Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tolleson public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
15 issues
Local Government Officials
The Council was scheduled to discuss whether to consider changes to its own pay. Any changes would affect future city budgets and how elected officials are compensated.
CDBG Grant Application to Maricopa County
Resolution No. 2665 was proposed to authorize a Community Development Block Grant application through Maricopa County, potentially funding community development needs.
Albertsons National Opioid Settlement Participation
The city was scheduled to consider joining the Albertsons national opioid settlement, which could bring settlement funds related to opioid litigation.
Fiscal Year 2027 Final Budget
Before the next city budget is drafted, the council is stepping back to figure out what it actually wants to prioritize. The outcomes of this discussion will steer how Tolleson funds services like public safety, parks, and infrastructure in the coming year.
AFFF firefighting foam litigation settlements
Tolleson is staying in class-action settlements with manufacturers of firefighting foam linked to water contamination, which could bring the city settlement money.
Digital newsletter transition
The city plans to move its printed newsletter mostly digital starting mid-2027, saving roughly $13,000 a year — but printed copies will stay available at the senior center and City Hall for residents who need them.
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program
The city wants another $500,000 in federal CDBG money to keep fixing roofs, ACs and unsafe electrical for low-income homeowners — about ten homes a year, with 16 people on the waitlist and a few hundred more homes needing repairs.
Roughly $2 million in federal grants for multimodal path and regional wastewater
Congresswomen Ansari and Grijalva presented Tolleson with over $2 million in federal grant checks — one for a multi-modal path promoting healthy living, the other toward a regional wastewater plant benefiting Tolleson and partner cities.
2026 Community Grant Program funding
Third Friday events are back and drawing crowds — the next one is February 20 with Black History Month celebrations.
Detached guest house at 8725 W. C.P. Hayes Drive
Tolleson allows one guest house per single-family lot with a use permit approved by the City Council — but no kitchen, because a kitchen makes it a separate dwelling unit, which isn't permitted in R1-7 zoning. This meeting showed how easily homeowners and designers can get tripped up by that rule, costing time and money.
Expanded Lyft microtransit funding
Paratransit trips cost about $84 each versus about $30 for Ride Choice, and the gap can strain the budget. New one-call routing and Prop 479 rules should steer riders to the right service. The city has leftover Prop 400 equity funds to cover non-ADA trips next year.
Pending litigation executive session
Council went behind closed doors for legal advice on lawsuits involving the city.
First responder suicide prevention
Teen Lifeline, marking 40 years, runs a teen-to-teen crisis hotline taking over 30,000 calls and texts a year, with one in three callers reporting thoughts of suicide. The city funds the organization, which is active in local schools.
Community CPR and AED Training
The Fire Department has started offering CPR and first aid classes to the public — not just city employees. With most cardiac arrests happening at home, learning CPR could save a family member's life.
91st Avenue Pedestrian Bridge Construction
The city locked in the guaranteed maximum price to actually build the pedestrian bridge over the ag channel. This is a real infrastructure project moving from design to construction.