Public Safety Citizen Committee Meeting - March 18, 2026

The City of Flagstaff Public Safety Citizen Committee met on March 18, 2026, to review and discuss various funding options for public safety capital and operational needs. The meeting focused heavily on financial documents outlining tiered capital projects, including buildings, vehicles, and equipment, with a total estimated need exceeding $135 million over 10 years. Committee members examined potential funding sources such as sales tax increases (ranging from 0.25% to 0.5%), water resource infrastructure protection (RIP) fees, special lodging taxes, and general obligation bonds up to $40 million. Discussions included the impact of these funding mechanisms on taxpayers, the alignment of personnel costs with capital expenditures, and the complexities of reallocating existing tax revenues. The committee also deliberated on the framing of polling questions to gauge public support for various funding packages and emphasized the importance of clear communication to the public about the necessity of increased funding for core public safety services. No formal votes were recorded, but the group reached consensus to await polling results before further action.