(Photo via webcms.pima.gov)

Residents of Pima County should prepare for a tax increase next fiscal year.

The Arizona Supreme Court has rejected Pima County’s effort to halt a new law that the county says will force it to raise taxes.

The dispute revolves around the Arizona Legislature’s cost shifting of millions of dollars onto counties like Pima and Pinal.

The state constitution limits how much residential property owners can pay in primary property taxes to no more than 1 percent of the cash value. The purpose is to protect people who are taxed by multiple entities like schools, counties and community colleges. Any cost over the 1 percent cap was historically covered by the state, but this year that responsibility was moved onto counties.

Pima County, which will need to come up with an additional $18 million, had asked the state’s high court to step in, claiming the law forced it to raise taxes and that was unconstitutional.

But this week, the court refused to intercede. The case can still be taken up by a lower court.