CSA Weekly Update
- County Supervisors Association of Arizona
- Nov 7
- 8 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
In the November 7th, 2025, edition of the CSA Weekly Update:
Operation Green Light for Veterans: Get involved and show support!
2025 CSA Policy Summit: Outcomes and Official Legislative Agenda
Creatures of Statute Latest Episode: It's a Wrap! Recapping our 2025 Policy Summit
Upcoming Deadlines, Conferences, and Webinars: NACO Ongoing Webinar - Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress
Lifelong Learning: Upcoming NACo Webinars
To All Who Served: Happy Veterans Day!
At CSA, we value the dedication and sacrifice of all service members. Join us in recognizing and honoring the bravery and dedication of those who serve. We hope you have a happy and restful Veteran’s day!
Operation Green Light for Veterans: Get involved and show support!
America’s counties have a long and proud history of serving our nation’s veterans, a legacy that continues to this day as we work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that the former service members have access to the resources they need to thrive.
This Veteran’s Day, we will celebrate the fifth anniversary of Operation Green Light. The National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) invite the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs to join us in showing support for veterans by lighting our buildings green from November 4-11, 2025. By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported.
To participate, counties are encouraged to use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light and utilize our participation resources to spread the word.
Cochise Voters Approve Jail Tax
On Tuesday, Arizonans cast their ballots in the state’s off-year consolidated elections. Unlike Virginia and New Jersey, which hold statewide elections in off-years, the questions before Arizonans were largely jurisdictional questions placed on the ballot by counties, special districts, cities, and school districts.
The 2025 consolidated election saw one substantive county question placed before voters: that of Cochise County’s half-cent excise tax to fund jail facilities. The last available update from the county’s Election Department – November 4th at 10:42 P.M. – shows the tax passing narrowly: 10,909 votes for, 10,035 votes against.
A half-cent excise tax to fund the county’s jail had previously been approved by voters in a May 2023 all-mail election, but was challenged by plaintiffs arguing that “the County failed to mail ballots to certain registered, inactive voters” (specifically, those who had “become inactive due to returned mail or changes of address”). While the case was dismissed at the Superior Court, the Court of Appeals “held” in the plaintiffs favor. After the case was remanded to the Superior Court, Cochise County entered into a settlement that (a) ended collection of the tax pursuant to the May 2023 election, and (b) required the Jail District Board of Directors to call for a new special election in late-2025.
Per the Publicity Pamphlet, the Cochise County Jail – originally designed to house 168 inmates – has been substantially modified to hold a maximum of 302 inmates and “has lasted twice its expected life.” The estimated cost for a new jail is between $120 and $130 million dollars, $100 million of which must be raised through bond financing. The newly-approved tax will run through mid-2043, and will generate an estimated $10 million annually to “be used only for the construction and financing of county jail facilities.”
The new jail is estimated to be completed in November, 2028, with move-in by January 2029. It will have an initial capacity of 390 beds, with the possibility for further expansion.
2025 CSA Policy Summit: Outcomes, Official Legislative Agenda, and 2026 Adopted Priorities!
Thank you to those who joined us for our 2025 CSA Summit! 43 supervisors, managers, staff, and partners were in attendance. It was wonderful to bring everyone together for a productive dialogue!
At the Summit, the Supervisors in attendance voted on the Association's legislative, budget, and research priorities for the upcoming legislative session. For additional details on the Association's 2026 priorities, please see the Coalition Resolutions and County-Submitted Proposals sections below!
A special thank you to Yuma County, particularly President Pancrazi, Supervisors Porchas, Lines, Simmons and Reyes and all Yuma County staff who made this possible.
Coalition Resolutions
State-County Partnership Resolution
A Resolution of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona Affirming its Dedication to Providing Quality Analysis and Feedback to Inform State Policy Deliberants Afforcing Limited Local Tax Dollars and Constituent Services, and Respectfully Requesting a Collaborative Partnership Between State and County Governments for the Benefit of Our Shared Constituent).
Adopted by the Board of Directors on September 18th, 2025.
A Resolution of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona Calling on the State and Administrative Office of the Courts to Work Collaboratively to Provide Sufficient State Funding for Probation and the Courts, Improve the Efficient Deployment of Taxpayer Resources, and to Identify a Long-term Funding Solutions for the Court System.
Ensuring the state provides $10.4 million on an ongoing basis to fund salary adjustments for its probation officers.
Adopted by the Board of Directors on October 30th, 2025.
Transportation Funding Resolution
A Resolution of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona Urging State Lawmakers to Enact Long-term Funding Solutions to Support State and Local Transportation Infrastructure.
Adopted by the Board of Directors on October 30th, 2025.
Public Safety Pensions Resolution
A Resolution of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona Urging the PSPRS Board of Trustees to Protect Historic Investments in Public Safety Pensions and Requesting that State Lawmakers Exercise Restraint in Enacting Policies that Increase Costs or Modify Contributions to the System.
Protect taxpayer investments in public safety pensions.
County-Submitted Proposals
Of the original 17 County-Submitted Proposals presented at the Association's Policy Summit, 11 passed within the supermajority threshold required to adopt a proposal into the Association's official agenda for the 2026 legislative session. Staff have prepared an overview document with all 11 proposals as passed at the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, October 30th. Please find the outcome report linked here as well as listed below!
