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CSA Weekly Update (12.12.25)

  • kaytlink
  • Dec 12
  • 5 min read

In the December 12th, 2025, edition of the CSA Weekly Update:

Board of Directors Meeting in Phoenix: Last Meeting of 2025

At the December 11th meeting of the CSA Board of Directors, county supervisors received an update on county research and legislative priorities in preparation for the upcoming legislative session – starting in 32 days. The Board also received a presentation on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Listening Tour and their progress meeting with community leaders across the state to establish a common goal for transportation infrastructure moving forward. The presenter - Kristin Darr, Owner and Principal, Central Creative - asked supervisors to reach out to the ADOT team to schedule meetings in their communities so they can get a well-rounded perspective before making suggestions for future projects. Finally, the Board was given an update on announcements from the federal government, the County Managers Association, the Wester Interstate Region, and the National Association of Counties.


Small County Caucus Meeting: Wrapping Up December!

On Wednesday, December 10th, the Small County Caucus met in Phoenix to discuss important rural issues. They were joined by Senator Gabaldón, Representative of the Government of Sonora Gerardo Valenzuela-Buelna, and Director and Professor of the School of Transborder Studies. Thank you to our special guests for joining us!


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County 101: County Overview at the Legislature

The County Supervisors Association was honored to join legislative staff at the House of Representatives to present our Annual County 101 briefing. County 101 is an opportunity for CSA staff to educate legislative staff about county government and operations. Staff provided an overview of the role and structure of counties, county services, county finances, and county priorities for the upcoming legislative session. The presentation concluded with an overview of the Association’s updated website and data resources – all available at countysupervisors.org. Thank you to the incredible staff who joined us, your work is vital to state operations. We look forward to collaborating with you in 2026!


If you would like a glimpse of what was shared during County 101, please see the County Basics Episode of the Association’s podcast: Creatures of Statute Episode!


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Learning Series: ARCHES & Morrison Institute Housing Update

Prior to the CSA Board of Directors Meeting on December 11th, Dr. Alison Cook-Davis - Research Director at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy and Co-Director of the Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability (ARCHES) at Arizona State University – provided an update on the state of housing in Arizona and answered supervisors questions about ARCHES State of Housing in Arizona report. The presentation covered housing affordability and development as well as recent policy changes impacting construction. If you would like to review the report, it will be linked here alongside an interactive map of housing in Arizona (linked here). 


County Resources: Educational Materials 

Association staff have put together updated educational materials on property taxes, levy limits, and county revenues that will be helpful to explain to constituents, other elected officials, and professional staff how county finances work in a restricted fiscal environment. Please find links to these materials below.  


Property Tax Resource Guide


Property taxes are an integral part of funding government in Arizona and have been since statehood. They are the primary source of funding for general county services. Historically, on average property taxes have funded about 40% of general county operations.


We're excited to launch some key resources related to property taxes in Arizona, including but not limited to:

  • An overview of Arizona's property tax system, including how they're calculated

  • Explainers on the various constitutional and statutory limitations on the property tax

  • Breakdown of the roles and responsibility of the Board of Supervisors on the property tax

  • Tax burden FAQs


To learn more about property taxes in Arizona, visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/property-tax



State and County Revenue Comparison Tool


We’re excited to announce the launch of our new State & County Revenue Performance Dashboard! This tool is designed to give a clear, month-by-month look at how Arizona’s revenues are tracking at both the state and county levels.


The dashboard allows you to quickly compare the state’s fiscal year-to-date growth against the average across all counties, offering an at-a-glance view of which tax categories are driving revenue performance.



To explore our new tool, visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/state-county-revenue-performance



County Levy Limit Guide


Levy limits cap the amount of revenue counties and other local governments can collect in primary property taxes each year. Under the Arizona Constitution, annual levy growth is restricted to 2% over the prior year’s limit, plus revenue from new construction. Because primary property taxes make up roughly 40% of county general fund revenues, levy limits significantly shape counties’ ability to keep pace with service demands. Notably, these limits are very difficult to modify and can only be done so temporarily.


County Levy Limit Utilization: 1980 - 2025


To learn more about levy limits, view our full report at  https://www.countysupervisors.org/levy-limits


Road to Session: Where Are We Now?

The legislative session is only 31 days away, and the Association is putting the pedal to the medal securing sponsors, bill folders, and stakeholder input for the 2026 legislative and budget priorities. On January 12th, the session will begin with the Governor’s State of the State Address, the release of the Executive Budget, and the first look at the JLBC Baseline Budget projections.  This is also when the floodgates will open with bills being released and assigned to committees. As we get closer to the legislative session, the Association will keep providing updates on the session timelines and progress on the 2026 legislative agenda. 


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Lifelong Learning: Upcoming NACo Webinars + Events


Modern Networks, Smarter Budgets: A County Leader's Perspective

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 | 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET


Join us for a fireside chat with Orleans County, NY, as they share how their team successfully transitioned from a traditional capital expense (CapEx) model to an operational expense (OpEx) model for network services.


When faced with rising maintenance costs and an expiring carrier contract, the county seized the opportunity to modernize its network and lock in predictable monthly costs. By bundling connectivity services with unified communications, they achieved immediate savings of over $124,000, eliminated recurring charges such as long-distance fees and third-party integration costs, and gained access to operational upgrades like call analytics and auto-attendants.


This shift not only strengthened financial planning through fixed monthly expenses but also freed up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives.


Key takeaways: 

  • Elimination of Ongoing Charges – Remove additional fees by modernizing services

  • Simplified Service Management – Bundle services to streamline billing and vendor relationships

  • Predictable Budgeting – Enable accurate long-term financial planning without surprise expenses

  • Operational Efficiency Gains – Enhanced tools improve resident service and free up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives

  • Significant Savings – Leverage promotions and avoid large capital expenditures 


To register, click here.

 
 
 

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