[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6164388,"mediaKeyId","5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7","parentId",5428754,"title","County manager outlines four-year tax-rate plan, budget priorities and bridges included in this year’s budget","audioSeconds",334,"startMs",54000,"endMs",388000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7&start=54&end=388","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7/thumbnail_54000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6164388/Santa-Cruz-County/Arizona/County-manager-outlines-four-year-tax-rate-plan-budget-priorities-and-bridges-included-in-this-years-budget","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164388-866fab5964a9dd1b02f8ee2b83d1fe96/orig.mp4?Expires=1770658348&Signature=JYDpNDLPwhBvpBqa~0EdlhQ6BEbpksywm3qKLEvs6AHjr-ZVZ432OKcPM3z5-dc8JA6FFej2A~BYpDUO9kLMNOAttQAHfV4SwKbu4l9GIqqrbLF6BTOJGJoNk8zPiUGb5tNDY6nMrDw5YCb15haSbvAoDZFQr44~ZxXcUDgCTT3Oj00CElEf5HwcurCKEr7NloR64qvd7se-gmOj9ucgPjdMa1zlVtBD~Oi5YhgzUDicf42FJS8RfV68YUPRPdM009DN0xoP-jJPj-FzspPySfT~UFqNG-M0RPjFRUg~rco--bLlBbUBuK3YMCNhcb~rEsaiNAvgbjhrOKsmsj~pPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Santa Cruz County, AZ ","date","2025-07-19T11:20:15.927Z","article","Jesus Valdez, county manager, said the county is developing a budget that includes a four-year plan to reduce the tax rate and fund capital projects and workforce improvements.

Valdez said the county’s property taxes and sales taxes do not fully cover county expenses for a population of about 50,000, and leaders are planning gradual reductions in the tax rate that will take effect if the Board of Supervisors accepts the plan each year.

The tax-rate discussion comes as the county finalizes a budget and details on capital projects. \"We\u0000re looking at a 4 year plan where we\u0000re gonna\u0000take off a few points from our\u0000tax rate, in order to alleviate some of the, you know, the burden in our community,\" Valdez said. He added that any annual reduction requires action by the board.

Valdez said the budget also includes two bridge projects scheduled for construction this year: a bridge over Botrero Creek on Ruby Road and a bridge on Elgin Road in Sonora over the Babakumari wash. \"Currently, we have 2 bridges that we\u0000re planning on constructing,\" he said. He also said staff are studying a road alignment to create a spine road so residents would not be dependent on Interstate 19 for local travel.

On workforce and administration, Valdez said the county has added capacity in the manager\u0000s office and is investing in staff pay and training. \"We added more capacity to the manager and the Board of Supervisors. We have 2 deputy county managers. In years past, we only had 1,\" he said. Valdez said the county also is working with consultants on grants and economic development to help deliver services.

Valdez described the role of county management in coordinating with the Board of Supervisors and other stakeholders: \"My role is to work with the board of supervisors and all the elected officials, to make sure that they\u0000re able to do their provide their duties as prescribed in the Arizona revised statutes.\" He said county management acts as an extension of the board when communicating with cities, towns and state agencies.

No formal votes or motions on the budget or tax plan were recorded in this interview. Valdez said the four-year tax-rate plan will be implemented year-by-year after board acceptance and that more detailed dollar amounts and percentages were not specified in the interview.

For residents, Valdez encouraged engagement with county offices and said staff are available for questions as budget planning continues.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jesus Valdez, County Manager","oneSentenceSummary","Jesus Valdez, county manager, said the county is developing a budget that includes a four-year plan to reduce the tax rate and fund capital projects and workforce improvements.","taxTitle","Santa Cruz County, Arizona","taxId",27865,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164379,"County manager: Arizona law places permitting with state; county will monitor South32 mining impacts",62,517000,579000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7&start=517&end=579","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7/thumbnail_517000.jpg","/articles/6164379/Santa-Cruz-County/Arizona/County-manager-Arizona-law-places-permitting-with-state-county-will-monitor-South32-mining-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164379-2af47574b735fa2569c66dc95fb24492/orig.mp4?Expires=1770658348&Signature=LfSMKwtHWrWWyelnDgkYaXUojm1UDBp5dtPKtKC66IL0K8FThs2X1xVaRVDPl7F~9ORrbq1BfbdK0m3QwsRc8bhJndM022QimPhxEHUyKhSyK1rI10pCRVJWY-s3mZAsCU3zh-H~qU74ay6GR7nHK1ta47wWpzeajMdfDgFqc5-~ZvTFCydeJrk8HXqqNp1ICkLl4Ix7G~7uiOi07vkl6Onyh~BRU4OgHBqzD9-KCtQm7lcmSjmPDIJvWKuDhPtWGdAj3~BtVXtab5izSTPmLZgTpObn1svbdoWxXIBvj1Ntqa0ZP0eFiGktnbO-zRciPJ2BkH4C~5LsrNjP-E-DYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jesus Valdez, county manager, said the South32 mining project is located in the county but that state law places permitting authority at the state level, not with the county.

