In this episode, we break down the basics of county government in Arizona—because while every Arizonan lives in a county and relies on county services, few truly know what counties do.

Counties are the quiet workhorses of government: building, maintaining, protecting, and serving communities every single day.

To learn more about county government in Arizona, check out our overview here. To learn more about limitations on county revenues and expenditures, check out our overview here, or visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/

This episode features CSA President Lynne Pancrazi - Yuma County Supervisor and former state legislator. We dive into our Resolution on State-County Collaboration and what it means for Arizona counties.

The resolution focuses on two key goals:

1. CSA’s commitment to provide analysis and feedback on legislative proposals that affect county operations.
2. Encouraging collaborative policymaking, where state lawmakers work directly with county officials on decisions that impact local resources and services.

At its heart, it’s about making sure policies reflect real-world impacts — because when counties and the state collaborate, everyone benefits.

Learn more at www.countysupervisors.org

Welcome to Creatures of Statute, a podcast production of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona. Join us in exploring the policies and partnerships shaping county government services in Arizona.

In this episode, we dive into Arizona’s fiscal outlook following the October meeting of the Legislature’s Finance Advisory Committee (FAC). Listen as we break down what the latest numbers reveal about state budget pressures and explore how federal policy—especially H.R. 1—could compound challenges over the state’s three-year budget horizon.

To read JLBC’s analysis of the impacts of H.R. 1 click here, and to learn more about CSA visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/

Today we sit down with the Executive Director of the Arizona Association of Counties, Jen Marson to talk about the policy development process, reactive advocacy, and upcoming issues ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

To learn more about AACo, visit https://azcounties.org/, and to learn more about CSA visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/.

In this episode we sit down with Danny De Hoog, Director of Maricopa County's Public Safety Funding Committee, to unpack how Maricopa County funds its public safety and detention services—and what’s next for its voter-approved jail excise tax.

To learn more about county jail funding authorities in Arizona, check out our overview here, or visit our website at http://www.countysupervisors.org/

It’s not just about buying things—it’s about how local government actually gets things done. This episode spotlights an 18-month research partnership between CSA, the League of Cities and Towns, the Arizona Board of Regents, and Arizona State University exploring how procurement delivers real value for residents.

Led by Dr. Akheil Singla, Dr. Justin Stritch, PhD candidate Mariah Lindberg, PhD student Ignacio Pezo, and the ASU research team, the conversation unpacks why this work matters, and what it means for communities across Arizona.

Explore the full report on our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/general-government/procurement

To watch the video briefing, click here.

On the heels of his visit to Arizona, we sat down with Matt Chase, CEO of the National Association of Counties (NACo), to discuss how counties are supported at the national level. We explore NACo’s role in assisting local leaders, key federal issues—from public lands and disaster response to AI and data centers—and the growing importance of data-driven advocacy and local storytelling.

To learn more about NACo, visit their website at https://www.naco.org/

To learn more about how CSA supports Arizona's counties, visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/

CSA recently adopted a policy resolution on public pensions—a statement that reflects a commitment to both fiscal responsibility and supporting Arizona’s public employees. In our latest episode, we take a closer look at what this resolution means for counties and the broader conversation around the sustainability of the systems.

To access our resolution, click here

To learn more about CSA's perspective on public pension policy, visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/

Tune in as we wrap up the 2025 Policy Summit in Yuma County. Hear what county officials are focused on, what stood out at the summit, and what’s next on the policy horizon.

Special thanks to Yuma County for their hard work in hosting our Summit. To explore our meeting materials and learn more about the proposals in our 2026 legislative agenda, visit our website here. To view our outcome report of the adopted proposals, click here.

The Arizona Legislature is back in session and with it comes the first major look at the state’s budget picture. This week, we recap what the Governor is prioritizing in her FY 2027 budget recommendation, how it compares to the JLBC Baseline, and, most importantly, what it all means for counties.

View CSA's analysis on the county touchpoints in the state budget here.

To view our Budget and Legislative Priorities, click here.

To access the Governor's budget recommendation, click here.

To view the JLBC Baseline, click here.

In this episode, we break down our adopted resolution focused on court funding, and what it means for counties across the state. Join us as we unpack the court-county relationship, why court costs are placing increasing strain on county budgets, and what county leaders are calling the Legislature and the judicial branch to do.

Adopted Court Funding Resolution

2025 Summit Briefing Materials

County 101 Handout

Judicial Salary Handout

Indigent Defense Case Study

To learn more about courts and criminal justice, explore our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/courts

In this week's episode, we sit down with Maricopa County Supervisor Kate Brophy McGee. Listen in as we talk about her journey from the statehouse to supervisor, the complexities of county government, and the importance of building strong relationships between the state and the counties.

In this episode, we sit down with CSA President Alton Joe Shepherd, Supervisor, District 2, Apache County. Listen in as we talk about his journey to County Supervisor, his vision for CSA over the next year, and the importance of collaboration at all levels of leadership.

To learn more about CSA, visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/

Arizona’s counties are proud to support Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar in her run for NACo 2nd Vice President! Tune in as she shares more about her candidacy, her commitment to restoring local power, and how collaboration across counties can shape stronger communities nationwide.

When counties decide, communities thrive.

Visit https://www.sarah4naco.com/ to connect and learn more.

In this episode, our team talks progress on county priorities, previews some emerging issues and outlines some key dates for county folks to know.

To see CSA’s policy agenda and resolutions, please see www.countysupervisors.org/advocacy

In this episode, we feature audio from our November learning series with Professor Rhett Larson of ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. He breaks down the major water issues impacting Arizona—particularly those involving the Colorado River—and offers his perspective on the path forward.

To view his slide deck, click here.

In this episode, we break down CSA’s Transportation Resolution and explore the policy factors shaping Arizona’s transportation system. Find out why county HURF only buys about half of what it could ten years ago, and less than a third of what it could have when the Legislature last set the gas tax in 1990.

Special thanks to Economist Jim Rounds, Graham County Supervisor Paul David, and Mohave County Manager Sam Elters for their insights.

Click here to read CSA's Transportation Resolution.

To learn more about HURF resources and other transportation needs, visit our website at https://www.countysupervisors.org/transportation