Miles SmithQueen Creek, Arizona, is moving forward with a $627.7 million annual budget with an emphasis on capital improvements in the Phoenix-area town.
Nearly half the budget is dedicated to projects that involve making improvements to transportation, public safety, water and wastewater, parks and other infrastructure.
The town said continued capital improvements were necessary to keep up with the rapid growth it has experienced since incorporating in 1989. During that time, the town has grown from a population of approximately 2,000 with a subscription-based single-engine fire company to a community with an estimated population of 89,300, according to city documents.
Queen Creek’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 budget takes effect July 1. Some highlights include:
- $119.1 million for transportation projects.
- $68.8 million for water improvements and $17.2 million for wastewater.
- $55.3 million for police-related facilities.
- $11.8 million for projects to improve community space, including relocating the town’s dog park and bolstering the trail system.
- $11.5 million on fire and EMS facilities, including the purchase of land to build a new fire station.
The town of Queen Creek is charting a future with an emphasis on infrastructure and citizen well-being, courtesy of the newly approved FY 2025-26 budget. The Queen Creek Town Council stamped their approval on a $627.7 million budget Wednesday, a ledger that promises to uphold transportation, public safety and community infrastructure at its core, as per the Town of Queen Creek’s recent announcement. This financial roadmap, which will be effective from July 1, slices the town’s total budget by 13% compared to the previous year, however, it manages to do so without skimping on key public sectors.
Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley highlighted a dedication to maintaining a high standard of living and enforcing strong communal ties in a statement obtained by the Town of Queen Creek. Notably, the budget allocation earmarks a substantial $66.8 million for public safety endeavors and $119.1 million funneled towards transportation initiatives.
Aligning with the Town’s Corporate Strategic Plan, Queen Creek’s budget also carves out significant funds for enhancing the quality of lifestyle options and effective governance. A noteworthy $68.8 million has been allocated to water infrastructure, and $17.2 million to its wastewater counterpart. In a drive to enrich the community space, $11.8 million has been designated to relocate the town’s dog park, bolster the trail system, and wrap up lingering costs for the Recreation & Aquatic Center.
On the financial relief front, Queen Creek residents can anticipate $3.8 million in property tax savings due to the freeze instituted by the Town Council. Further easing the burden, $1.5 million will be conserved with the cessation of the additional Town Center sales tax. The budget proposes a recommendation to reduce the primary property tax rate from $1.63 to $1.55 per $100 of assessed value, a move that will be deliberated by the Town Council on June 4. In a policy passed in November 2022, the primary property tax, initiated by voters in 2007 and steadfastly allocated for public safety, was locked for existing taxpayers for a span of five years.
For more details on the Town of Queen Creek’s financial planning for the coming year, interested parties can view the full budget documentation on the official town website.
Image by Rodrigo Feldman Ruiz from Pixabay
