Keep Goodyear Heading in the Right Direction
By: Mayor Georgia Lord and Councilmember Joe Pizzillo
It’s been our honor to serve the residents of Goodyear as members of the City Council. Together, we’ve worked hard to ensure that the City is providing the cost-effective and efficient services that our residents deserve, while focusing on attracting businesses and amenities that improve our quality of life.
We’re leading the region in attracting economic opportunities including breaking ground on Andersen Doors and Windows with 400 new jobs as well as announcing the Stream Data Center, a new development by Sunbelt Holdings, and many more. Goodyear is home to some of the best schools in the state and Goodyear has among the highest median household income and lowest unemployment rate in the West Valley according to the Census.
We’re proud to say that Goodyear is heading in the right direction. We need your help to make sure that it stays that way. This March, the residents of Goodyear will be asked to elect three City Councilmembers and weigh in on three important charter changes that will make our City more efficient. We are asking our residents to join us in voting Yes on Propositions 421, 422, and 423.
A YES vote on Proposition 421 would move our municipal elections to the fall of even-numbered years. For years, Goodyear voters have elected our Mayor and Councilmembers in odd-numbered years. However, the Arizona State Legislature recently passed new a new law that requires municipal elections be held in even years. As a charter city, we have the option keep our elections where they are, but these new laws would force us to go it alone. We would not be able to share resources with Maricopa County to help lower costs.
So, in order to save costs and continue to share resources, we placed Proposition 421 on the ballot. This would slightly extend the terms of the existing councilmembers to align with the new schedule. We want to be clear that this is a byproduct of the cost-saving decision, not the reason for it.
While we were reviewing our charter regarding elections, we also found two more needed changes to make better government and save taxpayer dollars.
Proposition 422 clarifies the rules that define how the winner of an election is determined. Current law states a candidate must win over 50% of total “ballots cast” to win. While this seems simple enough, there are instances that it doesn’t work. Sometimes, voters choose to skip a portion of the ballot and leave the position blank. When this ballot is processed, neither candidate earns a vote, but the amount of total number of “ballots cast” increases. The way the law is interpreted now, you could have a two-person race with a clear winner go to a run-off because they did not gain 50% of the “ballots cast.” Proposition 422 is a simple solution that clearly defines that only votes cast in the Goodyear election shall be used in the calculation of a majority.
Finally, Proposition 423 would move the council swearing in date to align it with the newly proposed Election timing. Our charter states winners would be sworn in April of odd-year election. If we move to a November election, these elected officials would have to wait almost 6 months to be sworn in. A yes vote on Proposition 423 will allow newly elected officials to get to work right away.
It is crucial that Goodyear residents vote “YES” on a Propositions 421, 422, and 423. It will save taxpayer money and keep Goodyear headed in the right direction.
.
By: Mayor Georgia Lord and Councilmember Joe Pizzillo
It’s been our honor to serve the residents of Goodyear as members of the City Council. Together, we’ve worked hard to ensure that the City is providing the cost-effective and efficient services that our residents deserve, while focusing on attracting businesses and amenities that improve our quality of life.
We’re leading the region in attracting economic opportunities including breaking ground on Andersen Doors and Windows with 400 new jobs as well as announcing the Stream Data Center, a new development by Sunbelt Holdings, and many more. Goodyear is home to some of the best schools in the state and Goodyear has among the highest median household income and lowest unemployment rate in the West Valley according to the Census.
We’re proud to say that Goodyear is heading in the right direction. We need your help to make sure that it stays that way. This March, the residents of Goodyear will be asked to elect three City Councilmembers and weigh in on three important charter changes that will make our City more efficient. We are asking our residents to join us in voting Yes on Propositions 421, 422, and 423.
A YES vote on Proposition 421 would move our municipal elections to the fall of even-numbered years. For years, Goodyear voters have elected our Mayor and Councilmembers in odd-numbered years. However, the Arizona State Legislature recently passed new a new law that requires municipal elections be held in even years. As a charter city, we have the option keep our elections where they are, but these new laws would force us to go it alone. We would not be able to share resources with Maricopa County to help lower costs.
So, in order to save costs and continue to share resources, we placed Proposition 421 on the ballot. This would slightly extend the terms of the existing councilmembers to align with the new schedule. We want to be clear that this is a byproduct of the cost-saving decision, not the reason for it.
While we were reviewing our charter regarding elections, we also found two more needed changes to make better government and save taxpayer dollars.
Proposition 422 clarifies the rules that define how the winner of an election is determined. Current law states a candidate must win over 50% of total “ballots cast” to win. While this seems simple enough, there are instances that it doesn’t work. Sometimes, voters choose to skip a portion of the ballot and leave the position blank. When this ballot is processed, neither candidate earns a vote, but the amount of total number of “ballots cast” increases. The way the law is interpreted now, you could have a two-person race with a clear winner go to a run-off because they did not gain 50% of the “ballots cast.” Proposition 422 is a simple solution that clearly defines that only votes cast in the Goodyear election shall be used in the calculation of a majority.
