PIMA — The Pima Town Council set the spending limit for the next 12 months.
The council voted unanimously to adopt the tentative fiscal year 2026-27 budget, during Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Under state law, once the tentative budget has been adopted, no additional spending items may be added. However, the council may reduce expenditures any time up to adoption of the final budget.
Town Manager Vernon Batty said the one big change from the initial budget talks with the council and the tentative budget’s adoption was inclusion of funding for an additional police officer. Initially, Police Chief Diane Cauthen said she was not requesting the funding as there were other needs, as well as the difficulty all departments are having with recruitment.
“And then between that conversation and right before the work session, she had, I think, three different people call her looking for jobs; two to transfer and one to go through the academy,” Batty said.
The town is projecting $3.48 million in expenses out of the general fund, while revenues are projected at $3.52 million.
Additionally, another $317,005 is expected to come in from Highway User Revenue Funds from the state, and Batty is anticipating $4.07 million in grants, some of which have already been approved for the town.
The new fiscal year begins July 1, and the Town Council will be asked to approve the final 2026-27 budget at the June regular meeting.
