Supervisor chairman explains budget vision

Pinal County Board of Supervisors’ Chairman Steve Miller outlined his budget priorities Thursday for the upcoming budget discussions beginning Feb. 27.

“By outlining my objectives for the coming year, I hope to signal to my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and the other elected officials what my priorities and goals are and, hopefully, set a tone for future funding discussions,” Miller said.

“We need to tighten our belt and curtail spending again this year,” he said. His twin priorities are:

No increase in the property tax rate.

Pinal County already has the highest primary property tax rate and the second highest tax burden of Arizona’s 15 counties. The ultimate goal, Miller said, is to bring the tax levy to a reasonable level.

Property taxes for the coming year are based on real-estate sales from 2010 and 2011 when property values were still declining. The county will collect 7.7 percent less or $6.3 million less in property tax than last year.

Freezing all department budgets at current levels.

The only budget increases Miller said he will consider are those tied to a specific mandated state or federal programs.