Construction of a habitat restoration project in the Salt River will begin in the spring of 2000 which will transform the riverbed to provide a variety of amenities including recreation opportunities, improved flood management, riparian vegetation and wildlife habitat. The Beyond the Tanks area surrounds the Rio Salado project and is bounded by I-17 to the north, 32nd Street to the east, Broadway Road to the south and 19th Avenue to the west. The committee has adopted the name "Village at Rio Salado" for this area but will be referred to as "Beyond the Banks" in this report.

The initial step in the Master Plan Update for Tucson International Airport is the identification of a series of goals and objectives that will establish guidelines for the planning process. These goals and objectives reflect the input of the Tucson Airport Authority, the Long Range Planning Council, the Airport’s Planning Advisory Committee, and the Airport’s Consultants. The Goals and Objectives will ultimately form the framework for evaluating the recommended long-range development plan and ensuring that the on-going development of the airport is consistent with the airport’s overall strategic objectives.

This report presents an analysis of the economic impacts of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (Gateway Airport) based on activity during FY 2013. It views Gateway Airport as a source of significant economic output (the production of aviation services) that creates revenues for firms, and employment and earnings for workers on and off the airport.

The Arizona Department of Financial Institutions partners with federal examiners to examine financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, and has primary responsibility for examining financial enterprises, such as collection agencies and mortgage brokers. These examinations are designed to protect consumers and ensure sound business operations. Although the Department has established policies and procedures for effectively examining financial institutions, as of April 2013, the Department had a backlog of 197 statutorily required financial enterprise examinations. In order to address the backlog, the Department should spend less time examining enterprises that comply with the law and spend more time examining noncompliant or high-risk enterprises. The Department should also improve its complaint handling by enhancing its policies and procedures and establishing complaint processing time frames. In addition, the Department should ensure that the fees it charges match its costs.

The Registrar of Contractors licenses and regulates residential and commercial contractors. The ROC can improve the regulation of contractors and better protect the public by adequately addressing construction complaints and disciplining contractors when warranted. The ROC should promote earlier resolution of construction complaints by monitoring complaints as they move through its complaint-handling process and by adding time frames to this process, and it should ensure that discipline is imposed in a timely manner. Also, regardless of whether the ROC replaces its current data system, the ROC should take key actions to enable its data system to perform agency functions efficiently and effectively. This report also provides information about the Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund.

Created in 1952, the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy regulates the practice of physical therapy by licensing physical therapists and certifying physical therapist assistants, registering certain physical therapy businesses, investigating complaints, and imposing discipline for violations of board statutes and rules. The Board should continue to improve its complaint resolution timeliness. Although the Board resolved the majority of the complaints it received between fiscal years 2009 and 2011 within the 180-day standard for health regulatory boards, 43 percent of the complaints took between 181 days to 18 months to be resolved. Factors contributing to lengthy complaint resolution included lengthy investigations and delays in holding formal and informal hearings. The Board has taken steps to improve complaint resolution timeliness, which it should continue to monitor.

Created in 1990, the Arizona Board of Appraisal regulates real estate appraisal in Arizona by licensing and certifying appraisers, registering appraisal management companies (AMCs) and property tax agents, investigating complaints, and issuing discipline for violations of board statutes and rules. The Board’s complaint resolution process has several weaknesses that contribute to potentially untimely and/or inappropriate complaint resolution, such as insufficient documentation regarding some board decisions, delays in assigning complaints for contract investigations, and inadequate monitoring of complaints to ensure timely resolution. Although the Board has taken steps to improve its process, it should develop and implement policies and procedures to address these weaknesses. The Board should also comply with statutory requirements for registering AMCs and develop and implement policies and procedures for providing timely and complete complaint and disciplinary information to the public.

The Department of Environmental Quality monitors and enforces regulated facilities’ compliance with environmental laws and regulations to control or prevent the release of contaminants into the environment that may have negative effects on the public’s health. Regulated facilities include power plants, wastewater treatment plants, dry cleaners, construction equipment, and other portable pollution sources. Although the Department monitors compliance by conducting inspections of regulated facilities, it can more effectively protect public health and the environment by targeting inspections of facilities based on risk. Additionally, the Department needs to take more consistent, timely, and effective enforcement actions.

In fiscal year 2011, Colorado River Union High School District’s student AIMS scores were similar to the peer districts’ averages, and it operated efficiently overall with similar or lower costs in most operational areas. The District’s administrative costs were lower than peer districts’. However, it needs to strengthen some controls over its computer systems and cash handling. The District’s plant operations costs per square foot were similar to peer districts’, and its food service costs were much lower. The District’s transportation costs were mixed with a higher cost per rider, but lower cost per mile; however, the District needs to improve its controls over fuel purchases. Further, the District did not maintain complete Proposition 301 pay records, and some of the District’s performance pay plan goals were so easily met that they did not promote improved job performance.

In fiscal year 2011, Chino Valley Unified School District’s student achievement was similar to peer district and state averages, and its operational efficiencies were mixed with some costs higher and some costs lower than peer districts’ averages. The District’s per-pupil administrative costs were slightly higher than peer districts’ because the District employed more administrative positions per pupil. The District’s plant operations, food service, and transportation programs operated reasonably efficiently, with cost measures such as cost per square foot, cost per meal, and cost per mile that were similar to or lower than peer districts’ averages. However, the District needs to improve controls over access to critical information systems and strengthen controls over its fuel purchase cards.