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CSA Weekly Update (1.30.2026)

  • intern3274
  • Jan 30
  • 6 min read

In the January 30th, 2026, edition of the CSA Weekly Update


Rural Transportation Advocacy Council: Meeting in Phoenix to Discuss Rural Priority Projects

On Thursday, January 29th, the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council met in Phoenix to discuss their budget and legislative priorities for the 2026 legislative session. Among the attendees were supervisors, legislators, and county professional staff from across rural Arizona. RTACs mission is to promote rural transportation interests at the state legislator, and event like this luncheon allow rural advocates to meet with their legislative delegation and hear from them on the status of important rural transpiration priorities.


Cooperation, Innovation & ROI—Oh My! The Arizona Procurement Study Report Is Here


Local governments in Arizona manage procurement for everything from public safety to infrastructure, shaping how communities receive essential services.

 

This week, the research team lead by Dr. Akheil Singla presented the findings from the Arizona Procurement Study to county and municipal professional staff at CSA. This report, conducted by Arizona State University and generously funded by the Arizona Board of Regents, examines current procurement practices, highlights challenges such as staffing and vendor gaps, and offers actionable strategies to improve efficiency, transparency, and value for taxpayers. It also introduces tools like ROI analysis to help governments make informed, cost-effective decisions.


You can access the recorded briefing, along with the full report on CSA's website under General Government, or by clicking here.


CSA Launches New Local Government Public Safety Pension Contributions & Debt Report - by Legislative District!

Over the past two decades, Arizona's public safety pension systems have faced significant unfunded liabilities that impact both local budgets and long-term fiscal stability. State lawmakers acted in 2016 and 2017 to reform these systems, and state and local leaders have taken extraordinary action to address outstanding obligations in a cost-effective manner. In total since FY 2021, Arizona taxpayers have deposited $5.8 billion in additional contributions to secure public safety pension benefits.


This report, now available on CSA's Pension research page, provides an overview of the actions taken by state and local governments, organized by legislative district, from FY 2021 through FY 2026 to address significant unfunded liabilities (debt) in their public safety pensions. Additionally, it provides a summarized picture of the remaining debt for the legacy tiers within the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) and Corrections Officers Retirement Plan (CORP) for jurisdictions within the LD for FY 2027.


Checkout the report below, or head to the Pension research page for access to both PDF and interactive reports that can be easily printed.



County Storytellers: Santa Cruz Podcast - GOV 101: Inside Santa Cruz County: Intern-Led Podcast

This week, the Association would like to highlight Santa Cruz County's podcast: GOV 101: Inside Santa Cruz County: Intern-Led Podcast! The podcast provides short overviews of different department in Santa Cruz County, featuring interviews with department directors.


Please find GOV 101: Inside Santa Cruz County: Intern-Led Podcast here.

New CSA Podcast Episode: From the Ground Up - How NACo Supports Counties, with Matt Chase

New CSA Podcast Episode: From the Ground Up: How NACo Supports Counties, with Matt Chase


On the heels of his visit to Arizona, we sat down with Matt Chase, CEO of the National Association of Counties (NACo), to discuss how counties are supported at the national level. We explore NACo’s role in assisting local leaders, key federal issues—from public lands and disaster response to AI and data centers—and the growing


CSA Bills in Action: Where are They Now?

The Association is working on 8 bills this legislative session covering a range of important county functions. Please find the list of bills below and a link to our priorities explainer document here.

Committee Meetings: February 2-5, 2026

Please find the full calendar of committees linked here as well as all live proceedings linked here. Committees subject to change.  

Session Timeline: Important Dates and Deadlines

This week, the House of Representatives extended the deadline for requesting and introducing bills. Now, Representatives have until Friday, February 6th to request new folders from Legislative Council and until Monday, February 9th to introduce new bills. As the 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session progresses, the Association will continue to provide updates on important deadlines as they pass. 


Please find additional deadlines linked here as well as listed below:


Lifelong Learning: Upcoming NACo Webinars

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

Thursday, February 5, 2026; 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 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, click here

 

NACo Public Health Leadership Academy Application Information Session

Wednesday, February 11, 2026; 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.


The National Association of Counties (NACo), in partnership with the de Beaumont Foundation, is launching its inaugural Public Health Leadership Academy (PHLA) to strengthen county leadership in advancing public health. This webinar will review the key information applicants should know to apply to the PHLA and provide an opportunity for applicants to ask questions. 

To view more details about the Academy and review the application, visit NACo’s Public Health Leadership Initiative webpage.


To register, click here

 

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

Thursday, February 12, 2026; 3 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, click here

 


 
 
 

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