Yuma County and City of Yuma Put State Spending Limit Override on November Ballot
Marcus Whitfield
Yuma voters will decide this fall whether to override a 46-year-old state spending cap that local leaders say constrains their ability to fund public safety, infrastructure, and essential services.
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution on May 18, 2026 referring a Permanent Base Adjustment measure to the November 2026 General Election. The Yuma City Council is expected to consider a similar ordinance in June, according to Signals AZ.
The State Cap That Shapes Local Budgets
The measure targets the Annual Expenditure Limitation (AEL), a state law approved by Arizona voters in 1980. The AEL caps how much cities, towns, and counties can spend each year. It is based on spending levels from 1979-80 and adjusts annually for population growth and inflation.
The limitation applies to spending authority, not revenue. It does not create a new tax. But it does constrain how local governments allocate funds for day-to-day operations, according to city and county officials.
"The AEL is part of state law and applies to all cities, towns, and counties in Arizona," according to information published by the City of Yuma and Yuma County.
The cap covers many general government services, including public safety, street maintenance, parks, water and wastewater services, public health services, and libraries. Certain expenditures such as debt service and some grant-funded projects are excluded under state law.
The Numbers Behind the Gap
The gap between local budgets and the state spending limit is stark in Yuma.
City of Yuma, Fiscal Year 2026:
- Total city budget (all funds): $547 million
- State-set expenditure limitation: $175 million
- Difference: approximately $372 million
Yuma County, Fiscal Year 2026:
- Total county budget (all funds): $552 million
- State-set expenditure limitation: $121 million
- Difference: approximately $431 million
The difference does not indicate overspending. The gap reflects that certain expenditures are excluded from the state formula and that the limitation applies only to specific categories of spending.
What a Permanent Base Adjustment Would Do
If voters approve the measure, it would authorize a Permanent Base Adjustment to the AEL. That would update the expenditure base used in the state formula to reflect current spending levels rather than the 1979-80 baseline.
City and county officials emphasize that a Permanent Base Adjustment would not increase taxes, create new fees, or generate new revenue. Each jurisdiction would continue to adopt balanced budgets annually and limit spending to available revenues.
The question for voters is whether to give local governments more flexibility to fund services within their existing revenue streams.
What Happens Next
The Yuma County measure is already set for the November ballot. The City of Yuma Council is expected to vote on its own ordinance in June. If approved, Yuma residents would see two separate AEL adjustment measures on their November ballots.
Residents who want to learn more about the Annual Expenditure Limitation can visit www.yumaaz.gov/AEL and www.yumacountyaz.gov/ael.
Residents who want to learn more about the Annual Expenditure Limitation can visit www.yumaaz.gov/AEL and www.yumacountyaz.gov/ael.