“Recapitalization of the DFFM Wildfire Emergency Response Fund”
Legislation - Appropriation
Recapitalize the Wildfire Emergency Response Fund at an “appropriate and sustainable” level.
“Accountability for taxpayers maintaining non-owned properties”
Legislation
Treat § 11-268 (D) assessments for county costs in the event of “removal of rubbish, trash, weeds, filth, debris, and dilapidated buildings” like special district assessments, allowing for their inclusion on property tax bills and in sales of tax liens.
“Solar Energy Consumer Protection.”
Legislation
Pursue the following statutory changes: (a) require rooftop solar companies to evaluate and disclose the existing condition of the homeowner’s roof before installation, (b) require solar companies with a documented history of complaints or violations to obtain third-party inspections verifying compliance.
“Maintaining Public Trust by Preserving Name Rights.”
Legislation
Amend statute currently prohibiting unauthorized use of the county seal to include use of any county name, logo, or brand identity when coupled with elected office. Further, permit the Sheriff’s Office to maintain naming rights of all Sheriff’s Posses associated with Search and Rescue Efforts.
In collaboration with the Arizona Association of Counties.
Creating a Regulatory Framework for Above-Ground Cold Plunges
Legislation
Exempt single-person, bathtub-style cold plunge units from regulations, as – given current Arizona Administrative Code – they would not qualify for existing permits
“Addressing Homeowners Insurance Affordability & Stability”
Resolution
Respectfully urge the Governor, the Legislature, and the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions to “adopt legislation that would expand access to and affordability of homeowners’ insurance in wildfire-prone areas.”
“WIFA forgivable funding for cesspool and outdated septic system infrastructure”
Legislation
Amend statute to permit counties to receive forgivable financial assistance from WIFA for the purpose of replacing cesspools and outdated septic system infrastructure. Specify that forgivable loans do not require approval at election.
“Permanent Funding for the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office”
Resolution
Support full funding of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) (including the 40% state match required by federal law).
“Fire code inspection waiver for municipalities over 100,000 residents.”
Legislation
Create a statutory waiver process whereby counties may choose to use/enforce the municipality’s fire code on county buildings if they can prove that enforcing the state’s code would cause an undue burden.
Increase local responsiveness regarding short-term rental units, including unfair tax treatment.
Resolution
Urge the State Legislature to: (a) return comprehensive regulatory authority of short-term rentals (STRs) to local governments, (b) permit local jurisdictions to set occupancy limits, density caps, and zoning restrictions, (c) enable enforcement tools, such as registration fees or penalties, that support local code compliance and public safety, (d) protect residential neighborhoods and housing availability through locally-tailored solutions, and (e) ensure specified STRs are valued using the commercial assessment ratio.
Permanent statewide solution to election calendar issues
Legislation
Permanently (a) move the primary election, (b) shorten the cure deadline to 5 calendar days (instead of 5 business days), and (c) mandate the research and dispositioning of provisional ballots within 7 calendar days.
In collaboration with the Arizona Association of Counties.
Creatures of Statute Latest Episode: It's a Wrap! Recapping our 2025 Policy Summit
Tune in as we wrap up the 2025 Policy Summit in Yuma County. Hear what county officials are focused on, what stood out at the summit, and what’s next on the policy horizon. Catch up on the Summit during your commute!
To explore our meeting materials – referenced on the episode – and learn more about the proposals in our 2026 legislative agenda, visit our website. To view our outcome report of the adopted proposals, click here.
Upcoming Deadlines, Conferences, and Webinars
NACO Ongoing Webinar - Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress
Biweekly on Thursdays | May 15 - December 11, 2025, 3:30-4:30 P.M. ET
Building off NACo’s First 100 Days webinar series, we are starting a biweekly series to provide timely updates and analysis on key developments from the White House and Congress. Each session focuses on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in every other week to stay informed on how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
To register, please click here.
Lifelong Learning: Upcoming NACo Webinars + Events
Checks, Balances, and Firewalls: Navigating Governance
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 | 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
In an increasingly interconnected world, effective governance forms the cornerstone of order. It is crucial for the stability and security of essential government services, particularly election operations. This training delves into the critical intersection of digital realities and election security, offering a framework on how to manage and mitigate risks in an interconnected world. Rooted in the fundamentals of governance, this training is designed to strengthen processes by providing guardrails for securing election operations.
In this course, you will:
Learn the fundamentals of governance: Participants will learn foundational principles of governance where digital infrastructure meets election operations.
Explore the data management lifecycle: This course focuses on providing participants with the essential concepts for managing data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Gain insights into managing resilient supply chains: This training explores the intricate supply chains supporting election infrastructure. It offers insights into identifying and managing potential risks stemming from this interconnected infrastructure.
Who will benefit:
Ideal for election officials, local government administrators, emergency managers, IT officials, and anyone responsible for maintaining and supporting election operations or related government services.
By attending this training, election officials and their partners can gain insight and perspective on the fundamentals of governance, ensuring that an organization’s use of technology aligns with its business goals, including a deeper dive into data and supply chain management. In elections, governance is essential for ensuring the integrity and security of vital infrastructure.
To register, please click here.
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