Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Local News

Queen Creek celebrated 2022 accomplishments at annual State of the Town

Highlights of the milestones achieved over the past year include breaking ground on Frontier Family Park, an 85-acre park on Signal Butte Road, north of Queen Creek Road.
Queen Creek Sun Times Staff

Queen Creek’s 2022 State of the Town was presented Feb. 7 in partnership with the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce. The Town Council and chamber president shared a series of the community’s accomplishments that align with the Town’s Corporate Strategic Plan.

The State of the Town, along with a complete list of the town’s 2022 accomplishments, are available online at QueenCreekAZ.gov/StateoftheTown (video).

Highlights of the milestones achieved over the past year include:

Quality lifestyle

  • Broke ground on Frontier Family Park, an 85-acre park on Signal Butte Road, north of Queen Creek Road.
  • Broke ground on phase two of Mansel Carter Oasis Park.
  • Celebrated the extension of the Sonoqui Wash Trail to Crismon, with a number of safety enhancements for the equestrian community.
  • Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre experienced records numbers, with a 43% increase in revenues.
  • The Economic Development team received their reaccreditation as an Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) through the International Council for Economic Development. 

Secure future

  • Froze the amount residents pay in property taxes – as home values go up, the tax rate will go down, saving the median home in Queen Creek $353 over the next five years.
  • Bond rating upgrade from Fitch and S&P to AA+, one step away from the highest rating.
  • Refinanced a loan from 4% to 2.85%, saving $2.1 million in cash flow over the next 16 years.
  • Residents approved a permanent base adjustment, which means beginning next year, the town’s annual budgetary expenditure limit will be based on the updated formula, eliminating the need for a Home Rule election every four years.
  • Issued just over 1,300 single family home permits, reviewed more than 200 business licenses and permitted an estimated $808 million in construction value. 

Superior infrastructure

  • The Arizona Department of Transportation completed the State Route 24 interim roadway from Ellsworth to Ironwood roads, providing additional connectivity for Queen Creek and the region.
  • The town and neighboring jurisdictions partnered to provide more north-south connections including two new portions of Meridian Road from Queen Creek Road to the State Route 24 and a new portion of Signal Butte Road from Germann Road past the State Route 24.
  • Work continues on a number of roadway improvement projects including:
    • The Queen Creek Road improvements from Ellsworth to Crismon roads.
    • The Meridian Road improvements from Combs to Cherrywood, in conjunction with Pinal County.
    • Connectors in the downtown core to help further the vision of the adopted Town Center Plan, creating a vibrant and walkable downtown.
  • Completed a comprehensive utility master plan to enhance the town’s ability to manage water while maintaining the lowest possible costs for customers. 

Safe community

  • The Queen Creek Police Department launched on Jan. 11, 2022. Major highlights include welcoming to K-9s, Obi and Jack; certifications through IBCCES and the Arizona Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing; 25% of the sworn personnel being part of the crisis intervention team; and an emphasis on traffic enforcement and community engagement activities.
  • The Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department celebrated the opening of two permanent fire stations.
  • In partnership with Vitalant, monthly blood drives resulted in a 30% increase in donations from 2021.
  • Received a number of awards related to the Queen Creek Police Department (QCPD):
    • The outreach plan for the launch of QCPD received a Silver Circle from 3CMA and an award of merit from PRSA Phoenix.
    • The “Intro to our PD Vehicles” and “Women in Law Enforcement” videos both received awards of merit from PRSA Phoenix.
    • QCPD having met the 30x30 initiative at launch received the “2022 Agency of Excellence Award” from the Western Region International Public Management Association for Human Resources, as well as an honorable mention from Ragan Communications and the Diversity Award from PRSA Phoenix.
  • Savings for public safety personnel who are in tier 2 of the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System by having a fully funded pension.

Effective government

  • Volunteers contributed nearly 84,000 hours saving taxpayers approximately $2.5 million (based on IndependentSector.org’s 2022 average volunteer hour).
  • Last year, there was a 2% increase in materials diverted from the landfill through the town’s Recycle Center and a 27% increase from recycling events.
  • Working with HOAs and schools on the WaterFluence program to optimize landscaping and early detection of leaks.
  • Transitioned to a new recreation software, simplifying the online registration process for special interest classes and ramada rentals.