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April 23, 2020
Peoria’s Hometown Newspaper
COVID-19 cases rise in Peoria
INSIDE
This Week
BY TOM SCANLON
Peoria Times Managing Editor
NEWS..............4 ‘Panic’ over, but gun sales still on the rise
Banner Health has several drive-thru COVID-19 test sites, including one in Peoria. (Photo courtesy Banner Health)
COVID-19 cases continue to rise sharply in Peoria. On April 12, the Arizona Department of Health Services released a COVID-19 ZIP code map showing Peoria 85382 with 61 positive cases. Nine days later, Peoria 85382 had 102 positive COVID-19 cases—third most of any Arizona ZIP code. The striking 62% rise gave 98532 one less positive test than Mesa 85206 and two less than Tucson 85714. The state map includes a disclaimer: “If the patient’s address was unknown the case was mapped to the address of the provider followed by the address of the reporting facility.”
For that reason, Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat challenged the accuracy of this data. “Unfortunately, this data appears imperfect, as noted by the AZDHS website,” Carlat said. “Due to this discrepancy, I’ve pressed the governor’s office to provide more accurate data.” Carlat had not received a response as of April 21. “The number of cases doesn’t really tell us much,” Peoria resident Jay Griffin said. “Data is just data to me at this point.” Another Peoria ZIP code, 85383, just north of 85382, had 19 COVID-19 positive tests April 12. The number there rose to 31 nine days later. Banner Health collected 1,000 samples for COVID-19 testing at its Peoria drive-thru SEE ZIP
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‘Severe’ economic impact could lead to budget cut BY TOM SCANLON
NEWS..............6 Demand falls, so dairies dump milk
OPINION.................10 BUSINESS...............11 FEATURES...............12 RELIGION................14 YOUTH....................16 CLASSIFIEDS...........17
Peoria Times Managing Editor
The Peoria economic impact of COVID-19, in a word: “severe.” The power of the pandemic is already being seen in state unemployment—more than 200,000 Arizona residents have filed for unemployment assistance in the last month. Though Gov. Doug Ducey’s order allowed restaurants (takeout/delivery only), grocery stores and other “essential businesses” to remain open, most local businesses were ordered to close March 31. The resulting plummeting sales are likely to put a major dent in the city of Peoria’s
revenue stream. The 2020 Peoria budget projects $73 million in sales tax, 45% of the general fund revenue/transfers of $159 million. Peoria general fund expense projections total $171 million. At the April 21 Peoria City Council meeting, updates on the city’s financial position and investment portfolio were scheduled. Andy Granger, a deputy city manager who oversees the Finance Department, told the Peoria Times the March sales tax numbers will be telling. “It is too early to know the economic impact of COVID-19 except that the immediate impacts will be severe,” Granger said.
“We anticipate a significant drop in sales tax revenues over the next quarter … We will not be able to understand actual revenue drops until mid-May, when we receive sales tax revenues from March.” Granger said the city is working on the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The 2020-21 budget will be “baseline,” Granger said. “A baseline means little to no new ongoing spending and budgeted expenditures will only occur if financial condition allows it,” he explained. “In the meantime, departments are freezing any nonessential spending.” SEE IMPACT PAGE 3
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