by Ethan Faverino | Jun 1, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap has asked the Maricopa County Superior Court to hold the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in civil contempt, claiming the Board has failed to comply with a court order issued more than six weeks ago restoring election authority and resources to the Recorder’s Office.
The filing comes 43 days after Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney ruled that the Board of Supervisors has exceeded its statutory authority by assuming control over election functions assigned by Arizona law to the County Recorder.
In an Application for Order to Show Cause filed on May 28, 2026, Heap argued the Board has continued to exercise powers the court determined belong to the Recorder’s Office while refusing to return critical election personnel, systems, and resources.
“The Court settled these issues 43 days ago,” stated Heap. “Since then, the Board has refused to comply, continued exercising powers the Court ruled it does not possess, and even interfered with Recorder personnel carrying out their lawful duties at Recorder-operated election sites.”
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed by Heap against the Board after disagreements over election administration responsibilities, funding, and operational control.
In its April ruling, the court rejected the Board’s argument that it possessed “plenary” authority over county election administration. Blaney wrote that Arizona election statutes specifically assign numerous election duties to the Recorder and that the Board cannot assume those responsibilities without legislative authorization or the Recorder’s consent.
The court found that Arizona law designates the Recorder as the responsible official for 111 election-related functions assigned to the “recorder or other officer in charge.” As a result, Blaney ordered the Board to restore authority, personnel, and election systems to the Recorder’s Office or immediately fund replacement systems.
The ruling also directed the Board to release election-related funding appropriated for the Recorder and prohibited the Board from exercising election functions delegated by law to the Recorder.
According to Heap’s latest filing, the board has yet to return election IT personnel, servers, databases, websites, and other systems necessary for the Recorder’s Office to carry out its statutory responsibilities. The filing further claims the board has refused to authorize the use of state and federal funds appropriated for election administration.
Heap also pointed to actions taken during recent May jurisdictional elections, stating that the county’s Elections Director instructed poll workers at Recorder-operated ballot replacement sites to disregard directions from the Recorder’s Office staff regarding voter information requirements under state law.
Additionally, the Recorder’s Office argues that the Board adopted a resolution asserting authority over early ballot drop boxes during the early voting period despite the court’s injunction and Arizona statutes assigning that responsibility to the Recorder.
The Recorder’s Office contends these actions represent continued violations of the court’s order rather than delays in implementation. The filing states that Recorder officials attempted to negotiate phased transition plans, resource-sharing agreements, and other cooperative solutions which were rejected by the Board.
Heap is now asking the court to order the Board to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt, impose sanctions sufficient to compel compliance with the April ruling, and award attorney fees and court costs.
“The voters of Maricopa County deserve election administration that follows the law, respects the courts, and remains focused on conducting elections that are lawful, secure, accurate, accessible, and worthy of the public’s trust,” added Heap.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 25, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes advised the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to ignore Recorder Justin Heap’s claim of exclusive authority on drop box establishment.
Mayes sent a letter to the board and Heap on Friday claiming Heap’s counsel had made “unfounded threats of criminal liability” for telling the board that they would face felony charges for managing ballot drop boxes.
Mayes cited the state’s current and past two Elections Procedures Manuals (EPMs) to back her assessment. The EPMs recognized that boards of supervisors or their designees approve all ballot drop-off locations and drop-boxes.
“Justin Heap is wrong about drop boxes,” said Mayes. “He should immediately work with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in good faith to ensure a well run [sic] election.”
Notice from Heap’s counsel closely preceded a vote taken by the board earlier this week to designate 12 drop box locations throughout the county for the upcoming primary election in July. These drop boxes are scheduled to become active at the end of June.
Heap claimed the board never consulted him about the proposed drop box locations.
Heap has maintained that the board unlawfully awarded themselves control over ballot drop boxes, according to a recent ruling from the Arizona Superior Court.
The board was ruled to have unlawfully usurped the recorder’s elections authority and resources. The court determined the board didn’t have the “plenary authority” it claimed over elections administration, and ordered the board to restore key elections functions and resources to the recorder, especially the IT staff, servers, databases, software, and elections systems.
