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CSA Biweekly Update (07.17.2026)

  • Jul 17
  • 7 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

On the July 17th, 2026, edition of the CSA Update

Honoring Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton: 2026 Good Government Awardee Recognition


On Tuesday, July 14th, the Pima County Board of Supervisors presented Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton with a 2026 Good Government Award! The Association is grateful for Representative Stahl Hamilton's work this legislative session to ensure county taxpayers were not made to fund state responsibilities and for her championship for county funds to mitigate fires.



County Outreach Continues: CSA President Visits Gila, Yuma, and Cochise Counties


Over the past two weeks, CSA President and Apache County Supervisor Alton Joe Shepherd and CSA staff have continued the Association's annual outreach to the 15 county seats to present an update on the progress CSA made on the counties behalf in the 2026 legislative session. In addition to the counties the Association has already visited - Coconino, Navajo, and Yavapai counties - the Association and President Shepherd have now visited Gila, Yuma, and Cochise counties! Association staff and President Shepherd look forward to joining the remaining 9 counties over the interim. Thank you to all of the counties that have hosted our team so far!


Counties and Public Safety: 2026 Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police Conference


During the week of July 13th, Association staff attended the 2026 Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police Conference. Attendees enjoyed various presentations on effective enforcement of the law and heard from both Attorney General Kris Mayes and Governor Hobbs about the importance of collaboration in policework.


New CSA Podcast--Off the Charts: The Legacy of Arizona's 5Cs


This week on Creatures of Statute, we bring you another episode from our series Off the Charts, where we dig into the data and tell the county stories most people, and most policymakers, don't get to see.


Arizona's 5Cs helped build the state's economy. Join us as we examine how Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus, and Climate have influenced the county tax base and what the data reveals about their changing impact over the last 20 years.

 

View this week's episode on YouTube here or listen to the audio version here.

 

 

Explore the data featured in this episode at https://www.countysupervisors.org/data 

 

The Secret to Low Property Taxes: How AZ Remains Among the Lowest in the Nation


How has Arizona managed to keep property taxes among the lowest in the nation, even as home values have more than doubled? 


Our team dug into the data behind Arizona's unique property tax system, exploring levy limits, inflation, county budget pressures, and what Arizona's low-tax status means for taxpayers and local services on a previous episode of Off the Charts.


Since 2014, Arizona's county primary property tax levy has grown 44%, nearly matching 42% inflation. Meanwhile, major state-mandated costs like county ALTCS contributions have risen 64% since 2019, creating growing budget pressure for counties.



Want to dig deeper? Explore our County Encyclopedia and Levy Limit Guide for additional data, analysis, and resources.


CSA's Legislative Summary and CFO Guide Now Available: Two Final Publications Summarize the Policy Changes in the 2026 Legislative Session


At the conclusion of each legislative session, the County Supervisors Association puts out publications summarizing key legislation that was signed into law. Please find the 2026 CSA Legislative Summary and CFO guide below!

First, please access the Association’s 2026 CSA Legislative Summary by clicking HERE.

  • The Summary provides brief summaries on county-relevant legislation signed into law during the 2026 Legislative Session, accompanied by links to the official text of the bill and effective dates. It also includes the previously-published briefing on the FY 2027 state budget and the ten referrals that voters will see on their 2026 General Election ballots.

  • Reminder: The General Effective Date for new laws is September 12, 2026.

 

Second, please access the Association’s County Budget & Audit Guide (better known as the CFO Guide, and updated for 2026) by clicking  HERE.

  • Published annually, this guide serves as a practical reference for counties navigating budget development, audit requirements, legislative changes, and statutory compliance obligations. The updated edition incorporates relevant legislative updates from the 2026 legislative session and highlights changes affecting county budgeting, reporting requirements, and related processes.

 

Both publications will also be made available at https://www.countysupervisors.org/publications

 

Thank you for your patience as Association staff have worked to wrap up some of our final post-session deliverables. We’re hopeful that these will assist you and your staff as you work to implement county-relevant policies enacted in the 2026 Legislative Session. Please reach out if you have any questions about the contents of the Legislative Summary or the CFO Guide.


Save the Date: CSA Annual Policy Summit


In October 2026, Supervisors from across the state will meet in Coconino County for the Annual CSA Policy Summit. The 61 county supervisors use this event to vote on the Association's 2027 legislative, budget, and research agendas. Registration details will be out soon. Looking forward to seeing you all there!


