Continuing its emphasis on public safety, improved infrastructure and innovation, today, the Mesa City Council approved the fiscal year 2019-20 budget of $1.8 billion, an amount consistent with the previous year's adopted budget.
"Mesa's budget is a reflection of our residents' feedback, Council priorities, and conservative financial modeling and forecasting." Mesa Mayor John Giles said. "I'm pleased with our strategic budgeting process which resulted in public safety as a top priority and the implementation of the new public safety sales tax, which adds more staffing for both police and fire services."
The budget includes approximately $184.8 million in new voter-approved bond funding as well as $79.5 million in existing authorizations for public safety, infrastructure and parks/cultural capital projects. Examples of these projects include the Greenfield Water Treatment Plant, Fire Station 221 and upgrades to the Dobson Ranch Library and the Main Library. Public Safety additions since the approval of last year's budget and going into FY 2019-20, are more than $7.1 million including funding for 40 positions for Police and 25 positions for Fire/Medical both sworn and civilian.
"As an organization, we continue to focus on ways to use Smart City technology and other innovations to not only improve the delivery of our services but also find ways to be more efficient in the process." City Manager Chris Brady said. "The general governmental fund, which is the funding mechanism for our daily operations, increased slightly from $445 million in FY 2018-19 to $457.7 million in this year's budget with a majority of that going to public safety."
The City of Mesa's financials including general obligation and utility revenue bonds are strong according to both Moody's and Standard & Poor (S&P) Global credit rating agencies with S&P raising their long-term rating to AA from AA- and Moody's maintaining their Aa2 rating
For more information about Mesa's budget, bond program and ratings visit www.mesaaz.gov/city-hall/office-of-management-budget.