Federal Funding Uncertainty Looms Over Coconino County’s Budget Planning
In Coconino County, nearly 15% of the budget relies on federal funding, a crucial component that has recently become unpredictable. The Trump administration’s decision to cancel grants and delay funding has left local officials questioning the reliability of this financial support as they prepare for the upcoming fiscal year.
Federal contributions, exceeding $76 million, are essential for maintaining nearly 40 full-time positions within the county. Among these are all personnel in the emergency management division, a critical area of concern highlighted by Supervisor Patrice Horstman. She expressed apprehension about the potential consequences of funding instability, particularly in emergency situations. “God forbid there is any kind of emergency such as a wildfire or post-wildfire flooding, now we’re talking about a whole new different way to have to rearrange and rebalance our budget,” Horstman stated.
The impact of federal cuts has been relatively limited thus far, but the county had to lay off five employees from its Health and Human Services Department following the withdrawal of $1.8 million in March by the Trump administration. Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez emphasized the difficulty of managing further reductions, noting the need to prioritize legally mandated services. “We can’t take away jail services. We can’t take away court services. Those are things that have to be funded. So what’s that mean? We end up cutting Meals on Wheels,” Vasquez explained.
This challenge is not unique to Coconino County but is shared by counties throughout the state. In response to these financial uncertainties, Coconino officials have initiated a two-week series of budget meetings to address potential adjustments and prioritize funding allocations.
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