Nearly half of Maricopa’s proposed operating budget for the next fiscal year will be dedicated to public safety. 

The city’s proposed 2026-27 budget was presented to City Council members during a budget work session Thursday afternoon. The session gave council an overview of the city’s $85.8 million spending plan.

Chief Operating Officer Matt Kozlowski said 47% of the city’s operating budget is dedicated to public safety, reflecting “an ongoing commitment” to the city’s strategic priorities: 23% for the police department, 22% for the fire department and 2% for the city magistrate.

Together, those departments would receive $40.3 million, an increase of $8.8 million and 5 percentage points from FY2025.

Kozlowski also noted public safety makes up half of the city’s total headcount, with 258 employees. Maricopa Police Department accounts for 27% of the city’s full-time employees.

The city set aside $19.8 million for MPD in the proposed budget, a 4.5% increase from last year. The department would spend $18.5 million on personnel and $1.2 million on operating costs.

That includes $12.7 million for regular, full-time employees, a 12.7% increase, or $1.4 million, from last year’s $11.2 million budget.

About $1.1 million of that increase comes from the department’s request for six additional police officers and two police lieutenants.

Maricopa Fire/Medical Department would see a 16.7% budget increase to $18.47 million. Its personnel expenses would reach $15.8 million, the same amount as last year’s overall MFMD budget, with another $2.6 million for operating expenses.

MFMD is requesting 12 additional firefighters and an EMS specialist, at a cost of nearly $1.5 million.

Maricopa Municipal Court would receive $1.42 million for personnel and operations, a slight decrease from last year’s $1.47 million. About 88% of the court’s budget is dedicated to personnel costs.

Council members are expected to vote on the budget in May.