La Paz County supervisors weigh solar lease revenue in tentative budget planning

La Paz County supervisors are trying to decide whether solar lease money should act like a steady funding source or a temporary cushion, a choice that could shape how much the county can spend on roads, facilities, landfill work and emergency needs in FY2027.

At a May 4 work session, county administrator Stephanie McDowell told supervisors they needed direction before the tentative budget is finalized. Finance staff then walked the board through a model built around a hypothetical $6 million solar scenario, showing how that revenue could be split among landfill, operating and contingency purposes. Staff said their recommendation would use a lower percentage than the illustrative model, underscoring that the county is still deciding how much of that money belongs in recurring spending and how much should stay reserved for one-time needs.

That distinction matters in La Paz County, where a small tax base leaves little room for error and where road maintenance, county facilities and public safety costs can rise faster than revenue. The board’s discussion suggested supervisors want to avoid locking in spending from a stream that may not arrive evenly every year, even as they look for ways to use lease money to ease pressure elsewhere in the budget.

The May 18 tentative budget deadline is the first formal step in the annual spending process. Under county rules, tentative budget documents must be posted within seven business days after presentation to supervisors, and final adoption is due the third Monday in August. The Board of Supervisors also has final approval over county department budgets and tax rates, giving its budget decisions direct consequences for every county office and service.

The solar revenue debate is tied to a larger land and energy fight in western La Paz County. In October 2025, the Congressional Budget Office said H.R. 1043 would require the Bureau of Land Management to convey about 3,400 acres of federal land in the county at fair market value if La Paz County requests it. The same federal parcel already carried a 30-year right-of-way that BLM granted in January 2025 for a solar project. A companion Senate bill says any conveyance would remain subject to valid existing rights and to exclusions the Interior secretary deems necessary for cultural, environmental, wildlife or recreational resources.

County financial reports show La Paz County already relies on a mix of dedicated funds, transfers and reserves, a sign that supervisors have been working within a budget structure that depends on flexibility. That is why the May 18 proposal will matter well beyond the spreadsheet: if solar revenue comes in lower than expected, the county may have to protect services by trimming other spending or delaying projects rather than treating lease money as dependable recurring income.