P.L.A.N. Update - Congress and Courts and Cuts‏

Waiting and Watching Washington

Passage by Congress of the Budget Control Act last week has state and local governments watching carefully. The Act calls for two phases of federal deficit reduction -- the first phase reduces just under $1.0 trillion in spending over the next decade; the second phase creates a special committee of Congress to recommend additional deficit reduction measures of up to $1.5 trillion. Members of the special committee, including Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, must agree before Thanksgiving on a legislative package that meets that goal; then the full House and Senate must vote on the package by December 23.

Phoenix receives significant funding from the federal government for programs that benefit Phoenix residents, so staff is watching closely so that the city is prepared for any changes to those programs. Short term impacts are minimal. We all will know more as the special committee completes its work.

Superior Court Decision Upholds Health Care Cuts

On Wednesday, the Maricopa County Superior Court upheld the State's decision in its fiscal 2012 budget to cut up to $500 million from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) through changes in eligibility criteria. The ruling stemmed from a claim that the legislative act violates Proposition 204, an initiative approved by voters in 2000, that expanded AHCCCS coverage eligibility. Barring a successful appeal, the state budget is estimated to be on track to finish only $32 million in the red by the end of the fiscal year.

Source: P.L.A.N.

Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Peggy Neely for Mayor of Phoenix

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today announced her enthusiastic endorsement of Peggy Neely as the next Mayor of Phoenix.

“I have admired Peggy Neely’s record of job creation and her devotion to government reform,” stated Governor Brewer. “With the passage of Arizona’s economic competitiveness package and the creation of the Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona needs experienced leaders who are dedicated to public-private partnerships and job creation.

“Peggy fits that bill and has my full support. I look forward to working with her on Arizona’s comeback.”

Former Phoenix City Councilwoman Neely said, “I am extremely honored by our Governor’s support. Governor Brewer has been a model for making hard decisions and standing by them. I will work hand-in-hand with her administration to make Phoenix and Arizona number one in job creation.”

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

Overview
The City of Phoenix will be implementing Voting Centers for the Mayor and City Council Election in August 2011. The change to Voting Centers was approved by the Mayor and City Council and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The 26 Voting Centers will replace the traditional 128 polling places, making voting more convenient, flexible, and accessible. Voting Centers will ONLY apply to City of Phoenix elections.

The Early Voting process does not change. In City Elections, over 90% of ballots are cast by mail. Under State law, any registered voter may request to be on the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL) to automatically receive a ballot by mail for all elections.

Key dates related to the early voting process:

May 2 – Notice mailed to voters on the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL); voters may also begin to request early ballots

August 4 – Early Ballot mailing begins and Early Voting starts at Phoenix City Hall

August 13 and August 20 – Early Voting sites will be open throughout the city

August 19 – Last day to request an early ballot by mail

August 26 – Last day for on site Early Voting at Phoenix City Hall

How Voting Centers Work

26 Voting Centers will be open for three days – on Saturday, August 27, Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30 (Election Day), replacing 128 polling places in the City.

Any voter may cast a ballot at any location; voters are not limited to one designated polling place.

Voters can replace or drop-off an early ballot at any Early Voting or Voting Center location.

Benefits of Voting Centers

Continue popular Early Voting process and retain an in-person voting option.

Greater convenience for voters to be able to cast a ballot at any of the 26 voting center locations over three days – close to home, work or other activities.

Improved sites, service and support – Most Voting Center locations are accessible by public transportation, near business or shopping cores, and along major streets. Improved service and support at each location from fewer facilities to staff.

Lower cost than traditional polling place elections or an all mail election.

For More Information

For further information on the Voting Centers, the Early Voting process, or for other City election-related questions, please use one or more of the following resources:

Website – http://phoenix.gov/ELECTION/elect.html
Email – elections@phoenix.gov
Phone – 602-261-VOTE (8683)
Fax – 602-495-5080
TTY – 602-534-2737

Source:
Cris A. Meyer
City Clerk

Voting Center for City of Phoenix Elections

The Voting Centers will be in effect for the August Mayor and Council election and all future city of Phoenix elections. Now, we would appreciate your help to spread the word about Voting Centers and how they work.

The concept is simple. For city of Phoenix elections, 26 Voting Centers will replace the traditional 128 polling places. Voters can go to any Voting Center to cast their vote and will no longer be limited to a specific polling place. The Voting Centers also will be open for three days – on Saturday, August 27, Monday, August 29, and Tuesday, August 30 (Election Day). These significant changes will make voting more convenient, flexible and accessible for the public.

Also, the Early Voting process, including voting by mail and the Permanent Early Voting List, will remain the same with Voting Centers.

Please note that Voting Centers ONLY apply to City of Phoenix elections. It will not yet be used for federal, state and county elections.

Click here to download the map of voting center locations.

Representatives from our Elections Division will be available to make a presentation about Voting Centers, if needed. Please contact me at 602-262-6558, or via email at cris.meyer@phoenix.gov, if you have any questions or comments.

Source:
Cris A. Meyer
City Clerk

We cannot wait – It’s time for real reform‏

A.W.A.R.E. – 12 Charter Reform Ideas for 2012
Accountability, Wisdom, Accessibility, Representation, & Ethics

The City of Phoenix was established as an incorporated city in 1881. In 1913, Phoenix was established by charter as a council manager form of government with a population less than 20,000 making it one of the first cities in the country with this form of government. Today, Phoenix has a population of approximately 1.5 million making it the largest council manager form of government city in the country. The charter itself is meant to be a living document that would be amended to change with the evolving city. The last major changes to the charter occurred in 1983 and resulted in the creation of districts to elect the city council.

The form of governance only works if it truly reflects the will and needs of the people it serves. The time has come to have a comprehensive review of the city’s charter to help change the culture at City Hall. We need to ensure that city government continues to serve the residents of the City of Phoenix and not the entrenched interests of government unions, influential zoning attorneys, and companies who have made their business around relationships with municipal service areas. In short, we need to focus on making sure that City Hall serves the taxpayers of Phoenix – not itself.

We cannot wait. It is time to act. If elected, I will use the momentum of this election process to carry forth the most wide-ranging reform of our municipal government in nearly 30 years. The goal will be to comprehensively review the charter and modernize it to reflect the realities of today and the prospects and opportunities for tomorrow. These reforms should focus on accountability, wisdom, accessibility, representation and ethics (A.W.A.R.E.) and focusing on opening up City Hall to a greater degree of public scrutiny and fostering a more open and transparent dialogue among elected and appointed leaders. Phoenix residents should have the opportunity to be more aware of what is going on in their community.

One of my first actions as Mayor will be to set a public process made up of citizens of Phoenix who are the taxpayers all of us in public service are here to serve, to take the comprehensive review of the City’s Charter, not lobbyists, special interest, city insiders and/or those who can earn their living doing business with the city.

