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Councilman Greg Stanton
Ahwatukee Republic
May 2007
City Nears Completion of Budget Process
Each year as the city prepares its trial budget for the next fiscal year, we look to our residents for honest feedback. Budget hearings were held throughout the city at various locations to enable our fellow residents to discuss funding proposals and budget issues. As a result of these discussions, the city’s final budget will closely match our community’s highest priorities.
This year brings excellent news regarding the budget. For the first time in several years, we are able to recommend restoring some of the services that had been cut in previous years as well as add new services.
Public safety continues to be a top priority, and the budget addresses several important public safety issues. One includes a recommendation to improve the starting salaries for police and firefighters. It’s a competitive job market, and the city needs to attract and hire the best qualified candidates to help keep our neighborhoods safe. Proposed additions also include funding to replace computers in police patrol cars, opening and operating a new crime lab along with our Pecos Park police station.
Other public safety recommendations include adding case work staff for the Family Advocacy Center, boosting staff to maintain the 800MHz radio system and restoring staff assigned to do fire inspections of child and elderly care facilities, hospitals and group homes. When it comes to public safely, there is always more we can do. That’s why I’m supporting Phoenix Safety First, an initiative that will hire additional police officers and firefighters. This initiative will be a voting item on the September election ballot and I’ll be writing more about this initiative later.
And there’s more good news. Residents once again will be able to visit their local libraries promptly at 9 a.m. (one hour earlier than before) Monday through Saturday. They can spend more time cooling off at the city pools – all pools will be open on the weekend through Labor Day beginning in August and our youth can stay busy as well; additional after-school programs and restoring youth summer jobs are on the list for funding.
Other noteworthy items include: extending ALEX, our neighborhood circulator bus to serve the area around19th Avenue starting in 2008; increases to arts grant funding; increases in staffing for the Historic Preservation Office; increases in senior services; and providing additional funding to address homelessness.
Once the feedback has been evaluated, the Mayor and City Council will approve the final budget plan on Tuesday, May 8. If you have any questions, comments or ideas about the budget and city services, please contact my office directly. Once approved, the budget will take effect July 1.
For the residents who attended the budget hearings, thank you for your involvement, support and feedback. Working together we can decide how your money is utilized to best benefit our community.
Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton represents Ahwatukee Foothills and is a member of the City Council Public Safety and Veterans Issues Subcommittee. If you have any questions, please call Councilman Stanton's office at 602-262-7491, e-mail greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit phoenix.gov/district6.
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