Yuma City Council approves $556 million fiscal year 2027 budget
Moses Femino
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma City Council has officially approved the City of Yuma’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget, a spending plan totaling more than $556 million that will fund city operations, infrastructure improvements and long-term capital projects.
The approved budget includes more than $350 million for city operations and maintenance, covering essential services provided to residents throughout the city. The budget also dedicates more than $215 million toward the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which outlines major projects planned from Fiscal Year 2027 through Fiscal Year 2031.
Deputy Mayor Leslie McClendon said the capital improvement investments are critical to Yuma’s continued growth and quality of life.
“All the projects affect the residents here,” McClendon said. “It’s the community that is beneficial with the CIP. It’s quality of life, it’s economic development. We could not survive as a community or grow as a community without these projects.”
The CIP includes a variety of roadway, park and infrastructure projects funded through a combination of bond proceeds and grant funding. City officials say those projects are designed to address current community needs while preparing for future development.
Mayor Doug Nicholls said one of the ongoing challenges for city leaders is balancing changes in revenue while continuing to provide essential services residents rely on every day.
“Anytime there’s change in revenue, most of those changes have to be figured out,” Nicholls said. “How we’re going to do that and not impact those critical services because they are such a large part of the budget.”
City leaders say the newly approved budget will support infrastructure improvements and other major projects across Yuma over the next several years as the city continues to invest in future growth.