Charter reforms will be presented to the public in an open and transparent process, debated, and adopted or referred to the ballot in 2012. Everyone should come to the table with suggestions – I am offering twelve ideas I support that should start this reform process. This is not meant as a comprehensive list of reforms, but as a starting point to use during this election cycle to start a community discussion and debate that will lead to action if I am fortunate enough to be elected:

* Mandatory discussion period and public hearing schedule on all tax increases: Any actions to levy taxes should be done with proper notices, not merely to meet the technical requirements of the open meeting law but ensuring that sufficient time is given to all the taxpayers so that thoughtful debate and discussion takes place before any tax levy is made.

* Zero based budgeting and increased budget transparency: We should start fresh every year with a clean budget slate. No more starting from last year’s budget to decide future spending. In addition, we should implement better reporting mechanism to the public on the finances of the city and frequency of such reports in a public setting where the taxpayers and residents can express their views to the elected representatives. The City’s checkbook should be online and easily accessible and easy to explore.

* Strengthen the ethics policy: Develop a stronger and clearer conflict of interest and ethics policy statement that will clearly point out the minimum requirements any elected official and those appointed by the elected body are to abide by. I would also include those who serve on boards and commissions. There should be no loophole, ambiguity or general lack of clarity that all of us who serve the will of the people should be expected to follow. In addition, there should be strong monetary sanctions and the risk of removal from the position imposed on anyone found to be guilty of violating the public trust in their capacity as public servants.

* Increased council control of debt financing and budget tools: The fiscal stewardship of the City rests with the city manager and not the city council. The Mayor and Council approve the budget and purchases over a given dollar amount but the preparation of the budget and fiscal day to day stewardship rest with the city manager. There needs to be increased City Council accountability for any debt financing and budget tools used to balance the budget – it should not be “take it or leave it” as part of the budget adoption process.

* Unified election cycle: Voters should decide if we should vote on the unification of the election cycle so that the Mayor runs concurrent with all council districts and the candidates for municipal offices appear on the same ballot and in the same election cycle as state and county officials. The potential cost savings would be over $1 million per election.

* Additional city council districts: It is time to debate the merits of additional members to the city council, if they can be added with a net zero change to the council budget.

* Increased citizen representation on healthcare and pension boards: The City works for the taxpayers – they are our boss. However, the healthcare and pension boards are set where the employees basically govern themselves. The taxpayers should have an increased say on how their money is being spent on the healthcare and pension of the employees who work for them.

* Planning commission reform: The appointees and how the appointments are made should be explored and adjusted as necessary. City council members should have more direct input on the planning commission and commission members should have more requirements in the disclosure of conflicts.

* Increased campaign finance transparency: Candidates should file their campaign finance reports electronically and the results should post immediately. Citizens should be able to search the reports for donors, expenditures, and other information instead of downloading large documents with hard to find information.

* Lobbyist reform: Lobbyist registrations should be posted online in a searchable database by lobbyist and by client. The database should also include increased financial reporting requirements – for example, gifts and meals for commission members should be reported just as they are for elected officials.

* Required council votes: Make the City Council more accountable by requiring council votes on critical issues instead of deferring hard choices to unelected citizen committees formed to diffuse responsibility.

* Strengthen rainy day fund: We should agree to save more money in good years by increasing the annual rate of contribution to the city’s “rainy day” fund above 3 percent. We also should require that these funds be spent before considering any city tax increase.

We need better checks and balances that ensure stronger financial stewardship that places the taxpayers and their elected representatives in charge and accountable – not bureaucrats. The public can no longer be an afterthought in this process. This is the pledge I make to you, the residents of Phoenix who we are all here ultimately to serve, not the bureaucrats and union bosses who flock to the city and have ingrained themselves in the system. The doors will be made wide open for you to not only peer into but to examine and demand nothing less than the best from your elected and appointed leaders.

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

P.L.A.N. Update - Coloring Inside the Lines‏

Independent Redistricting Commission Works on New Legislative District Boundaries

Arizona's Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) is currently working to adjust the State's federal and state legislative districts in time for the 2012 election cycle.

Following each U.S. Census decennial census, states use the new population data to redraw their legislative lines. Since the last census in 2000, population has shifted as people moved within and between states. "Redistricting" adjusts boundaries to account for those shifts, with the goal of ensuring that each district continues to have as equal a number of residents as possible. In Arizona, voters approved Proposition 106 in the 2000 General Election, giving the responsibility of drawing these lines to the IRC, a five-member board consisting of 2 Democrats, 2 Republicans, and 1 Independent.

To follow the IRC's work, follow this link for meeting and mapping information: http://www.azredistricting.org/default.asp. Your input is needed!

Source: P.L.A.N.

Democratic Party Bosses Running Stanton Campaign‏

For the first time in Phoenix history political party bosses are actually running a campaign for mayor. The State Democratic Party’s highest priority is Greg Stanton’s candidacy for Mayor of Phoenix.

From office space, to petition signatures, phone banks, staffing and door to door walks the Democratic Party is fully committed to Stanton’s victory.

The Arizona Republic reports, “He (Stanton) is the only Democrat in the race and party activists are galvanized around him.” The Arizona Republic, June 26, 2011

Claude Mattox is a lifelong Republican. As a City Councilman Claude has supported bedrock Republican principles of being tough on crime, fiscal responsibility with balanced budgets, quality city services, lean and efficient government, and a vibrant free enterprise economy that creates jobs.

As a Republican Claude will be talking to Republicans during the campaign. But he will be talking to Independents and Democrats too. And Party bosses will not be calling the shots during the campaign or during his administration when elected mayor.

For more information about Claude’s campaign, visit the campaign website.

Source: Claude Mattox Mayor

Voting Starts in Less Than 2 Weeks – Act Today!

Vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed to voters citywide in less than two weeks and Peggy needs your immediate help. We need to contact these voters to let them know Peggy’s plan to create jobs for Phoenix and reform the way city government is working.

For every $1.00 you donate we can contact two voters who will be receiving their ballots the first of August!

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

Last year, Peggy Neely opposed the food tax and voted against the budget because of the lack of transparency. Today, Neely pledged to repeal the food tax – a move supported by former Arizona Republican Party Chairman and former candidate for Phoenix Mayor, Randy Pullen.

"Peggy Neely is the best candidate to promote fiscal reform," said Pullen, "Employee pay raises have been given in a time of national and local austerity while city services have been cut. It is time for someone to shine a light on the budget process and make sure that City Hall is serving the taxpayers instead of themselves. Peggy is the right person to get the job done."

"The food tax was proposed on a Monday and voted on a Tuesday," said Neely, "Revenue was found to fill the budget hole before other alternatives were even offered. It is time to repeal the food tax and give Phoenix citizens an honest budget that protects the services that are important to our residents and lives within our means."

Peggy Neely has proposed extensive budget reforms in her comprehensive policy plan titled "The Phoenix We Want," which includes zero-based budgeting, finding efficiencies within all departments, regionalization of public services, and other cost savings.

Source: Peggy Neely For Phoenix Mayor

DiCiccio Endorses Neely for Mayor‏

Councilmember Sal DiCiccio joined the growing chorus of supporters for Peggy Neely and “The Phoenix We Want.”

“I am so pleased to have my former colleague Councilmember DiCiccio join Councilmember Johnson in support of my bid for mayor,” said Peggy Neely, “I am proud that the people who have worked with me in the trenches to support our quality city and begin the process of reform are giving me their vote of confidence to help preserve what is best about Phoenix. I am looking forward to working with them to build a coalition dedicated to improving our city.”

