Tucson bus and street car rides would stay free and no fire stations would be closed under a $2.5 billion budget plan put together by City Manager Tim Thomure.
However, the proposed budget calls for increased charges in the city's development services, environmental services and parks and recreation departments. Specific fee increases are yet to be set, but they could bring in more than $2 million extra across the city.
The budget plan also relies on delaying hiring for vacancies across departments. Hiring in the police department, however, will still be prioritized. And the budget sets funding aside for employee raises.
Thomure will present his budget plan to the City Council on Tuesday at a study session.
While the plan provides a good indication of what city residents can expect, the council is likely to make changes before the budget is formally adopted in the next few weeks.
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The city's fiscal year begins July 1.
Thomure's plan calls for a $12 million reduction in the city's operating budget, but total revenue is expected to be about $53 million more than last fiscal year.
A few months ago, the city was contemplating a nearly $30 million shortfall.
The city's overall budget plan is not exact, in part because much of it depends on federal and state funding as well as national economic trends.
While there has been some push on the council to consider a return to charging fees for using Tucson's public transit, Thomure's plan keeps it free.
It has been free here since 2020. And after federal COVID-related funding to cover the cost ended, the city has been picking up the tab.
The city also had been contemplating closing two fire stations, one near the University of Arizona and the other on the east side.
Neither closure is included in Thomure's budget plan.
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