SE Arizona News

Cochise County property taxpayers are advised of proposed property tax increases and notified of Truth in Taxation Hearings being held on July 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room in Bisbee. 

Each year, the Board of Supervisors meet to discuss and adopt Cochise County’s tentative budget. On June 14, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s tentative budget for the Fiscal Year 2022-2023. The total budget is balanced at $250,049,871, to include $96,547,090 in General Funds and $153,502,781 in Special Revenue Funds. 

At the Special Meeting, the Board also adopted the following tentative budgets for FY22-23:

• Flood Control District tentative budget of $8,458,691.
• Library District tentative budget of $3,139,844.
• Light Improvement Districts: 
  • Bowie tentative budget of $13,841.
  • Golden Acres tentative budget of $13,346.
  • Naco tentative budget of $11,280.
  • Pirtleville tentative budget of $20,345.
  • Sunsites tentative budget of $30,408.

For the General Fund primary property tax, there is a proposed tax levy increase of $693,501 or 2.61%. For Cochise County’s Library District, there is a proposed tax levy increase of $9,006 or 0.62%, and for Cochise County’s Flood Control District, there is a proposed tax levy increase of $19,488 or 0.89%. Therefore, the Board approved three Truth in Taxation hearings for the public to comment on the proposed increases.

“Per law, if the levy increases, there must be a Truth in Taxation hearing giving the public an opportunity to speak to the Board about it,” says County Administrator Richard Karwaczka. “If properties’ assessed values increase, even with a flat tax rate, the total levy increases as well – which is the case for these Districts. 

Chairman Ann English noted, “The bottom line is, if we get five cents more than we received last year, from the same taxpayers, then we must have Truth in Taxation hearings. 

The proposed General Fund property tax levy increase will dedicate approximately $547,423 directly to the Public Safety Retirement Personnel System (PSPRS) as an additional amount paid to strategically lower the debt. 

State law requires the County to publish Truth in Taxation (TNT) notices when there is an expected increase in property taxes. TNT notices have been published in the Herald/Review. Copies of Truth In Taxation notices are attached. 

The County is not responsible for any increase in tax rates set by local schools and special districts, which have their own elected boards.

The Truth in Taxations hearings will be held on Tuesday, July 12 at 10:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room located at 1415 Melody Lane, Building G, Bisbee, AZ 85603. Interested citizens are invited to attend the public hearings in person or may attend online via Microsoft Teams, or by calling (602) 609-7513 or (888) 680-6714 and using conference ID 848 996 955#.

_{Source: https://www.cochise.az.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=138}