Councilmember Sal DiCiccio, representing District 6, stated, “Peggy Neely has a strong track record standing up for the taxpayers of Phoenix - not the unions and city hall special interests. I fully endorse Peggy. She is the right person who will make reforms that put taxpayers first and create more transparency; and Peggy will repeal the food tax – the same tax used for pay raises and bonuses to government employees. Phoenix gave huge pay raises and cut services to kids and seniors and we both believe that is wrong. Peggy and I don't see eye to eye on every issue, but we both care about the people of Phoenix and believe we can be much better."

“As Mayor, you must build a solid governing coalition based on working well with your fellow councilmembers,” concluded former Mayor Skip Rimsza, “Peggy Neely is proving she can bring people together to find solutions. She is building a strong coalition for the City of Phoenix dedicated to serving the taxpayers.”

Source: Peggy Neely For Phoenix Mayor

Video Alert - Union ties to Stanton, Mattox, and Gullett put special interests before taxpayers‏

Look for the Union Label

Union ties to Stanton, Mattox, and Gullett put special interests before taxpayers.

Tax increases. Pay raises. Boycotts. The taxpayers of Phoenix are under fire from organized labor union bosses. From the food tax increase to the boycott of the Major League Baseball All-star Game, union leaders have been hurting Phoenix while looking out for their own self interests. In this watershed race for Phoenix Mayor, voters have a choice between a candidate who will serve the taxpayers and those who will serve the special interests.

The Neely for Mayor Campaign launched a new video today titled, “Look for the Union Label.”



“We are at a crossroads. Voters can choose between someone who will represent their interests and someone who will serve the system,” said Peggy Neely, “Phoenix has a long track record of hiring skilled staff and offering quality services to the taxpayers. We have come to expect great things from the City of Phoenix and earned a respectable reputation. However, when the taxpayers start seeing actions such as cutting services while granting pay raises, it is clear that the system is serving itself. We need to make sure that union interests are not being put ahead of public services.”

Greg Stanton

Opposes SB1070

Endorsed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union – who helped lead the Arizona boycott

Endorsed by Maricopa Area Labor Federation – Affiliated with AFL-CIO which condemned SB1070

Would have voted for pay increases (Arizona Republic, June 8, 2011)

Claude Mattox

Supported by the largest public employee union in the City of Phoenix

Voted for the food tax increase

Supported this year’s budget and pay increases (Arizona Republic, June 8, 2011)

Lobbyist Wes Gullett

Worked for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to organize medical workers to unionize at Maricopa County Hospital

SEIU helped lead the Arizona Boycott

SEIU lead the effort to move Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

Expecting the Best from the City of Phoenix

The City of Phoenix has long been the envy of the nation. Back when I served as Mayor, we were named the “Best Run City in the World” and regularly received awards for being financially sound, well managed with a talented and dedicated employee base whose sole mission was to serve its “customers,” – the taxpayers of Phoenix.

Because the taxpayers knew that the City would operate in an open, transparent and fiscally prudent manner with the limited resources, the voters were actively engaged. Together, we could accomplish many great things like building the freeway system, expanding Sky Harbor Airport and the list goes on. Phoenicians came to expect great things of this City – and they deserve nothing short of – “The Best!”

We must always strive to be the best; however, it is also something that is difficult to maintain. And lately, the City of Phoenix is beginning to slip.

When we see actions like cutting services while granting pay raises, it is clear that the system is starting to serve itself. When we see a budget process that completes 15 public hearings without a mention of the pay raises – we can see that something is wrong.

Let me be clear, the City of Phoenix has some of the best employees in the country. Most of them work tirelessly to serve their customers and we should be grateful for their dedicated service. However, the Union Bosses, who feed off their union dues have become out of control because they are out to serve their best interest – not the taxpayers of Phoenix! And the current leadership has not stood up to these Union Bosses, so the City has become out of balance.

We are now facing a watershed election, where the voters decide who City Hall will serve. Will we elect a Mayor who represents the citizens of Phoenix or someone who stands for the union bosses and their own interests? Will we have a government serving its own selfish interests or a government that represents the people?

It is my belief that City Hall must be reminded that it serves the taxpayers – not the other way around. Emergency tax hikes without public input is simply wrong.

Who is really serious about managing the budget? Who will serve the taxpayers and who will serve themselves? Several candidates in this race have a track record serving the Union Bosses.

Mr. Mattox is supported by the largest public employee union in the city and stood with them by voting to support the food tax increase and the pay raises.

Mr. Gullett was a lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which is largest public employee union in the country. Nationally, they pushed for the boycott of Arizona – locally, Mr. Gullett tried to get County government to bargain with his union supporters.

Mr. Stanton was an ardent opponent of SB1070 and is supported by several labor and union groups such as United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union, the AFL-CIO affiliate Maricopa Area Labor Federation who have stood against Arizona and supported boycotting the state.

The voters do have a choice of someone who will stand up for the taxpayers: Peggy Neely. She voted against the food tax increase and last year’s budget. Time and again, she has pushed for transparency, not only in the budget process, but throughout city hall.

The Phoenix I want represents the interest of the Citizens of Phoenix, not the union interests.

What kind of Phoenix do you want? One guided by special interests or one driven by a leader who has a track record attracting jobs, serving the citizens and making the hard choices? Peggy Neely is the only candidate with a track record of asking hard questions, supporting fiscal responsibility and bringing people together, which has always been the culture of Phoenix leadership.

Source: Former Mayor Skip Rimsza

Jobs, Jobs Jobs – Peggy Neely: The Jobs Candidate‏

Peggy Neely is no stranger to attracting businesses to Phoenix. During her time on the city council, Neely was a strong leader in job creation, attracting regional and national headquarters to Phoenix including companies such as Republic Services, Mayo Clinic Hospital, W.L. Gore and Associates, American Express, Axway, APL, Ryan Companies, and Penske Automotive Group/Chauncey Ranch Auto Boutique. These businesses have created thousands of jobs in Phoenix.

“Peggy Neely is the ‘jobs candidate.’ When it comes to breadth and depth of experience in attracting jobs or boosting economic recovery, Peggy is the best candidate on the ballot,” said Daniel W. “Buzz” Gosnell, President, Woodbine Southwest Corporation. “Her track record proves that she has what it takes to bring businesses to Phoenix, restore local jobs and position our city for economic prosperity.”

During her time on council, Neely reached out to business owners on a regular basis making sure that the city is a help – not a hindrance to doing business. In addition to successes in attracting new businesses, she also helped existing and small businesses expand.

“Peggy is a competitive and caring person. When we were looking to relocate our corporate office and national customer service center, Peggy was front and center in advocating for Phoenix. In the end, she was instrumental in making certain that we landed in Phoenix,” said Tod Holmes, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Republic Services, Inc. “She understands the importance of expanding the job base here in Phoenix and importantly, she knows what it takes to create jobs and the role of city government to work with businesses. Equally important, she continues to be an advocate for the business community as we continue to work to add more jobs in the Phoenix market.”

