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.
Transcript Revelation: Despite legally required Truth in Taxation hearings, zero citizens testified — no speaker slips, no emails. Supervisors delivered prepared statements praising fiscal responsibility while approving $21.1 million in new taxes.
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.
Supervisor Statements During Budget Votes
The transcript reveals what supervisors said while voting on tax increases and budgets — statements not captured in the official meeting summary:
Supervisor Thomas Galvin (Truth in Taxation vote):
“I have no comments. I have a feeling that the empty room is a testament to probably no controversy, so I wish the media was here today to see this… This is the epitome of fiscal conservatism with a small c.”
Galvin also noted he was honored to work with the budget team and praised the collaborative process.
Supervisor Steve Gallardo (County budget vote):
“No, once again, thank you, Madam Chair, for bringing this budget forward and thank you to our team as supervisor Galvin indicated… This is my 11th budget that I have voted on here in Maricopa County… Housing number one issue here in America, I’m sorry, I always said that. Housing number one issue and more so now than ever before.”
Gallardo emphasized county responsibilities, employee benefits, and called housing the top issue — a theme he has repeated since 2015.
Chair Kate Brophy McGee (County budget vote):
“I cannot commend the work ethic of Maricopa County employees and their drive to serve our citizens… I am super excited to be working with my colleague Steve Gallardo on an eviction prevention program… And as always, as a Republican, I’d like to know, did it work?”
Brophy McGee highlighted the eviction prevention pilot, behavioral health initiatives, and her focus on outcome measurement.
Supervisor Mark Stewart: No vote explanation recorded in transcript.
Vice Chair Debbie Lesko: Made all motions but did not provide extended commentary during votes.
Public Participation — Zero Participation Confirmed
Informal Session: The transcript reveals the Truth in Taxation hearings had no public participation:
Clerk: “Are there any speaker slips?”
Response: “We have none.”
Clerk: “Are there any emails?”
Response: “No emails.”
This occurred for all three Truth in Taxation hearings (County, Flood Control, Library).
Special Session: No public comment period.
Executive Session: Closed to public (by law).
Transparency Finding: The legally required public hearings were held with zero citizen testimony. No public input was offered or recorded.
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.
Staff Recognized:
- Mike McKee, Chief Financial Officer
- Kirsten Prindle, Deputy Budget Director
- Olivia (Vice Chair Lesko’s summer intern — introduced during meeting)
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 — and none attempted to.
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. Empty Hearings
The Truth in Taxation hearings — legally required opportunities for public input — had zero participation. No speaker slips. No emails. The “empty room” that Galvin noted as “no controversy” represents a complete absence of citizen engagement.
6. Supervisory Statements vs. Actions
While approving $21.1 million in new taxes, supervisors emphasized:
- Fiscal conservatism (Galvin)
- Employee benefits (Gallardo)
- Outcome measurement (Brophy McGee)
- Housing as #1 issue (Gallardo)
The gap between stated values (fiscal conservatism, taxpayer protection) and actual votes (unanimous approval of tax increases) is notable.
7. 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?
- Why did zero citizens participate in the Truth in Taxation hearings? Is this a failure of outreach, accessibility, or public awareness?
- What does “fiscal conservatism” mean when approving $21.1 million in new taxes? Supervisor Galvin’s statement seems disconnected from his vote.
- 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.
- How accessible are these “public” hearings? The 9:30 AM Monday morning timing, lack of remote participation options, and downtown location may exclude working citizens.
Revision Notes
This report was revised on June 28, 2026 after review of meeting transcripts. The original report was based on agenda documents and official meeting summaries. The transcript analysis added:
- Supervisor vote explanations (Galvin, Gallardo, Brophy McGee)
- Confirmation of zero public participation
- Recognition of staff and intern
- Direct quotes from supervisors
- Pattern observation #5 (Empty Hearings)
- Pattern observation #6 (Statements vs. Actions)
- Citizen question #7 (Accessibility)
No factual corrections were required — all budget amounts, vote counts, and procedural details from the original report were confirmed accurate by the transcripts.
Report generated: June 22, 2026
Revised: June 28, 2026
Data sources: MCBOS official meeting records, meeting transcripts
