levy totals approximately $703.9 million and reflects assessed valuation and new construction calculations required under Arizona law.
County officials have emphasized that property valuations are determined separately from the Board’s tax-rate decisions and that Maricopa County receives only a portion of overall property tax collections. In prior Truth in Taxation notices, the county stated that it historically receives approximately 11 cents of every property tax dollar collected.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public Truth in Taxation hearing on June 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors’ Auditorium before final adoption of the FY 2027 budget and tax levy.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