\"The way the the laws in the state of Arizona, the county doesn't play any role in permitting the mine,\" Valdez said. He added that the county intends to be vigilant about environmental protections and hopes the company will be a partner for local benefits: \"We do believe that South 32 wants to be a good a good partner with us. But we are vigilant when it comes to protecting our public from environmental impacts that [a mine] may have.\"

Valdez said county staff are preparing plans to address potential liabilities linked to the mine and to ensure the project has positive effects for constituents. \"So we are planning on see we're planning on, our plan is to prepare plants so that we could the liabilities that otherwise we would not see because of the line,\" he said. The interview did not specify what those plans include or any formal county permitting actions.

Valdez emphasized the county's limited permitting role while noting officials will coordinate with state regulators and other stakeholders as the project proceeds. No board actions or votes concerning South32 were recorded in this interview.","Jesus Valdez said South32's mine is located in the county, but under Arizona law the county does not permit the mine. He said county officials intend to be vigilant about environmental impacts and to seek economic benefits for residents, and that the county is preparing plans to address liabilities the project may bring.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164384,"County says Pearson playground funded by federal CDBG grant for low- and moderate-income residents",59,269000,328000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7&start=269&end=328","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5428754-1406d5c83692462871b58f293e3bc5d7/thumbnail_269000.jpg","/articles/6164384/Santa-Cruz-County/Arizona/County-says-Pearson-playground-funded-by-federal-CDBG-grant-for-low-and-moderate-income-residents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164384-5aff259616efbc05a077713f6f9010cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770658348&Signature=RS4rvNpasPqcWmLbolIl66Q2ihm0fAZAQiBMd7vxBIRPq8VwIcVmUZjClunPKMfixA8TUaRLwNvrRsXR2gP0h-KcJpaDhCtCdX0NFP9F8OFeGb2MtB71sBRKxrrG-EfieQvDFPEDZhJAjIbeY8kzsppGbwApj6m8IuAGqFFt7ko7MuXC6kNxulUcHv~m3vneH9Qxb0PpctilTk5w~Y18FCY6kMcnbtjiCOLconJ1c7Dn4Je5GcqGJlbn2rpoGDRjGgee96hwJPNtCx4Zs3UBpCShCyfbAHIpouutEUh3NWKRwKMJZrq6HEN8fPVh98QmG48rnArMqZHt~sE6lnW9CQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jesus Valdez, county manager, said the county will construct the Pearson Playground with funds from a federal Community Development Block Grant and that the project must meet the program\u0000s income-eligibility criteria.

\"The Pearson Playground that that will be constructed, that comes from a grant... it's a CDBG, which is Community Block Grant,\" Valdez said. He added that an eligibility requirement for the grant is serving people who are low to moderate income and that the county had to qualify the project to meet the grant conditions.

Valdez described CDBG as a federal program intended to help communities that lack access to amenities found in more affluent areas. \"One of the criterias of the grant and how we utilize it is is is, is that the people we're trying to serve have to be low to moderate income,\" he said. He said the grant is intended to \"help more of the underprivileged or more of the people that don't have access to some of these facilities.\"

The interview did not record dollar amounts for the Pearson Playground grant, a project timeline, or a listed contractor. Valdez said the county used the grant\u0000s qualifying rules to align the project with the program but did not specify the exact income thresholds or the grant award date.

No formal board action on the playground was included in the interview.","Jesus Valdez said the Pearson Playground project will be paid for with a federal Community Development Block Grant and that the grant requires the project serve low- to moderate-income residents; the county had to qualify the project under grant criteria.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County manager outlines four-year tax-rate plan, budget priorities and bridges included in this year’s budget

County manager: Arizona law places permitting with state; county will monitor South32 mining impacts

County says Pearson playground funded by federal CDBG grant for low- and moderate-income residents