KINGMAN – The recently adopted $272.5 million city budget was the main topic on Monday, July 5 when Mayor Jen Miles spoke to the KRW (Kingman Republican Women). Mayor Miles advised the group that the budget was approved (in an online meeting) on June 28 after six months of process.
She explained that the city begins early in the year with strategic planning sessions to identify priorities and goals. While the budget is very long and detailed, Miles said that very shortly the city will issue a “citizen’s ledger” which will summarize the budget and it will be on the city website. She said the city is dedicated to being transparent with all of these issues.
“I am very proud of this budget,” said Miles. “It is a conservative budget and I also am proud of the policies that support the City’s fiscal health.” Miles brought a copy of a large, bound budget document to display how big the budget is.
She also cited the Citizens Survey and stated that the budget takes all of this into account. The overall, overreaching priorities for the city were actually carried over from the last year because, according to the mayor, the council decided they were still priorities. Those priorities are:
- Improve our city services and livability
- Modernize our systems
- Smart systems on water systems
- Advance economic prosperity
- Utilize partnerships
- Make our culture one that is positive
- Communication and teamwork
According to the Mayor, the citizens rated these in order of priority and the goals that citizens are interested in include the city’s overall economic health, feeling of safety, health wellness opportunities, opportunities for education streetscapes and economic development.
The Mayor also touched on the planned use of the 1800 acres that will be released at the Airport for Phase II; and expanding the city’s marketing and branding efforts to make Kingman an international travel destination.
The city saw its best sales tax year ever with revenues up 17% which in a normal year are only 4% to 5%.
“We don’t expect that to continue; it was an anomaly,” said Miles. She explained it was probably because of spending from stimulus checks; people staying home; and doing home improvement projects. She joked that some may have bought vehicles to get out of town.
“We have a great amount of industrial interest from industrial and manufacturing companies,” Miles added. “Growth in single family homes is up 400 at the end of this fiscal year. Those are all positives but there is still a lot of economic uncertainty; building supplies are up, all costs are up and we don’t know the impact of inflation and value of the dollar,” she said.
Miles stated the city has promised to keep a 50% contingency fund for unexpected expenses which translates to about 4 to 6 months operating costs in a true disaster. She continued that the city just issued bonds to cover unfunded liabilities for the retirement system funds.
