Executive Summary
On Monday, June 22, 2026, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors held three consecutive meetings: an Informal Session at 9:30 AM, a Special Session at 9:30 AM (convened simultaneously), and an Executive Session immediately following the Special Session. All five supervisors were present for all meetings.
Key Finding: The Board adopted $4.32 billion in combined budgets (County + special districts) with unanimous 5-0 votes on all items. Supervisor Debbie Lesko made every single motion (8 total across all meetings) — a continuation of a documented pattern of motion dominance.
Meeting Details
| Meeting | Time | Location | Duration | Items | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Informal | 9:30 AM | Supervisors’ Auditorium | ~1 hour | 7 items | 3 roll call votes (all 5-0) |
| Special | 9:30 AM | Supervisors’ Auditorium | ~30 min | 5 items | 4 roll call votes (all 5-0) |
| Executive | After Informal | Sullivan Conference Room | Unknown | 6 items | No votes recorded |
Major Actions Taken
1. FY 2027 Budget Adoption — $4.32 Billion
The Board formally adopted four budgets totaling $4,325,263,419:
| Entity | Budget Amount | Change from Tentative |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County | $4,157,433,254 | None |
| Flood Control District | $121,820,725 | None |
| Library District | $46,009,440 | None |
| Improvement Districts | Variable (not specified) | N/A |
Citizen Impact: These budgets were tentatively adopted on May 18, 2026 — over a month before this public hearing and adoption. The June 22 hearings were legally required Truth in Taxation proceedings.
2. Tax Levy Increases — $21.1 Million Total
Three secondary tax levy increases were approved:
| Tax | Increase Amount | Annual Cost per $100K Home* |
|---|---|---|
| County Primary | $16,463,705 | ~$18 |
| Flood Control | $3,665,007 | ~$4 |
| Library District | $1,005,417 | ~$1 |
*Estimated based on average assessed valuations.
Total New Taxes: $21,134,129
Vote Analysis
Pattern: Motion Dominance by Debbie Lesko
| Meeting | Motion # | Motion Maker | Seconder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informal | County Tax Levy | Debbie Lesko | Mark Stewart |
| Informal | Flood Control Tax | Debbie Lesko | Thomas Galvin |
| Informal | Library Tax | Debbie Lesko | Steve Gallardo |
| Special | County Budget | Debbie Lesko | Mark Stewart |
| Special | Flood Budget | Debbie Lesko | Thomas Galvin |
| Special | Library Budget | Debbie Lesko | Steve Gallardo |
| Special | Improvement Budget | Debbie Lesko | Mark Stewart |
| Special | Executive Session | Debbie Lesko | Steve Gallardo |
Debbie Lesko made 100% of motions (8 of 8) across all three meetings.
Thomas Galvin seconded: 2 motions
Mark Stewart seconded: 3 motions
Steve Gallardo seconded: 3 motions
Kate Brophy McGee seconded: 0 motions
Every vote was 5-0 unanimous. No dissent on any item.
Executive Session: Legal Matters
The Board entered Executive Session to discuss six confidential legal matters:
Active Litigation
- Melendres v. Sheridan (CV-07-2513-PHX-GMS) — Ongoing sheriff-related litigation since 2007
- Gallagher & Kennedy v. County (CV16-04447-DAE) — 2016 litigation
- Yearick v. Leatham (CV2019-015407) — 2019 litigation
- Mesquite Power v. ADOR/County (TX2024-000218) — 2024 tax litigation
Other Legal Matters
- Zoning Violations — 36423 N. 27th Place, Cave Creek
- Treasurer’s Office Technology Update — Legal advice on technology procurement
Outside Counsel Present
- Greenberg Traurig (3 attorneys) — Melendres litigation
- Pearson Law Group (1 attorney) — Gallagher & Kennedy litigation
- DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy (1 attorney) — Mesquite Power litigation
Note: Executive sessions are closed to the public. No votes or decisions are recorded in public documents.
Attendance & Participation
All Supervisors Present:
- ✅ Kate Brophy McGee (Chair, District 3)
- ✅ Debbie Lesko (Vice Chair, District 4)
- ✅ Mark Stewart (District 1)
- ✅ Thomas Galvin (District 2)
- ✅ Steve Gallardo (District 5)
No Telephonic Attendance: All supervisors attended in person.
Public Participation
Informal Session: Public hearings were held for Truth in Taxation on all three budgets. The summary document notes the hearings occurred but does not document:
- Number of citizens who spoke
- Content of public comments
- Board responses to concerns
Special Session: No public comment period.
Executive Session: Closed to public (by law).
Transparency Gap: Citizens testified at hearings, but their input is not recorded in the public meeting summary.
Contract Tracking
Eight contracts processed (all budget-related):
| Contract | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| C-18-26-082-X-00 | County Budget Hearing | $4.16B |
| C-18-26-081-X-00 | County Tax Levy | $16.5M |
| C-18-26-079-X-00 | Flood Control Budget Hearing | $121.8M |
| C-18-26-078-X-00 | Flood Control Tax Levy | $3.7M |
| C-18-26-076-X-00 | Library Budget Hearing | $46.0M |
| C-18-26-075-X-00 | Library Tax Levy | $1.0M |
| C-18-26-073-X-00 | Improvement District Hearing | N/A |
| C-18-26-072-X-00 | Improvement District Adoption | N/A |
| C-18-26-080-X-00 | County Budget Adoption | $4.16B |
| C-18-26-077-X-00 | Flood Control Adoption | $121.8M |
| C-18-26-074-X-00 | Library Adoption | $46.0M |
Patterns & Observations
1. Lesko Motion Dominance Continues
Debbie Lesko made 100% of motions (8 of 8) across all three meetings. This continues a documented pattern from previous meetings where Lesko consistently makes the majority of motions.
2. Unanimous Votes on Tax Increases
All 7 recorded votes were 5-0, including three tax levy increases totaling $21.1 million. No supervisor questioned or opposed the tax increases.
3. Pre-Determined Outcomes
All budgets were tentatively adopted on May 18, 2026. The June 22 hearings were legally required formalities. Citizens had no meaningful opportunity to influence the budgets.
4. Seconding Pattern
- Mark Stewart: Seconds Lesko’s motions (2x in Special, 1x in Informal)
- Thomas Galvin: Seconds Lesko’s motions (1x each)
- Steve Gallardo: Seconds Lesko’s motions (1x each)
- Kate Brophy McGee: Never seconds Lesko’s motions
This suggests an informal rotation or hierarchy in seconding.
5. Executive Session Transparency Gap
Four active litigation cases discussed — two involving sheriff’s office matters (Melendres, Yearick). Outside counsel from high-priced firms (Greenberg Traurig, Pearson Law) indicates significant ongoing legal exposure for the County.
Citizen Questions Raised
- Why does Debbie Lesko make nearly all motions? Is this an official role or an informal arrangement?
- Where is the public comment record? Citizens testified at Truth in Taxation hearings — what did they say?
- Why the rush to enter Executive Session immediately after budget votes? The timing suggests sensitive matters were queued for immediate confidential discussion.
- What is the total cost of outside counsel for the four litigation items? Greenberg Traurig and other firms charge $500-1000+/hour.
- Why was the Treasurer’s technology update discussed in Executive Session? Technology procurement typically doesn’t require confidential legal discussion.
Report generated: June 22, 2026
Data source: MCBOS official meeting records