Neely launched a comprehensive jobs plan as part of her vision of the “Phoenix We Want.” She explained, “Phoenix should no longer accept a back seat in the area of public policy. It must lead. It must lead in quality economic development focused on high income jobs that are as diverse as our city. The most critical need is a plan to diversify our jobs base. We can’t rely on construction alone to fuel our future. Instead, we must help existing businesses expand and then work with them to leverage new relationships with companies looking to relocate.”

Neely’s Jobs Plan

Build a Business Reputation – We should build a world reputation in one or more business sectors. In addition, we should cluster economic development efforts on growing areas such as biomedical, healthcare, solar, and other industries to diversify our economy.

Attract high-wage employers – Develop policy and tools to attract high-wage employers to invest in Arizona. Efforts such as a uniform sales tax could benefit businesses and reduce bureaucracy that limits their ability to expand.

Develop each area to its full potential – I believe in growth with a purpose, but not growth for growth’s sake. Just as the village concept serves our diverse planning needs, we must create a similar approach for business development that clearly outlines the businesses and opportunities we agree would best fit each area of the city.

Expand our tourism opportunities – While downtown is still an important destination, we must also promote the rest of Phoenix as a tourism attraction rich in recreation amenities like golf, hiking, biking, parks, soccer, world-class resorts, and breathtaking open space.

Protect key revenue generators – We must continue to support our key sources of revenue such as Sky Harbor Airport. In addition, we cannot stand idly by as other states seek to lure our spring training baseball teams from Phoenix. They generate much-needed annual revenue that cannot easily be replaced.

Transform Phoenix into a major industrial and shipping hub – Phoenix should spearhead a regional taskforce to foster a Mexican deep water port alternative to Los Angeles allowing goods to be shipped to Phoenix for distribution across the country. Mexico is Arizona’s number one trading partner – efforts such as this and others should be implemented to strengthen that relationship.

Make Phoenix business friendly – All City of Phoenix departments should be customer oriented to help citizens and businesses alike. A Jobs Task Force could meet quarterly with business and development leaders to hear their concerns and ideas about how to make Phoenix more business friendly.

Emphasize shopping in Phoenix – I will work with business owners and the leaders of the “shop local” efforts to ensure that residents understand the added value of spending their money in the city.

Attract venture capital and foreign investment to Phoenix – I want to develop a plan to encourage business beyond the incubation stage by finding innovative ways to lure more venture capital to our community.

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

New Voting Centers for City Elections

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, Phoenix voters will decide several ballot measures and cast ballots for a new mayor and council members in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7. There also
will be a Special Vacancy Election for residents in District 2 to elect a councilmember to serve the remaining two years of the term.

For this election and future city of Phoenix elections, traditional polling places are being replaced with Voting Centers located throughout the city. With Voting Centers, voters are
no longer restricted to casting their ballot at one assigned polling place. Voters can vote at any
of the 26 Voting Center locations – making it more convenient to vote closer to your work, school, home or along your daily commute.

Voters also will have three days to cast their vote, making it more flexible and accessible. The Voting Centers will be open from:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27;

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29;

6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30 (Election Day).

The voting process itself will be the same. Voters will still need to bring the same forms of identification they would normally bring to a polling place, and they will continue to vote on paper ballots that will be placed inside a locked ballot box. It’s important to note that Voting Centers are only being used for city of Phoenix elections, which include Mayoral and Council elections, Bond
elections and other Phoenix ballot items. Voting centers will not be used in elections for federal, state or county offices or ballot measures.

The last day to register to vote is Aug. 1.

The popular early voting by mail program will not change and voters on the Permanent Early Voting List will begin receiving their ballots around Aug. 4. Early ballots can be mailed or dropped off at any voting center, and the last day to request an early ballot by mail is Aug. 19.

Voters can find a map of voting center locations as well as lists of acceptable identification forms at phoenix.gov/election.

For additional questions on voting centers, their locations or the upcoming election, call 602-261-VOTE (8683) or TTY 602-534-2737 or email elections@phoenix.gov.

Source: City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department

Peggy Neely: Leadership for Phoenix

Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters touts Neely’s leadership and
ability to make hard choices.

During her time on the Phoenix City Council and in her service in the community, Peggy Neely has gained a reputation of being woman of her word – a strong leader who is willing to make the hard decisions. She is dedicated to doing the right thing even when it has meant doing the hard thing.

In this watershed race for Mayor, leadership will make the difference on where Phoenix will go and type of city it will become. Former United States Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters is supporting Peggy Neely and encourages Phoenix voters to learn more about her strong leadership.



Mary Peters, a fourth generation Arizonan, served as the United States Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. Prior to her appointment, Peters served as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005. She also headed the Arizona Department of Transportation from 1998 to 2001, where she started her career as an administrative assistant 16 years earlier. Throughout her career, Peters, has been a champion for more responsive and smaller government focused on delivering maximum value for taxpayers.

“I appreciate the kind words from Secretary Peters,” concluded Neely, “I am inspired by her hard work and dedication to doing the right thing. As I have said before, it is time for leaders to listen – to work with the citizens of our great city to chart a course for a prosperous future.”

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

Honoring our flag and protecting the integrity of our right to vote‏

As we celebrate Flag Day, we not only honor the flag, but we also honor what the flag stands for. The integrity of our American freedoms, including the right to vote, must be protected.

Last October, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court ruled against Prop 200 – Arizona's law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and provide ID at the polls. Their ruling was based on the fact that the National Voter Registration Act doesn’t require proof of citizenship to register to vote!

Just last week, the Federal Government through the Department of Justice has joined in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case against Arizona. Once again, the State of Arizona is under attack from the Federal Government for taking a stand against illegal immigration and doing the job that the Federal Government refuses to do.

These voter requirements were passed overwhelmingly by the Arizona voters in 2004 – and ensure the integrity of our voting system. Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and providing voter ID at the polls are part of protecting our freedoms – just as is the demand that our borders be secure. The Federal inaction is bad enough – their interference in the state’s actions is even worse.

Phoenix should be using its influence as a leader in the southwest to do more to demand border security and enforce our immigration laws. As Mayor, I would work with the Governor, Attorney General, Mayors and others to demand that the Federal government do its job to ensure that our border is secure and protect the integrity of our right to vote.

The August Election marks the first election cycle where Phoenix will be utilizing “Voting Centers” to cast ballots for the Mayor and City Council races. In addition to voting by early ballot, Phoenix has consolidated 128 traditional precincts into 26 voting centers that can be used by any registered voter in Phoenix – voter ID requirements are still in place. Click here to see a map.

Source: Peggy Neely For Phoenix Mayor

P.L.A.N. Update - Yet Another Special Session . . .‏

Unemployment Insurance Extension Under Consideration

The Governor has called the legislature into its third special session today to consider a 20-week extension of the state's unemployment benefits. Because Arizona's unemployment rate has fallen below a level that is established in state law, the formula would need adjustment if the state is to provide another 20 weeks of this benefit. A supermajority of support from each legislative chamber is needed to enact an emergency clause in order to secure the funds immediately. Although action is needed by Saturday, June 10 in order to avoid disruption, the U.S. Department of Labor has stated that it could immediately provide retroactive payments when the state takes action. Both chambers convened today but adjourned until Monday without taking action.

