The Surprise City Council has given the thumbs-up to the Fiscal Year 2025 Tentative Budget aimed at keeping community services tip-top, putting public safety first, and pumping cash into the city’s transportation veins. The approval came during their May 7 powwow, according to an official press release. The budget lays out a plan to not only sustain but also boost the quality of life for those calling Surprise home, catering to both current residents and future homesteaders.
In the face of a budding population and a hefty $14.3 million annual ding to the General Fund - that’s the cash cow for essentials like cops, firefighters, and parks - the city plans to thoroughly adjust their tax policies to make up for the shortfall. A cool $6.6 million of the lost revenue comes courtesy of Senate Bill 1131, which nixes residential rental tax starting January 1, 2025, while a $7.7 million gap stems from a state income tax change to a flat 2.5% rate. The tentative budget includes a proposal to chop the city’s primary property tax rate down by 25% and to ratchet up local sales tax from 2.2% to 2.8%.
The FY2025 budget also introduces 59 new full-time gigs, adding muscle to various city services. A breakdown reveals 16 positions that plugged gaps midyear FY2024 and another 43 reinforcements scheduled for the coming fiscal year. With a vigilant eye on public safety, the prior additions included 14 spots aimed at bringing School Resource Officers to local schools.
The new roles for FY2025 cast a wider safety net, with 29 General Fund positions, including 12 more boots on the ground for public safety. The tent will also expand for an extra 14 positions in non-General Fund services, ensuring basic amenities like water and trash don't take a back seat. On top of that, a splashy 31.5 part-time positions will join the team to help run the soon-to-be-opened community aquatic center at Cactus and Perryville roads, set to make a summer 2025 debut.
The budget blueprint doesn't stop at manpower. It's locked and loaded with a 5-year capital improvement program, boasting a hefty $100 million from General Obligation Bonds greenlit by voters last November. These funds are earmarked for a new police substation, land for additional public safety huts, and street improvements. The city is also putting aside a wad of cash for asset upkeep, smooth roads, and fresh wheels to keep their fleet cruising.
All in all, the FY2025 tentative expenditure budget stacks up to a cool $961.5 million with transfers between funds sitting pretty at $66.9 million, totting up to an eye-watering $1.03 billion. The General Fund claims $251.4 million of the pie. A final round of public chinwagging and a stamp of approval from the Council is on the calendar for June 4, ahead of the new budget year kicking off July 1. Budget docs and updates are on display for all eyes at surpriseaz.gov/budget, and the bean counting can be witnessed live on Surprise TV for those who enjoy the crunch of numbers.
