Pinal Today

The Maricopa City Council unanimously approved the construction of a stand-alone municipal court building on Sept. 6 to handle city cases out of the shared Pinal County courts building in the Pinal Justice Court.

The building's construction will take place in two stages. First, an interim facility will be created in City Council chambers in early 2023. Second, a permanent facility east of City Hall and north of the police building will be built in about 12 to 15 months once plans are approved.

“We are growing up,” Assistant City Manager Jennifer Brown said to InMaricopa. “We’re maturing as a city and that means we take over new things and we have new processes evolving as a community.”

Other officials think the project fits within the goals of the city. 

“It also gives us the ability to do what we see as best for our residents and the goals of our city,” Assistant City Manager Jennifer Brown said according to InMaricopa.

Officials also tried to assure the public that their taxes would not increase as a result of the project.

“I want to make it very clear that will be paid by new development, not existing taxpayers,” City Manager Rick Horst said to InMaricopa. “It will be 100 percent based on a new development coming. With those growth needs, they should be paid by the people causing the growth and not the people who are already here.”

Vice Mayor Manfredi thinks the project symbolizes optimism for the future. 

“I want to make it clear what we’re doing here is looking at the future,” Manfredi said to InMaricopa. “It’s not any negative on what’s happening today in our current court situation. Our current judge (Lyle Riggs) is a great judge, a great man, a great person. We’re looking at the future of the city of Maricopa and the growth we are seeing.”