State Budget Deficit Continues To Shrink

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee, a legislative agency that provides budgetary support to the state legislature, released information earlier this week indicating that state tax revenues continue to grow. In May, year-to-date tax collections were $251.9 million above budgeted forecasts. If this trend continues, the fiscal year could result in an $80 million shortfall instead of the $332 million gap that was previously calculated. June could provide more answers since it is a key month in which corporate and individual income taxes are collected.

Source: P.L.A.N.

Community Budget Informational Sessions

Community Budget Informational Sessions

The City of Phoenix is in the final stages of budget preparation for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. The next step is a series of Community Budget Information Sessions, where departments will provide information on the availability of budgetary and financial records, budget process, city property tax, employee pay and an Innovation and Efficiency update. Here is the information:


Tuesday, June 7, 2011
11:30 a.m.
Burton Barr Auditorium
1221 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Source: Councilman Tom Simplot, Councilman, City of Phoenix District 4

P.L.A.N. Update - City of Phoenix End of State Legislative Session Report Now Online‏

End of Session Wrap Up

As previously reported, the 100-day state legislative session came to a close at 5:25 a.m. on April 20. Phoenix staff tracked a number of bills and amendments throughout the process. Attached is the end of session report that was provided to the Mayor and Council this week. The report contains descriptions of bills that are relevant to City operations as well as a budget recap, special session summary, and an outlook for 2012. Check it out!

Source: P.L.A.N.

Neely Talks About Her Plan As Mayor!‏

As part of her announcement, Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely laid out her plan for an administration focused on creating jobs, trimming the City budget and making City Hall business more transparent to residents. Click to watch the video below.



Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs to lead Phoenix's recovery‏

Two weeks ago, I unveiled my public policy plan. In traveling around the city and listening to our residents, it has become clear to me that a vision that is both broad and bold is needed. As such, I offer this policy plan entitled “The Phoenix We Want,” to address the concerns that have been expressed to me as I have listened to people from throughout the city.

Now, I need your help to bring jobs to Phoenix.

I believe one of the most critical needs is a plan to diversify our jobs base. We can’t rely on construction alone to fuel our future. Instead, we must help existing businesses expand and then work with them to leverage new relationships with companies looking to relocate. I am no stranger to attracting businesses to Phoenix. During my time on the city council, District 2 has been a strong leader in job creation attracting companies such as Republic Services, Mayo Clinic Hospital, W.L. Gore and Associates, American Express, Axway, APL, Ryan Companies, and Penske Automotive Group/ Chauncey Ranch Auto Boutique developing thousands of jobs and attracting regional and national headquarters to Phoenix.

I am asking for your support.

If we can commit to attracting new jobs and businesses, we will put ourselves on a path toward recovery and sustainability. It’s a path we can and will walk as one of America’s greatest cities and one I hope we decide to walk together.

Please click here now to make a contribution of $500, $250, $100 or whatever you can afford.

I ask that you make this contribution within the next 48 hours so I can begin to put together our campaign plan to create the Phoenix you want.

Source: Peggy Neely for Mayor

I Want to Hear from You!‏

It is time for leaders to listen -- to work with the citizens of our great city to chart a course for a prosperous future. Phoenix should no longer accept a back seat in the area of public policy.

I pride myself as a problem solver who will get people together to help resolve conflict. Leadership also requires the ability to listen, discern and act in the best interest of the residents of Phoenix.

In traveling around the city and listening to our residents, it has become clear to me that a vision that is both broad and bold is needed. As such, I offer my policy plan entitled “The Phoenix We Want,” to address the concerns that have been expressed to me as I have listened to people from throughout the city.

However, I also want to hear more from you. That is why I asking you “What’s the most important issue facing our city?”

*****

It is time for leaders to LISTEN -- to work with the citizens of our great city to chart a course for a prosperous future. Phoenix should no longer accept a back seat in the area of public policy. I am proud to present this comprehensive public policy document called "The Phoenix We Want" Here are the critical issues:


Attract Jobs and New Businesses

The most critical need is a plan to diversify our jobs base. We can’t rely on construction alone to fuel our future. Instead, we must help existing businesses expand and then work with them to leverage new relationships with companies looking to relocate.

Build a Business Reputation - - We should build a world reputation in one or more business sectors. In addition, we should cluster economic development efforts on growing areas such as biomedical, healthcare, solar, and other industries to diversify our economy.

Attract high-wage employers - - Develop policy and tools to attract high-wage employers to invest in Arizona. Efforts such as a uniform sales tax could benefit businesses and reduce bureaucracy that limits their ability to expand.

Develop each area to its full potential - - I believe in growth with a purpose, but not growth for growth’s sake. Just as the village concept serves our diverse planning needs, we must create a similar approach for business development that clearly outlines the businesses and opportunities we agree would best fit each area of the city.

Expand our tourism opportunities - - While downtown is still an important destination, we must also promote the rest of Phoenix as a tourism attraction rich in recreation amenities like golf, hiking, biking, parks, soccer, world-class resorts, and breathtaking open space.

Protect key revenue generators - - We must continue to support our key sources of revenue such as Sky Harbor Airport. In addition, we cannot stand idly by as other states seek to lure our spring training baseball teams from Phoenix. They generate much-needed annual revenue that cannot easily be replaced.

Transform Phoenix into a major industrial and shipping hub - - Phoenix should spearhead a regional taskforce to foster a Mexican deep water port alternative to Los Angeles allowing goods to be shipped to Phoenix for distribution across the country. Mexico is Arizona’s number one trading partner – efforts such as this and others should be implemented to strengthen that relationship.

Make Phoenix business friendly - - All City of Phoenix departments should be customer oriented to help citizens and businesses alike. A Jobs Task Force could meet quarterly with business and development leaders to hear their concerns and ideas about how to make Phoenix more business friendly.

Emphasize shopping in Phoenix - - I will work with business owners and the leaders of the “shop local” efforts to ensure that residents understand the added value of spending their money in the city.

Attract venture capital and foreign investment to Phoenix - - I want to develop a plan to encourage business beyond the incubation stage by finding innovative ways to lure more venture capital to our community.

Balance City Budget and Reduce the Size of Government

Phoenicians want leaders capable of managing their tax dollars. They expect us to weigh the benefits of programs and initiatives. Precious public funds must be spent wisely. We should agree that future budgets will deliver core city services at a level that our residents can afford. We must do a better job of setting priorities. Once those are funded, then we should look to reduce taxes, and spend remaining funds on other desired services on a pay-as- you-go basis to minimize debt.

Zero based budget - - For the City’s Enterprise Funds – Aviation, Water, Wastewater, Golf, Solid Waste, and in part the Civic Plaza fund - - we should start fresh every year with a clean budget slate. No more starting from last year’s budget to decide future spending.

Implement cost saving measures - - We must comb through each department looking for ways to reduce costs. We should look at best practices from cities nationwide for new ways to reduce spending.

Pension reform - - The mayor and city council should have greater oversight of the pension board and the process. Employees should be compensated fairly, but we must address pension reform and issues such as “double dipping.”