“The Court has already ruled that the Board does not have unlimited authority over elections, yet it continues attempting to exercise powers Arizona law assigns to the Recorder,” said Heap.
Heap also claimed the board tried to bring him into their meeting for “a surprise public interrogation” on short notice.
The board plans to appeal the ruling; Heap expressed concern that ongoing litigation this late in the election season will cause legal and operational issues.
Vice chair of the board, Debbie Lesko, told “The Conservative Circus” on Friday that she and the rest of the board have worked earnestly “in good faith” to avoid this ongoing court battle with Heap. Lesko argued that it wasn’t possible for the board to abide by the superior court ruling.
“This is really complicated and it’s not black and white,” said Lesko. “There’s competing state laws that say both the recorder and the elections department have jurisdiction over the same exact election procedures in some cases.”
On Thursday, Lesko and Chair Kate Brophy McGee petitioned Heap in a public statement and letter to agree to public, recorded meetings to negotiate elections administration.
The letter claimed that certain progress between the board’s elections department and recorder’s office concerning this month’s jurisdictional elections and the July primary elections were later refused by Heap.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 21, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
A Maricopa County teacher’s aide allegedly impregnated by a middle school student received assistance in obtaining an abortion by the boy’s godmother, according to a police report.
The godmother or “nina” — identified as Adriana Eloisa Andazola — corresponded with the victim, a 15-year-old boy in the eighth grade, about his sexual encounters with his teacher’s aide, Jessenia “Nia” Rodriguez, 22, of Tolleson.
Rodriguez was a teacher’s aide at the boy’s school. Rodriguez supervised recess at the Avondale location of Sun Valley Academy, a charter school.
The police report alleged that Andazola knew about the illicit relationship between Rodriguez and her godson but didn’t report it to authorities. The report also disclosed that Rodriguez contacted Andazola to schedule an abortion.
“Nina promised to not tell anyone and [Rodriguez and Andazola] agreed to have Nina transport Nia to an abortion clinic,” stated the report. “Nina and [the victim] discussed blocking Nia and joked about having a level five klinger [sic].”
The child’s stepmother told police that Andazola “planned” for the boy to lie about going on a lunch date with her while they went to get an abortion. It was the stepmother who contacted school officials and police.
Sun Valley Academy’s principal, James Capriotti, told police that he observed a text message conversation between Rodriguez and the victim in which Rodriguez said she’d received and taken pills for an abortion and was “not feeling well.” Later in the report, police described text messages in which Rodriguez told the victim that she went to a Banner hospital due to adverse effects from abortion pills.
“I’ve been taking the abortion pills and inserting the ones I’m supposed to put inside me since Friday,” texted Rodriguez. “I inserted the last pills yesterday. The pharmacist did tell me that [I’m going to] get bad cramps and should bleed like if I’m on my period but it’s so much worse.”
Rodriguez allegedly targeted the child during one recess when asked for the victim’s phone number. The two began texting and video calling on Facetime. Rodriguez exposed herself to the boy on camera on multiple occasions.
This led to Rodriguez allegedly having sex with the victim on at least three separate occasions, twice at his home. After the first time, the victim told police that he went to a nearby pharmacy store and purchased a plan B pill for Rodriguez. The report didn’t disclose whether Rodriguez took that pill.
Two weeks after Rodriguez first molested the victim, Rodriguez claimed to be pregnant with his child. Records reflect Rodriguez texted pictures of three positive pregnancy tests to the victim.
The victim also alleged that Rodriguez threatened on more than one occasion to keep the baby.
Police confirmed that the investigation into the alleged pregnancy is ongoing.
Sun Valley Academy Avondale clarified in a press release that the molestation did not occur on campus. The campus principal, James Capriotti, advised that they reported the allegation about Rodriguez to the Avondale Police Department immediately upon receiving it.
Police were contacted at the end of March about the allegations against Rodriguez.
Rodriguez faces charges related to luring a minor for sexual exploitation, a class four felony, and four counts of sexual conduct with a minor.
Rodgriuez has at least one child of her own, per court documents: the student reported seeing Rodriguez’s child in one of their FaceTime calls.
