City of Tucson final budget includes raises for city employees | News

TUCSON, Ariz. – (KVOA-TV) After weeks of discussion and number crunching, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and city council adopted a $2.4 billion budget Tuesday night for fiscal year 2026.

The fiscal year begins July 1. City leaders faced a big challenge, having to navigate a cut in state shared revenue of $27 million from the state of Arizona.

More than $23 million will go to give every city employee a raise.

All employees will see a 1.5% bump starting in July.

“The heart of the city of Tucson are the 4,000 plus workers, police, fire, keeping our streets repaired, picking up garbage and recycling, so many other functions,” Ward 3 City Councilman Kevin Dahl said. “I’m glad we are doing a compensation package that gives a little bit of an increase to everybody.”

One employee who has worked for the city 28 years does not believe 1.5% is enough.

“I just hope for a proper pay increase,” Kevin Holder said. “I think I’m worth more than 1.5%/”

Ward 2 City Councilman Paul Cunningham agreed.

“The man who just spoke about being worth more than 1.5%, he is absolutely right,” Cunningham said. “He absolutely is. I hope we are able to put some of type of adjustment in January 1 if cash is available. I think everybody is working on that and I think that people need to know we’re working on that.”

Another key piece of the budget is the KIDCO program.

Nearly $2 million will go to keep KIDCO afloat. KIDCO is an after school program that only weeks ago faced an uncertain future.

Mayor Romero praised the work of City Manager Tim Thomure and his team to find some dollars in the budget to keep KIDCO.

“This is an important service to Tucsonans and even Pima County residents, more than 2,000 children use KIDCO and it keeps people at work knowing their children have an afterschool program that is vital for their safety,” Romero said.

“It’s an important part of the jigsaw puzzle for parents of kids who need care so they can stay working,” Dahl said. “I’m really pleased that we’re able to continue funding KIDCO.”

City Council is expected to take up discussion on the possibility of reinstating bus fares citywide on June 17. Bus fares have been free since the beginning of COVID in March 2020.