Councilman Tom Simplot's
North Central News Column

October 2005

Fighting for Phoenix Neighborhoods

What a difference two years makes. After working with you in our neighborhoods, promoting development downtown, marching against crime in West Phoenix, bringing a space for dogs to Steele Indian School Park and showcasing our Moonlight Movies for the whole community, you had your say on Sept. 13. I am honored voters have chosen to have me continue as your Councilman from District 4 and I thank you for your support.

Together with my staff, I will keep working diligently to serve your interests over the next four years. We have many opportunities and challenges ahead. It will take a lot of cooperation and coordination to make big projects like light rail and ASU’s Downtown campus integrated successes for all of Phoenix. It will take collaboration between police and residents to make sure our crime rate decreases. And it will take ideas and attention from each of us to ensure the city’s resources are spent wisely, that parks and libraries stay open and expand and that our neighborhoods eliminate blight and become even better places to live.

I am committed to working with all of you to see a vibrant, growing, fun Phoenix in the coming years. I hope you will join me in this effort, and will contact my office with your ideas for improving our community.

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I would also like to make you aware of a new ordinance our City Council passed in September. Councilman Dave Siebert and I worked with Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, police and fire officials from the city and community members to form the Crystal Meth Task Force. That led to the city’s new measures to combat production of the dangerous drug.

We passed two new ordinances that restrict the sale of pseudoephedrine, a necessary component in the production of meth. Starting in December, retailers in Phoenix will be required to sell pseudoephedrine products from behind their counters. If they do not take these medicines off the shelves, law enforcement will have the right to seize them. We will also ask retailers to get identification from customers who purchase the products and keep a log book of these purchases. These types of measures have helped cut down on meth-related crime in other parts of the country.

Though these ordinances will mean some inconveniences for business owners and shoppers, the rewards are worth it. The measures will slow crystal meth production and keep our neighborhoods safer. Until we see comprehensive state or federal legislation that restricts and tracks psudeoephedrine, Phoenix must take a stand for our families. We will be working with other Valley cities in the coming months, urging them to enact similar measures.

Meth use and production is a dangerous, widespread epidemic, which harms families and puts our police officers and firefighters in danger every day. Cutting down on meth in our community will save lives and make our neighborhoods better.

Councilman Tom Simplot represents District 4, which includes parts of north central Phoenix. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on this or any other issue, please contact his office at 602-262-7447 or e-mail council.district.4@phoenix.gov .