National Association of Counties Leadership Development: Celebrating Success and New Opportunities


Great communities are built by great leaders. At the NACo Leadership Academy, we are proud to honor our latest graduates for their hard work while paving the way for the next wave of local changemakers.


Congratulations to Our April 2026 Graduates!


We would like to formally acknowledge and applaud our latest class of graduates. Your dedication to sharpening your leadership capabilities is a powerful investment in the future of your county.

 

Please join us in celebrating the April 2026 graduates:


  • Charlotte Asrarynezami, Clerk of the Board, Gila County

  • Gemma Haines, Administrative Specialist, Pinal County

  • Jessica Moore, Administrative Manager, Cochise County

  • Josh Huff, Director of IT, La Paz County

  • Kari Ann Noeltner, Assessor, La Paz County

  • Maria Cook, Sr. Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Gila County

  • Michael Schwaner, Chief Deputy Director, La Paz County

  • Natasha Carrisalez, Administrative Specialist, Senior, Pinal County

  • Susan Rousseau, Administrative Specialist, Pinal County


Don't miss your chance to join our final cohort of 2026 this October 5th!


October cohorts are just around the corner. Invest in your workforce today to build the leadership tools needed for a high-impact future. Join over 15,000 county leaders already benefiting from the effectiveness of the NACo Leadership Academy, the 10-week, online leadership program founded by General Colin Powell.



Developed by General Colin Powell, the Professional Development Academy and NACo, the High Performance Leadership Academy is an online 10-week program that helps your workforce develop fundamental, practical leadership skills to deliver results for counties and our residents.


Lifelong Learning: Upcoming NACo Webinars


Supreme Court Review for Local Governments: 2025-2026

Monday, July 27, 2026 | 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET


Hosted by the Local Government Legal Center (LGLC), join legal experts in a discussion of the Supreme Court’s important decisions of the term impacting local governments. The Supreme Court heard several monumental cases this term, including cases related to:  


  1. Local government tax foreclosure and the amount of equity that is due back to a homeowner after a tax sale;

  2. Election law and redistricting issues;

  3. Law enforcement issues including qualified immunity and geofence warrants;

  4. Birthright citizenship; and

  5. The Second Amendment


The LGLC is a coalition of national local government organizations formed in 2023 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC) and International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) to provide education to local governments regarding the Supreme Court and its impact on local governments and local officials and to advocate for local government positions at the Supreme Court in appropriate cases. Visit the Local Government Legal Center to learn more. 


This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Please note that members of the Local Government Legal Center will not provide Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits for participation in or completion of this material.


To register, please click here.


Strategic Cloud Adoption in the Public Sector: Insights from Fulton County

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET


Fulton County’s journey to the cloud is reshaping how government delivers services at scale. In this webinar, the county’s CIO will share how Fulton County is leveraging cloud platforms and modern technologies to improve operational efficiency, break down silos, and better connect services across departments. 


Attendees will gain insight into the strategy, challenges, and lessons learned from driving digital transformation in one of the nation’s largest county governments—and how technology is enabling more responsive, resilient, and resident-centered services.


To register, please click here.


Leading Without Blame: How Psychological Safety Strengthens County Cyber Resilience

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET


The most damaging breaches in county government rarely begin with a sophisticated exploit. They begin with a person — someone who is stressed, overloaded, or afraid to raise a hand. For counties defending elections, courts, emergency services, and water systems,  with lean teams and tight budgets, the way leaders build culture and trust is one of the highest-leverage security controls they own.


This panel brings county leaders together to explore how psychological safety, authentic leadership, and a culture of belief — not box-checking — drive real cyber resilience. Panelists will share candid, on-the-ground perspectives on moving from performative compliance to operational commitment, treating people as the strongest control rather than the weakest link, and using AI to sharpen human judgment rather than replace it.


Key takeaways:

  • Psychological safety is a security control: teams that feel safe report incidents faster, conceal less, and recover more quickly from mistakes.

  • Resilience is built on commitment and belief, not checkbox compliance — and elected and appointed leaders set that tone from the top.

  • AI is a tool to enhance human judgment, not replace it; counties succeed by pairing a strong culture with practical guardrails.


To register, please click here.


NACo Policy Insider Webinar Series: Understanding the Federal Landscape for Counties, August 13

Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 3:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.


Last year's Inside Washington series is now NACo Policy Insider, a bi-weekly webinar offering an overview of the full federal policy landscape impacting counties, as well as deeper dives into specific policy areas, equipping county leaders with insights, context, and strategies to engage effectively on key issues from transportation and infrastructure, to public lands, to health and human services, and more. 


To register, please click here.



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