During a police interview, Rodriguez said she wanted to create a family with the boy once he turned 18 years old, and admitted to knowing her actions were wrong.
A search of Arizona State Board of Education records does not yield any other incidents of sexual misconduct by staff or educators at Sun Valley Academy Avondale or other locations.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced last month that Rodriguez was indicted on six counts of sexual conduct with a minor, a class two felony, and one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation, a class three felony. Rodriguez has a trial det set for late August.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 21, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap declined what his office described as a last-minute request from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to appear before the board regarding a proposed resolution on ballot drop box locations, a move that further escalates an ongoing dispute over election authority in Arizona’s largest county.
The Recorder’s Office said it was not consulted on the proposed drop box locations and only became aware of them after the board publicly posted its meeting agenda. It added that the board requested Heap’s appearance with less than an hour’s notice, without providing advance questions or topics, and characterized the request as “political theater” rather than a genuine attempt at cooperation. The office also argued that Heap did not have sufficient time to review the proposal for legal compliance, operational feasibility, or voter access concerns.
According to a statement, the recorder’s legal counsel previously provided the board with objections asserting that Arizona law places authority over ballot drop boxes with the recorder’s office rather than the Board of Supervisors. The office also cited ongoing litigation between the parties as a reason Heap declined to participate in what it described as an impromptu public examination concerning active legal disputes.
“The Recorder remains willing to meet in a properly noticed setting and resolve these issues professionally and cooperatively if the Board is willing to do the same,” the statement said.
The dispute follows months of legal conflict between Heap and the Board of Supervisors over control of election administration duties in Maricopa County.
Heap said, “The law is not optional. The Court has already ruled that the Board does not possess unlimited authority over election administration, yet the Board continues attempting to exercise powers Arizona law assigns to the Recorder.” He added, “Voters deserve lawful, professional election administration, not political gamesmanship and last-minute public ambushes.”
In April, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney ruled largely in Heap’s favor in a lawsuit challenging the board’s authority over election operations. Blaney determined the board exceeded its statutory authority by maintaining control over election-related personnel, systems, and functions that legally belong to the recorder’s office. The ruling affirmed greater authority for the recorder over early voting administration and rejected the board’s assertion of broad supervisory authority over election administration.
The Board of Supervisors subsequently voted to authorize 237 vote centers and drop box locations for the upcoming July primary election, according to a press release issued the same day. The Board also voted unanimously to transfer funds to create eight full-time IT positions in the County Recorder’s Office.
“I am willing to put in the hours to work with Recorder Heap to hammer out our differences for the benefit of our voters,” MCBOS Vice Chair Debbie Lesko said during the meeting. “That is why the Chair and I are calling on Recorder Heap to come to the table.”
Chair Kate Brophy McGee said in a statement, “Election systems work best when chain of command and procedures are clear. That clarity is what the Board is seeking in requesting face-to-face meetings with Recorder Heap, as well as in our appeal of the ruling in Heap v. Galvin, et al.” She added, “We are committed to ensuring the Recorder is able to carry out his statutory duties just as we are committed to carrying out ours on behalf of voters.”
In a post to X, Heap wrote, “The Board is having a full meltdown because I objected to a resolution unlawfully giving themselves control over ballot drop boxes and declined to appear for a surprise public interrogation on less than an hour’s notice. The Court has already ruled that the Board does not have unlimited authority over elections, yet it continues attempting to exercise powers Arizona law assigns to the Recorder. Voters deserve lawful election administration, not political stunts and last-minute public ambushes.”
The dispute centers on how election responsibilities are divided between the recorder and the Board of Supervisors, including authority over early voting operations, election infrastructure, and ballot drop boxes. The board maintains it has sought negotiated agreements governing election administration, while Heap and his office argue Arizona law assigns specific election duties directly to the elected recorder. Maricopa County Superior Court denied the board’s request for a stay pending appeal on May 13 and ordered restoration of the recorder’s authority under the earlier ruling.
The drop box resolution and Heap’s refusal to appear before the board mark the latest developments in the continuing dispute as Maricopa County prepares for upcoming election cycles.
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.
by Matthew Holloway | May 21, 2026 | Economy, News
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.