Strengthen rainy day fund - -We should agree to save more money in good years by increasing the annual rate of contribution to the city’s “rainy day” fund above 2.5 percent. We also should require that these funds be spent before considering any city tax increase.

Increase Efficiency - - Mayor, City Council and staff should work to implement recommendations of the Efficiency Task Force. We must also make it a practice of rewarding employees for operational efficiency ideas and customer satisfaction.

Regionalization of public services - - Phoenix is the biggest city in the state and therefore bears significant responsibility when it comes to encouraging regional cooperation. Public services such as transportation should be regionalized to increase efficiency. Even with Phoenix paying its fair share to operate the system, it should reduce costs.

Preserve bond ratings - - Phoenix has a long track record of maintaining a positive bond rating and currently has some of the highest ratings in the country. We must develop financial policies that maintain that record.

Protect Public Safety

Although we face budgetary issues, our top priority should always be public safety, a critical element to maintaining our quality of life and attracting businesses. Those who protect our neighborhoods should not have to worry about budget cuts or job losses because their leaders couldn’t manage a budget. Likewise these departments should be expected to be efficient with funds available. By working together, we can serve the public safety needs of the community, and increase accountability, without reducing public safety.

Transitional response vehicles - - Many Phoenix fire calls are medical emergencies. Sending a full fire truck requires additional manpower and causes wear and tear on expensive vehicles. Partnering with local healthcare providers, we should find ways to send smaller response teams and vehicles on medical emergencies and offer more help in the field to reduce emergency room visits.

Police social response - - Many Phoenix police calls are from people in need of social services or support. We should develop a program for dispatching social workers instead of police officers when appropriate.

Implement recent Police Task Force recommendations - - We should improve police officer accountability by implementing the recommendations of the recent task force. Suggestions such as requiring patrol officers to carry business cards with their badge numbers and supervisors' contact information will help them improve relations in the community and lead to more citizen cooperation in fighting crime.

Enforce immigration laws - - We should expect the City of Phoenix to uphold and enforce all state laws, including SB1070, as efficiently and effectively as possible. While I have concerns about any legislation that may come with unfunded mandates, as a public servant, I am committed to upholding the law.

Demand border security - - Phoenix should be using its influence as a leader in the southwest to do more to demand border security and enforce our immigration laws. I will work with the Governor, Mayors and others to demand that the Federal government do its job to ensure that our border is secure.

Increase Accessibility and Transparency

Transparency and accessibility are critical for citizens to have confidence in their government. They are important now more than ever, especially when we are making tough decisions that lead to reductions in services or the allocation of scarce funds. As elected leaders we must be open and transparent in everything we do. Emergency tax hikes, bureaucratic red tape, and confusing websites shut the citizens out of the process and foster mistrust in the way government is being operated.

Ethics policy - - We must establish an ethics policy that fosters openness, trust and integrity when interacting with citizens, employees, and others.

Lobbyist reform - - We must require lobbyists to file their reports sooner than they do today and make those reports available to the public on the Internet immediately.

Increased financial disclosure - - I believe we should make available online yearly financial disclosure forms from all candidates, council members and the Mayor – in the same way campaign finance reports are available to the public.

Online campaign finance reporting - - We should transform our online campaign finance report system from scanned documents to an electronic filing program improving access for candidates and citizens alike.

Tax discussion period - -We must formalize a process that requires a thorough public discussion any time a tax increase is being considered by the Council. We must never approve another tax hike of any kind without a full public debate.

Improve the City of Phoenix website - - I want to work with citizens, business owners, and news media to improve city website accessibility and usability.

Encourage Quality Education

Education is a cornerstone of our quality of life. As a mother, my first priority was to ensure a quality education for my daughters. That is why I became actively involved in the United Parents Council. We can’t afford to keep a hands-off approach to education and expect things to change. If we are to attract business and investment to Phoenix, we must offer quality K-12 education for their families and university education that produces highly trained and skilled workforce to fill their needs.

Promote academic innovation and competitive education - - We must foster and encourage choices in public education to boost competition and build an abundant, talented workforce to attract business.

Support quality university education - - We must capitalize on our higher education opportunities building on our relationships with local universities and actively attracting other institutions to locate in Phoenix.

Recognize and encourage success - - Recognize quality teachers and successful students on a regular basis and connect educators and administrators with local government and business leaders to understand what is working and what needs improvement.

Encourage student participation - - Foster student participation and engagement in local government in areas such as developing policy, expanding volunteerism, and creating a sustainable city.

Support Strong Neighborhoods

Our neighborhoods are filled with people who work every day, focus on raising their families, take care of loved ones and connect at a very personal level in the areas of the city that they live, work and play. The interactions they have with city government on a daily basis are somewhat limited. They expect that the garbage will be picked up on time, the water they use is safe, the parks are clean, and their neighborhoods are free of crime and police and fire will arrive if called. We must ensure that Phoenix remains neighborhood friendly by meeting and exceeding the expectations of our residents.

Community policing - - I want to work with our police and fire departments to encourage their officers and firefighters to stay engaged in the community as a way to build public confidence in our unsung heroes.

Neighborhood advocate - - I will designate a position on the Mayor’s staff that will be a clearinghouse for neighborhood issues affecting the city. This person would interact with city departments to make sure neighborhood concerns are heard and factored into any decisions that are designed to improve the City.

Neighborhood and business cooperation - - Part of strengthening neighborhoods is understanding what leads to decline. Business and industry being chased away leads to more vacancies in strip shopping centers and malls, reducing jobs and revenue and displacing homeowners who lose their jobs. This does not do anything to strengthen neighborhoods. Strong neighborhoods can and should be compatible with strong business and industry.

Source: Peggy Neely for Phoenix Mayor

P.L.A.N. Update - State Government Takes Over City Hall‏

Library operations . . . Outsourced.

Planning and zoning . . . Outsourced.

Domestic violence services. . . Outsourced.

Neighborhood code enforcement . . . Outsourced.

* * * * * * * * *

Over the last several weeks, we've been informing P.L.A.N. subscribers about Senate Bill 1322: Managed Competition; City Services, a measure introduced by Tucson Senator Frank Antenori that dictates how City of Phoenix services are procured.

Recent amendments mandate Phoenix to spend taxpayer dollars to undertake an outsourcing, bidding process for municipal services that cost more than $500,000 (sworn Police/Fire personnel, City attorneys/prosecutors, City judges, and the City manager and clerk's offices are exempt).

The City strives to operate every program and service with an eye towards fiscal discipline and accountability. We also recognize that the private sector can and should play a role. This is why Phoenix currently outsources $432 million over 350 service areas. Senate Bill 1322 ignores this fact and instead has the state legislature overriding the Phoenix Council, Manager and voter-approved Charter which governs the City. Your elected Mayor and Council would have no say in the matter.

