Yuma County Votes to Put State Spending Limit Change on November Ballot
Marcus Whitfield
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution on May 18, 2026 to place a Permanent Base Adjustment measure on the November 2026 General Election ballot, according to a press release from the county.
The measure would ask voters to update the spending ceiling that has governed Yuma County and the City of Yuma since 1980.
A 1980 Formula in a Changed Desert
The Annual Expenditure Limitation (AEL) was approved by Arizona voters in 1980. The state law caps how much cities, towns, and counties can spend each year based on spending levels from 1979-80, adjusted annually for population growth and inflation.
The AEL applies to spending authority, not revenue. It does not create a new tax. But the limitation covers many day-to-day services residents rely on, including public safety, street maintenance, parks, water and wastewater services, public health services, and libraries.
The Numbers Behind the Gap
The City of Yuma and Yuma County recently shared budget figures that illustrate the scale of the limitation.
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 gap between total budgets and the state-set limit does not indicate overspending. Certain expenditures are excluded under state law, including debt service and some grant-funded projects. The limitation applies only to specific categories of spending.
"The AEL is not a tax and does not create a new tax."
That is how the City of Yuma described the framework in its public information materials.
What a Permanent Base Adjustment Would Do
A Permanent Base Adjustment (PBA) would update the expenditure base used in the state formula. It 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 Yuma County Board of Supervisors already moved forward. The Yuma City Council is expected to consider a similar ordinance in June.
Why It Matters to Yuma Voters
The AEL affects every city, town, and county in Arizona. But the impact varies depending on how much a community has grown since 1980 and how its service demands have shifted.
Yuma is one of the fastest-growing regions in Arizona. The county population has expanded significantly since the AEL was established. That growth has changed what residents expect from local government, from road maintenance to emergency services to water infrastructure.
The November ballot measure would give Yuma County voters a direct say in whether to update the formula that has limited local spending for more than four decades.
Residents who want to learn more about the AEL and the proposed PBA can visit www.yumaaz.gov/AEL for City of Yuma information and www.yumacountyaz.gov/ael for Yuma County information, according to the release.