The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has approved a $2.3 billion tentative budget for fiscal year 2017. Included in that number is $10 million to help the sheriff’s office comply with a court order stemming from the 2013 Melendres v. Arpaio ruling.
The proposal to include this funding drew the most questions from the board. Supervisor Steve Gallardo questioned why Arpaio’s office wasn’t more than 30 percent in compliance with the court order.
"I want to see progress I’ve got to see progress," said Gallardo. "If we’re going to be spending this much money we have to see that the sheriff’s office is moving forward not backward."
The budget meeting lasted about 2 and a half hours. While the tentative budget was adopted unanimously, Gallardo did make sure he voiced his reservations.
"[I] would like to see additional information as we move forward that will help us understand it come next year. It’s going to be another budget item," he said. "Are we spending the money wisely and is it being used to move us down the road."
The board is set for a final vote on the budget in late June.
