Seven Valley cities are moving forward with a special mid-decade census. This federal count is used to update how much state money each city gets, but this may be the last time it’s necessary.
Chandler, Goodyear, Queen Creek, Buckeye, Peoria, Gilbert and Maricopa are recruiting local census workers to help with the count this year. Mesa Government Relations Manager Scott Butler said cities have agreed to pursue a change in Arizona law that would divide state revenue based on yearly population’s updates.
“Going to an annual update allows for a more predictable and orderly budgeting process,” he said. “So communities will be able to plan for increases in population and increases in revenue to help offset those increases in populations.”
Butler said the bill will carve out an exception so municipalities who paid for a special federal census this year can use those numbers. The plan is to get this law on the books early next year. Most cities will start the special census in October.
