Phoenix, Arizona - Arizona remains committed to supporting economic development, improving healthcare and enhancing public safety across our state. The fiscally conservative, balanced budget makes significant investments in rural Arizona, helping communities across our state thrive.
Here are some examples of investments benefiting rural Arizona in this year’s budget:
- Investing In Rural Community Colleges: The budget includes an investment of $14.2 million for community colleges outside of Maricopa and Pima Counties, investing in rural economic and career development engines. The budget also includes $1 million for Diné College, a community college located on the Navajo Nation.
- Enhancing Rural Healthcare: This year’s budget invests $1 million for prenatal equipment at rural Arizona hospitals. The budget also includes $1.5 million to help stabilize operations at Benson Hospital and Northern Cochise Community Hospital in Cochise County in addition to $700,000 for a primary care clinic in Colorado City.
- Improving Public Safety: The budget invests $271,000 for a Sierra Vista Public Safety Communications Center, enhancing public safety in the area.
- Adding High-Speed Internet: This year’s budget invests $3 million to expand broadband services in underserved rural areas, helping advance economic development, improve education and more.
- Preventing Wildfires: The budget invests $1 million for forestry hazardous vegetation removal to help prevent wildfires. The budget also includes $750,000 for a forestry fire training center in Snowflake and $750,000 for a Mount Lemmon Fire District water line. In addition, the budget doubles the funds available to promptly reimburse local Arizona fire districts for their work to combat wildfires to $20 million.
- Relieving County Operating Costs: The budget invests $11.3 million to eliminate the county share of operating costs at the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections.
- Funding Local Infrastructure Projects: In addition to baseline funding for transportation and infrastructure projects, the budget adds $95.3 million for targeted projects across the state to improve safety and economic development. The budget also includes $2.6 million to offset wastewater treatment costs in Nogales, Arizona.
- Enhancing Ports Of Entry In Southern Arizona: The budget includes $700,000 to build a new cold room inspection facility at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, improving the port’s ability to import temperature-sensitive goods.
- Preserving Arizona’s Natural Resources: The budget invests $950,000 to maintain Arizona's hiking trails across the state and $1.25 million to preserve the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.
- Promoting Arizona: Tourism is one of rural Arizona’s largest economic drivers. The budget invests $1 million in marketing programs to attract tourism to our state in addition to $100,000 in funds to promote Arizona’s farm wineries and $730,000 to promote Arizona’s county fairs.