Tuesday Reflections

I cannot believe that October is almost halfway over! The time is flying by at the county and I am having fun. On Monday I went to visit the Maricopa County Education Service Agency. We met with the budget director there to review his funds and find out his major concerns, and answer any questions. He was very nice and he explained each fund and its function, and where the money comes from that fills the fund. He told stories of how budgets have changed throughout the years and how he believes in finding new ways to help provide assistance to schools.

On Thursday I will be touring the Maricopa County Human Services campus with other MCLEAPS interns. I am really excited about this tour because everyone says it’s a great experience. I am gearing up and getting started on my presentations that are set in the coming weeks. Later in the week I hope to work on the evaluation of the schedule of federal expenditures. I have been assigned to analyze the federal expenditures that are passed through the state and into the county or to non-profits. This will help the county keep track of the money that comes in and goes out of the county when funds are granted. This will also show the Board of Supervisors how dependent the county is on the allocated percentage of federal funds. 

Responsibilities and Leadership

In my internship I have been given responsibilities within groups that I am to report back to. I have the opportunity to contribute my ideas and opinions in meetings and discussions. Later this month and towards the beginning of December, I will be giving presentations to the analyst in  my department about various revenue forecasting methods used in budgeting and how organizational theory plays a role in the office as part of a diversity based training. These responsibilities hold me accountable to my co-workers while learning the content of my projects and practicing my public speaking and presentation skills.

One of the biggest ways that I have seen leadership displayed in the office is through teamwork. I have found that everyone works well together. If someone doesn’t have the answer to a problem, someone else will surely have it, and everyone is open and willing to work together. After all, everyone is working toward the same goal and it is important to have a collaborative environment.

Career Showcase:Budget Analyst

In the Office of Management and Budget there are budget analyst that perform similar functions on a daily basis, but also have such diverse experiences within each department.  Each analyst’s goal is to help develop and maintain a sustainable and structurally-balanced budget for Maricopa County. In support of the County's strategic goals analyst determine how to efficiently allocate financial resources, perform countywide and departmental budget and fiscal analyses, prepare budget documents, and advise departments on strategic and business planning. 

I enjoy being able to see what each analyst is working on within their departments. I believe a career as a budget analyst would be interesting as each department and area of government requires certain needs and services to be provided. Because I enjoy knowing where taxpayer and federal dollars get appropriated, I have really have liked sitting down with senior analysts to review departmental variance commentary. Variance commentary gives a narrative to the numbers of forecasted vs actual expenditures budgeted. I would be interested in being able to dictate and understand the inner workings of the departments that I would be responsible for. I would also being able to collaborate and provide support to others throughout the organization.  

Problems and Defining Them

I am currently working on a customer engagement project that I am having so much fun working on! I am working with one of the Senior Budget Analyst to help define "the problem". In my research I have found that there is never a concrete answer to the problem. Many counties and cities have initiated some form of customer engagement and each one is unique. Each county or city must provide services to its citizens while continuing to address their needs. What makes this project so much fun for me is that each city or town is unique. I have found some great resources to help build our narrative to explain the need for citizen engagement in the county. Open governance consists of the values of transparency, accountability, inclusion, and responsibility, and I am glad that I get to be a part of a group that gets to plan that for the county. I personally think it's a great move for the county, and I believe that the voters and citizens would enjoy having an input.

A Meeting with George Pettit

On Monday September 29th, I had the opportunity to meet with George Pettit from The College of Public Programs. Former City Manager of Gilbert, Mr. Pettit is now the coordinator for The Marvin Andrews Fellowship at Arizona State University.  I decided to meet with Mr. Pettit to satisfy my career development requirement and also because I hold an interest in the fellowship. Mr. Pettit explained to me that the Marvin Andrews fellowship. In this program students would be pursuing an MPA/MPP or a Masters in Urban Governance. While taking classes in the first year, fellows will work in the Alliance for Innovation that will give them the opportunity to apply research methods and recognize trends. In the student's second year, you will be placed within a local area of government (city/county) for an internship where you will be working alongside local government leaders and managers. Arizona State University is ranked #2 in the United States for City Management and Urban Policy, and I have been strongly urged to apply! I will be completing my application for Arizona State University, and also the application for this opportunity.

MAG Meeting & Border Crossing Card

Border Crossing Card

Yesterday on Wednesday September 24th, I had the opportunity to attend a MAG meeting. (Maricopa Associations of Governments) Here, the Executive Director briefed the board of city mayors and representatives about the improvements to the Border Crossing Card. Currently our Mexican neighbors are allowed to travel 75 miles from the border of Mexico, limiting visitors to go only as far as Tucson. MAG views this as a beneficial improvement not only for the people of Mexico, but also the whole state of Arizona. Allowing people with Border Crossing Cards access to the entire state of Arizona would add a 2.7 billion dollar increase to state tourism and trade dollars. In order to retain a Border Crossing Card, Mexican residents must pass a background check. Border Crossing Cardholders are viewed as low risk citizens that have been granted entry to the United States for up to 30 days.

MAG aims to:

1. Make it easier for travelers to connect and visit Arizona
2. Make it possible for pre-cleared visitors to have access to the whole state of Arizona
3. Focus on legitimate security concerns, (instead of visiting families)
4. Attract the business community and legislature to come on board

Members of MAG including, Mayor Sharon Wolcott of Surprise listen to the Border Crossing Card briefing

Because cardholders will have access to the state, this means that every Arizona City would have the opportunity to participate. Overall this is a positive move for Arizona.

For More information about MAG please visit: http://www.azmag.gov

Adopt Trixie!

Hello blogosphere, meet Trixie the dog! Here at Maricopa County after the invocation and the pledge of allegiance, the Board of Supervisors allows Animal Care and Control to showcase a special animal friend that is up for adoption. Trixie is available at the West Valley Animal Care Center located at:

West Valley Animal Care Center
2500 S. 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85009
(27th Ave, South of Durango)
(602) 506‑7387

Monday - Friday 11 AM to 6 PM (All Services)

Saturday - Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM (All Services except Owned Pet Surrender)

For more information on Trixie and Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, please visit: http://www.maricopa.gov/pets/