Programs and services that would be up for bid include:

Domestic violence services
Library operations
Planning and zoning administration
Neighborhood code enforcement
Graffiti busters
Civilian components of the City's Homeland Security Operation
Unsworn personnel in the Police crime lab
Water and wastewater treatment facilities
Certain operations at Sky Harbor International, Goodyear and Deer Valley Airports
Emergency utility assistance
Homeless shelters and prevention programs
Senior center services
Budget management
Small business development program
Equal opportunity functions
Human resources and employee discipline

The bill is so sweeping that the City would even have to bid out the procurement office that would then implement the mandatory procurement functions for the rest of the City's services.

The Phoenix City Council voted to oppose this measure, yet it is now just one step away from the Governor's Office. Please contact the following Phoenix State Senators and the Governor's Office and ask them to please oppose this costly preemption of local control.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602-542-4331
E-mail

Senators Representing the Phoenix Central Neighborhood

Kyrsten Sinema
Legislative District 15
Email: ksinema@azleg.gov
(P) 602-926-5058

Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - State Budget, City Budget - Maybe This Week a Federal Budget?

Legislature Agreed on 2011-2012 State Budget

Last week a state budget for FY 2011-2012 (with adjustments to FY 2010-2011) was unveiled, debated, approved, and sent to Governor Brewer for her signature. The House started by deliberating and passing the Senate's budget bills with minor modifications in order to address Arizona's $1.7 billion deficit. Most reductions in the bills focus on K-12 education ($183 million), universities ($198 million), and AHCCCS ($510 million). House members worked through the night and sent the budget package to the Senate on Friday morning, where senators debated and passed the package and transmitted it to the Governor that day.

While this state budget will impact the City, revenue sharing (voter-approved dollars that pay for about 30 percent of Phoenix's general fund) was held harmless. The State will have Phoenicians pay $2 million in new fees to fund its Department of Water Resources. In addition, the budget plan sweeps about $12 million in Highway User Revenue Funds from the City that otherwise would help pay for street construction and maintenance projects.

Phoenix Budget Condition

Also last week, the Phoenix City Council approved a proposed Trial Budget for the City, which will be discussed in 15 community budget hearings this month. Because the city budget is developed with input from the Mayor and City Council, residents, city employees, city management and all city departments, the result is a budget that closely reflects the community's highest priorities.

Residents can provide input on the 2011-2012 City budget, as well as on the draft Phoenix Strategic Plan, by attending any of the community budget hearings beginning April 7.

What can you do?

Attend your community hearing to tell your City Council member and city management what programs and services are most important to you.

Contact your State Senator and State Representatives to thank them for protecting Shared Revenues for cities and towns. Click on "Link to the P.L.A.N." below to go to your "My PLAN" page to find your legislators' contact information.

Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - We Just Can't Afford It‏

SB 1322 -- A Very Bad Deal for Phoenix Taxpayers Senate Bill 1322: Cities;Towns; Managed Competition (Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson) would mandate that the cities of Phoenix and Tucson put out most city services for competitive bidding, and award contracts to the lowest bidder who can do the work, even if they're out of state or out of the United States. What would be the cost to the City of Phoenix to comply with the mandated competitive bidding requirements of SB 1322? The city's Finance Department estimates that the average cost for a typical, simple procurement is somewhere between $22,000 and $42,000. A complex procurement, such as Phoenix already conducts for services like solid waste, towing, and banking, costs considerably more -- in the $100,000 to $150,000 range -- because consultants with expertise are needed to help structure the scope of work, monitoring requirements, etc. The most complex procurements, like a water treatment plant or airport, would cost the city millions of dollars because of the very detailed contract provisions requiring input from engineers and other specialists in these highly regulated operations. How many of these procurements would the City would be required to do should SB 1322 be enacted? It is safe to say that it would be in the thousands. Phoenix's total operating budget in fiscal year 2010-2011 including enterprises such as Aviation and Water Services was over $3.5 billion -- $432 million of that is already outsourced to private sector firms. To bid out and manage contracts for the other $3.1 billion in operations would cost Phoenix taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. For the upcoming fiscal year 2011-2012, Phoenix projects an estimated General Fund deficit of about $59 million. Clearly Phoenix does not have the money or other resources needed to comply with the unfunded mandates of SB 1322. Please call or email your legislator today -- why is the State even considering this? Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - Who's In Charge Here?‏

SHOULD THE STATE RUN OUR CITY?

Earlier this week, state senators deliberated on two bills that would have state government dictate how city services are delivered in Phoenix.

Senator Frank Antenori – a Tucson legislator – is the sponsor of Senate Bill 1322: Managed Competition; City Services and Senate Bill 1345: Municipal Employees; Compensation, bills that would force the cities of Phoenix and Tucson to lay off thousands of employees, outsource each service or civilian job that costs more than $75,000 in total wages and benefits, and cap employee salaries.

The City of Phoenix’s voter-approved charter gives authority for hiring and setting wages and benefits to the City Manager, with oversight by the Mayor and Council. These two bills undermine the governing structure approved by Phoenix citizens.

Senator Antenori believes these bills will save taxpayer money and afford more opportunities for businesses to provide local services. The City agrees that competition can be beneficial. That's why Phoenix privatizes more than 350 services that infuse $432 million into the private sector and is currently studying ways to increase those numbers.

The proposed salary cap aims to tie public employee compensation to the average of private sector compensation. However, this mandate doesn't take into account the highly technical nature of many city jobs. For example, engineers, accountants, attorneys, chemists, and other professionals with advanced degrees and training would not receive the same level of compensation as their peers in other cities -- Phoenix would likely experience a "brain drain" as these professionals go to other local cities that aren't subject to this arbitrary cap.

The City strives to provide quality service while controlling costs. Today, Phoenix has fewer employees per capita than it did in 1972. Even in this difficult economic environment, the City budget remains balanced. We don't need the state to start telling us how to run the City. This is why Phoenix’s Mayor and Council have formally voted to oppose these bills.

The state faces countless challenges. Spending time and resources on legislation that targets only two cities with strong-arm state mandates does not seem prudent. Most people agree that the government closest to the people governs best. Please contact your state legislator and let them know that local officials, not a state senator from Tucson, are the ones you want to govern your city.

Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - New Development Should Pay for Itself‏

Impact Fees Impact You

Every legislative session it seems like there is another debate about "impact fees," sometimes called development fees. This year is no exception. SB 1525: City; Town; Development Fees was introduced by Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa). Some at the legislature think this perennial debate is just another fight between homebuilders and cities, but it's much bigger than that -- impact fees impact you.

If you have purchased a new home in the last twenty years or so, odds are that the price of the home included the cost of an impact fee. The fee would have paid part of the costs for the subdivision's water and sewer lines, roads, storm drains and other infrastructure that you enjoy today. When a developer wants to build another new subdivision miles away, you probably don't want to pay for those new roads and sewer lines, too. That wouldn't be fair.

Phoenix created its impact fee program in 1988 to pay the costs of new infrastructure development in our rapidly growing city. The philosophy is simple: the costs of new roads, water and wastewater systems and other infrastructure should not be borne by residents of established areas; rather, new growth should “pay for itself.” Phoenix’s impact fee program charges the costs of new infrastructure development directly to builders, with credits and offsets available on a case-by-case basis. Impact fees are not a tax; the money that cities collect in impact fees is dedicated only to building the infrastructure that has been planned for the area they're collected in.

