Pima County

Last month, the Arizona Supreme Court denied Pima County’s request for a Special Action (expedited court decision) in its challenge to the state of Arizona shifting tax burdens onto counties so that the state legislature could falsely claim that it had “balanced” the state budget. AZ Supreme Court denies special action for Pima County v. Arizona Legislature.

The Court’s action meant that: (1)  Pima County has to sue in Superior Court in the regular course of litigation which will take a lot more time, County, Ajo resident sue tate over taxshift, and (2) Pima County taxpayers will have to pay higher taxes this year that the state legislature shifted onto Pima County. Thanks for that Arizona Supreme Court!

Pima County is making an effort to make it abundantly clear to its county residents who is actually responsible for their higher tax rates this year: our lawless Tea-Publican Arizona legislature.

The Arizona Daily Star reports, New county tax statements highlight state funding shifts:

Pima County leaders have long complained that the state forces local governments to pay for state-provided services. Now they plan to make their case to every property owner in the county.

In this year’s tax statements, county officials plan to include a breakdown of how primary property taxes are spent, and how much of local collections support state services.

“Over the years, more and more things have been shifted to the county,” Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said.

Along with tax statements, the county plans to send a chart that shows as much as one-third of primary property tax collections, or more than $104.4 million this year, will be transferred to the state.

Read more

Back in June I posted that Pima County sues our lawless Tea-Publican Arizona Legislature:

Pima County sued the state Monday, claiming its new budget illegally forces millions of dollars in education spending onto county taxpayers.

The county’s request for special action in Arizona Supreme Court asks justices to undo the shift of more than $45 million in costs back to counties in Gov. Doug Ducey’s budget plan approved by the Legislature in March.

Howard Fischer reports today that the Arizona Supreme Court has denied special action jurisdiction, and this case will have to proceed as routine litigation, which could take months or years before it gets back to the Arizona Supreme Court on appeal. Court decision means higher Pima County taxes:

The Arizona Supreme Court will not block a new state law that will force Pima and Pinal counties to hike taxes on their own residents to make up for a budget-saving maneuver approved by lawmakers and the governor.

Without comment, the justices brushed aside a request by attorneys for Pima County that they immediately take up the question of the legality of the new law. Attorney Joe Kanefield had hoped for a quick — and final — resolution ahead of next month’s deadline for counties to set their property tax rates.

“Obviously, we took a chance,” he said Thursday of going directly to the state’s highest court. “That was the quickest way to resolve it with absolute finality.”

Read more