Peoria City Council: Members, Decisions, and Public Input

The Peoria City Council is the elected governing body of Peoria, Arizona: a Mayor and six Councilmembers who set city policy, pass ordinances, and adopt the annual budget. It meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at Peoria City Hall, and residents can speak at those meetings after submitting a Request to Speak form.¹

Peoria uses a council-manager form of government. The elected council handles legislation and long-term direction; a professional City Manager runs day-to-day operations.²

Who Sits on the Council

Seven people. The Mayor is elected citywide at-large. The six Councilmembers each represent a geographic district and must live in the district they represent. Elections are staggered so the whole body never turns over at once. Article II of the Peoria City Charter sets these qualifications and election procedures.³

The six districts are Acacia, Edwards, Ironwood, Mesquite, Palo Verde, and Pine. Contact information for the Mayor, each Councilmember, and their council assistants is published on the city’s Mayor and City Council page.⁴

What the Council Decides

All city powers not restricted by the Arizona Constitution or state law are vested in the council.⁵ In practice, that translates to a handful of things you feel as a resident:

The annual budget. The council approved a $1.192 billion budget for fiscal year 2026 covering public safety, economic development, water infrastructure, and recreation.⁶
Local property tax rates and primary tax levies.
Peoria’s municipal transaction privilege (sales) tax, currently 1.80% on most retail sales and 1.60% on food purchased for home consumption.⁷
Ordinances on land use, zoning, building standards, and public health, including votes on individual rezoning applications.
Appointment of the City Manager, and confirmation of the City Attorney and Presiding Municipal Judge recommended by the Manager.⁸

What the council does not do: hire most city staff, manage contracts, or run departments. Those functions sit with the City Manager, who prepares the budget for the council’s review, enforces ordinances, and oversees nearly all city employees.⁸ If your issue is an operational complaint about a specific department, the Manager’s office is usually the right first stop; if it’s about policy or funding, it belongs before the council.

When Meetings Happen and How to Watch

Regular meetings are the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. in Room 400 (Council Chambers) at Peoria City Hall.¹ Study sessions, where the council works through complex items before a formal vote, typically start at 5:30 p.m. the same day. Special meetings can be called at any time with at least 48 hours’ notice posted at City Hall, on the city website, and sent by email.⁹

Meetings are broadcast on Peoria TV (Cox channel 11) and streamed online, with recordings posted afterward.¹⁰ Under Arizona’s Open Meeting Law, agendas have to be available at least 24 hours before a meeting, so you can see what’s coming up and decide whether to attend.¹¹

How to Speak or Submit Input

To address the council in person, submit a Request to Speak form. The online form opens two hours before the regular meeting and must be submitted by the meeting’s start time. You have to be physically present in Council Chambers; there’s no remote video option to speak.¹²

Each speaker gets three minutes unless the Mayor grants additional time, and the city asks speakers to be polite and refrain from profanity.¹² One thing worth knowing before you go: during “Call to the Public,” when residents raise items not on the agenda, an individual member may reply to criticism or ask staff to look into something, but the council as a body cannot discuss, deliberate on, or take action on anything not listed on the posted agenda.¹¹ If you want the council to act, the item needs to be agendized first.

If a meeting isn’t practical, you can email Councilmembers directly. Every member and their assistant is listed on the Mayor and City Council page.⁴

1
City of Peoria. City of Peoria Council Meeting Portal
2
American Legal Publishing. Peoria Code of Ordinances – Sec 2 Form of Government
3
American Legal Publishing. Peoria Code of Ordinances – Article II The Council
4
City of Peoria. Mayor and City Council
5
American Legal Publishing. Peoria Code of Ordinances – Sec 1 Powers of the Council
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City of Peoria. Peoria City Council Approves FY2026 Budget
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Arizona Department of Revenue. Peoria City Tax Profile
8
American Legal Publishing. Peoria Code of Ordinances – Sec 3 City Manager Powers and Duties
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City of Peoria. Frequently Asked Questions
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City of Peoria. City Council Videos
11
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 38-431.02 – Notice of Meetings
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City of Peoria. Public Participation at Regular Council Meetings