Any legislation that makes it harder for cities to set fees or to use them to build what's needed for a development is a problem for not just the city but all of its residents who don't want keep paying and paying for new infrastructure they'll probably never use. Right now the City of Phoenix opposes SB 1525 for those reasons. A vote on the bill is scheduled for Monday afternoon in the Senate. Please call your senator and tell him or her to vote NO. We don't need more changes to this important program.

Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - Felons with Liquor Licenses?

A bill that limits citizen and neighborhood input on liquor licenses quietly passed a legislative committee last week. Senate Bill 1460: Liquor Licensees; Records (Sen. Michelle Reagan, R-Scottsdale) was revised with a "strike-everything" amendment that makes numerous changes to the liquor license approval process. Among the changes is a troubling provision that would eliminate input from communities when an existing liquor license is transferred to a new applicant. That would prevent police from investigating people who request a liquor license transfer and make it nearly impossible to uncover hidden ownership of liquor establishments by individuals with a criminal background. The bill also creates new roadblocks for neighborhood associations that want to submit comments to be considered by the city or the State Liquor Board in evaluating liquor license applications. Many other process changes are proposed. Feel free to contact your legislators if you are interested in this issue.

Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - Yes, Really, Cities Asked to Pay for State Buildings‏

City Revenue Diverted to Pay For State Buildings

One of the items in last weeks' PLAN message was Senate Bill 1221: Urban Revenue Sharing; Distribution Freeze (Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott). This bill would put a cap on the amount of revenue sharing to cities and towns from state income tax at fiscal year 2010 levels for the next 20 years. Future annual tax collections over the 2010 amount would be kept by the State and used to pay some of the State's financial obligations, including the debt service for the state buildings that were sold with a lease buyback agreement last year.

Shared revenues are a voter-approved system in which the state shares a small percentage of its income, sales and vehicle license taxes with Arizona’s 91 cities and towns. In return, cities are prohibited from having their own local income taxes.

Senate Bill 1221 violates the will of the voters and shifts monies that are used to help pay for police, fire, parks and library services from the cities to the state to pay for the state buildings it sold in 2010.

Last week we had hoped that the bill wouldn't get a hearing, but no such luck. The bill is scheduled for this Thursday's Senate Finance Committee at 9 a.m., in Senate Hearing Room 1 at the State Capitol (1700 W. Washington, Phoenix).

Please contact members of the committee and ask that they disapprove SB 1221. The complete list of the Senate Finance Committee and their e-mails are shown below. Thank you for all you do for our community!

Senate Finance Committee

Members Position E-mail Phone
Paula Aboud Member paboud@azleg.gov 602-926-5262
Scott Bundgaard Vice-Chairman sbundgaard@azleg.gov 602-926-3297
Ron Gould Member rgould@azleg.gov 602-926-4138
Jack Jackson Jr. Member jjackson@azleg.gov 602-926-5862
Lori Klein Member lklein@azleg.gov 602-926-5284
John McComish Member jmccomish@azleg.gov 602-926-5898
Steve Yarbrough Chairman syarbrough@azleg.gov 602-926-5863

Remember to SHOP PHOENIX and tell your legislators to protect City revenues that pay for important services such as police, fire, libraries, parks and street maintenance. Thanks for all you do for our community.

Source: P.L.A.N.

P.L.A.N. Update - Cities to Pay for State Buildings?‏

Legislature Takes on a Mountain of Bills

The pace is picking up at the State Legislature, with introduction of hundreds of bills this week. Committees are holding hearings and working hard to sort through all of the proposed legislation. Not every measure that is introduced will get a hearing -- legislative leaders and committee chairman must prioritize to make the most of the short time that is allowed for hearing bills. You can take a look at the bills and committee agendas on the Legislature's website, at www.azleg.gov/CommitteeAgendas.asp

City Revenue Diverted to Pay For State Buildings?

Among the bills introduced this week is one we hope doesn't make the list. Senate Bill 1221: Urban Revenue Sharing; Distribution Freeze (Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott), puts a cap on the amount of revenue sharing from state income tax at fiscal year 2010 levels for the next 20 years. Future annual tax collections over the 2010 amount would be kept by the State and used to pay some of the State's financial obligations, including the debt service for the state buildings that were sold with a lease buyback agreement last year.

Shared revenues are a voter-approved system in which the state shares a small percentage of its income, sales and vehicle license taxes with Arizona’s 91 cities and towns. In return, cities are prohibited from having their own local income taxes.

Senate Bill 1221 not only violates the will of the voters, but shifts monies that are used to help pay for police, fire, parks and library services to the state for them to buy back the buildings they sold in 2010.

Feel free to contact your state legislators with your opinion of SB 1221.

Source: P.L.A.N.

Phoenix General Plan Update - We need your comments!‏

Please take time to review the public hearing draft for the Phoenix General Plan Update- http://phoenix.gov/citygovernment/planres/cityplan/planphx/whatsnew/index.html
To date the following Village Planning Committees (within the Phoenix Central Neighborhood boundaries) have taken action -

Encanto (1/10/11) - continued discussion to 2/7/2011

Additional opportunities to share your comments:

Planning Commission Hearings - 2/9 and 2/23/2011

City Council Hearing - 3/2/2011

Comments may be emailed to planphx@phoenix.gov

or mailed to

Carol Johnson, Planning Manager
City of Phoenix
Planning & Development Services Department
200 W. Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-261-8289

Source: Carol Johnson, Planning Manager

P.L.A.N. Update - Want a Front Row Seat to the Governor's State of the State Address?‏

At noon on Monday, January 10, 2011, Governor Jan Brewer will deliver her State of the State address in the House of Representatives at the State Capitol in downtown Phoenix. Although access is limited only to the invitees of the Governor and legislative members, you can still watch her speech live on cable television (Cox or Comcast Cable channels 123) or the Internet (www.azleg.gov). So, make sure to tune in for your “front row” seat.

State Board or Commission

The Governor's Office provides an online application for residents to participate on a state board or commission. Currently there are 266 active boards and commissions in Arizona with gubernatorial appointees. These boards cover a wide variety of topics from education to the environment. More information about how to become a member of a state board or commission is available at http://azgovernor.gov/bc/BCinfo.asp.

Phoenix Board or Commission

If service at the local level is more appealing, Phoenix currently has 65 Boards and Commissions, found at http://phoenix.gov/phxd/bdcomm/index.jsp, whose members are appointed by the Mayor and city council members. Learn how to apply to serve on a board or commission at http://phoenix.gov/CITYGOV/bdcomm.html#HOW. An online application is available at http://phoenix.gov/EMAIL/appbdcom.html.

Source: P.L.A.N.

Public Records Request for Emails

The Arizona Republic has submitted a public records request asking for all e-mails that come into the Mayor and City Council offices through the council district e-mail address and www.phoenix.gov council district website.

Please be aware that currently all e-mails coming into these e-mail boxes now will be forwarded to the Arizona Republic, as well. If you have confidential information you would like to discuss with me and do not want the information to become a public record, please call my office at 602-262-7447.

Thank you for your understanding.

Source: Tom Simplot, Phoenix City Councilman, District 4