Tempe City Council - Work Study Session - April 23, 2026 - With Captions

The Tempe City Council held a work study session on April 23, 2026, focusing primarily on the fiscal year 2026-27 budget review. Key procurement-related discussions included the proposed strategies to address significant revenue losses due to recent state legislative actions, which have created a funding gap in the general fund and transit fund. The council reviewed proposals to increase the local sales tax by 0.4% dedicated to public safety and by 0.1% for transit expansion, projected to generate approximately $40.3 million and $10.1 million annually, respectively. These funds would support police, fire, park rangers, transit system expansion, and related capital projects. The council sought consensus to move forward with placing these tax measures on the ballot for voter approval in November 2026. Additionally, the council discussed consolidating financial policies, including establishing reserve policies for the ambulance fund and water/wastewater rate stabilization, to be considered for adoption in June. No formal votes were taken during this session, but there was consensus to prepare the tax proposals for the upcoming April 30th meeting. Other agenda items included updates on contract negotiations for animal welfare services and mobility device vendor presentations, but no specific contract awards or RFP approvals were reported.