On July 1, 2007 the Apache County Public Health Services District (ACPHSD) was formed. The annual report is an opportunity for the Director to formally report the progress and challenges of the past year, as well as to make recommendations for the future. It is my hope that this report will provide some insight into the valuable services provided by the Apache County Public Health Services District employees as well as outline how the District has enhanced public health services.

Despite all of the spending reductions, fund transfers, and other techniques used to balance the budget in the preceding few years, Arizona’s general fund faces a massive deficit. This issue of Policy Points poses an important question: Are you content with the historically low expenditures being made from the general fund and satisfied that the current low level of public services will be permanent?