FAQs—Cities and Towns

On June 3, 1980, Arizona voters approved Arizona Constitution, Article IX, §20, prescribing an expenditure limitation for each city and town. The expenditure limitation's purpose is to control expenditures of local revenues and limit future increases in spending to adjustments for inflation and population growth. Cities and towns were first subject to the expenditure limitation effective in the fiscal year following the first regularly scheduled governing board member election after July 1, 1980.

Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) §41-1279.07 requires the Arizona Auditor General to prescribe a uniform expenditure reporting system (UERS) for all political subdivisions subject to the constitutional expenditure limitations that Article IX, §20, prescribed. The UERS consists of the Annual Expenditure Limitation Report (AELR) forms and instructions and FAQs. The AELR forms and instructions provide detailed instructions for completing and submitting the required expenditure limitation reports, and the FAQs below provide expenditure limitation background information, common questions related to each required report page, filing requirements, and guidance on voter-approved expenditure limitations.

We also have several UERS webinars available for viewing on the cities and towns webinars page that address completing city and town AELRs and provide detailed information about the requirements for each AELR page.

Uniform Expenditure Reporting System (UERS)

1. Expenditure limitation basics and penalties for exceeding the limitation
2. Part I —expenditure limitation amounts and adjustments to expenditures subject to the limitation
3. Part II—exclusions and carryforwards
4. Reconciliation—subtractions and additions
5. Independent accountants' report
6. Filing requirements
7. Voter-approved expenditure limitations

Cities and Towns Finance

• Audit requirements
• Budgeting