Finally, Proposition 423 would move the council swearing in date to align it with the newly proposed Election timing. Our charter states winners would be sworn in April of odd-year election. If we move to a November election, these elected officials would have to wait almost 6 months to be sworn in. A yes vote on Proposition 423 will allow newly elected officials to get to work right away.
It is crucial that Goodyear residents vote “YES” on a Propositions 421, 422, and 423. It will save taxpayer money and keep Goodyear headed in the right direction.
.
What is the wealthiest city in the West Valley
Below listed link to take you to the articloe:
Clerk her for link
Below listed link to take you to the articloe:
Clerk her for link
In Focus Magazine – State of the City Special Edition 1/2017
The below listed link with take you to the City’s State of the City edition:
Click Here for link:
The below listed link with take you to the City’s State of the City edition:
Click Here for link:
City of Goodyear Budget Information a learning tool for the school
Goodyear Elementary School Uses Budget Piece to Teach Kids The recently-mailed Dollars and Sense poster has made a big splash with not just our residents, but our educators. Seventh/eighth grade teacher Annie Shanahan from Desert Star School in Goodyear was so impressed with the piece’s graphics and language, she requested copies of it to use as a teaching tool for students to learn about their community. On Wednesday, Communications staff provided Ms. Shanahan with 180 copies to use in her upcoming social studies classes. All 31,000 Goodyear postal customers received the mailer; a digital copy is available online at: www.goodyearaz.gov/infocus.
Goodyear Elementary School Uses Budget Piece to Teach Kids The recently-mailed Dollars and Sense poster has made a big splash with not just our residents, but our educators. Seventh/eighth grade teacher Annie Shanahan from Desert Star School in Goodyear was so impressed with the piece’s graphics and language, she requested copies of it to use as a teaching tool for students to learn about their community. On Wednesday, Communications staff provided Ms. Shanahan with 180 copies to use in her upcoming social studies classes. All 31,000 Goodyear postal customers received the mailer; a digital copy is available online at: www.goodyearaz.gov/infocus.
City of Goodyear FY17 Annual Budget in Brief;
SOUND STRONG FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE FORWARD LOOKING AND PROVIDE FOR FUTURE DEMANDS INCLUDING:
Highlights of Additions to Day‐to‐Day Ongoing and One‐Time Activities
Capital Projects Highlights ‐ $73M
Asset Management Reserves
SOUND STRONG FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE FORWARD LOOKING AND PROVIDE FOR FUTURE DEMANDS INCLUDING:
- Maintain a 3 month operating contingency reserve or ‘rainy day’ fund ‐ $17.8M General Fund.
- Maintain a stable, diverse revenue base to ensure fiscal health. Ongoing expenses are supported with ongoing revenues.
- Establish asset management plans and funding to take care of what we already have.
- Long‐range planning is used to guide budget decision making.
- Enterprise funds are fully funded from user fees including utilities and sanitation.
Highlights of Additions to Day‐to‐Day Ongoing and One‐Time Activities
- 17 new positions added, 8 are sworn police; positions per 1,000 populations at 7.1 compared to 10‐year historical peak of 9.7 in FY08
- Addition of 1 squad composed of 5 police officers and 1 sergeant An investigator, a telecommunication operator, and a sergeant for the School Resource Officer program also added to the Police Department
- Enhanced facilities, right of way, parks and landscape maintenance throughout city
- Additional customer service and revenue collection positions in Finance and Parks and Recreation
- Funding for the 2016 Elections
- A new traffic signal pole painting program
- Overtime and temporary positions to support development activity for which fees are charged
- City maintenance of trash containers at a first year savings of $200,000
Capital Projects Highlights ‐ $73M
- Site planning for co‐located aquatic center, park and recreation center in Central Goodyear
- At least two new traffic signals
- Complete new police operations facility
- Add playground at Foothills Community Park
- Complete Sarival Road from Van Buren to Portland
- Begin Goodyear Water Reclamation Plant expansion
- Water wells and well siting study
Asset Management Reserves
- (Replacement funds) ‐ $13M
- Street pavement resurfacing
- Fire equipment and 3 fire pumpers
- Police equipment, radios and patrol vehicles · Gravel and landscape in medians
- Complete equipment replacements and add shade canopies to all children’s playgrounds
- Ramada replacements at Estrella Vista North and South
City saves millions by refinancing debt
Combined $17m in bond interest savings
Goodyear, Ariz. (March 30, 2016) – The Goodyear City Council unanimously approved refinancing three bond categories at its Monday meeting. The move is estimated to save the city nearly $17 million in interest payments over the life of the existing general obligation, revenue, and public improvement corporation (PIC) bonds.
“The target is to get these bonds paid off within our existing means of financing,” said Larry Lange, the city’s finance director.
The largest savings comes from refinancing PIC Series 2007 and 2008 bonds issued to build the Goodyear Ballpark and its training facilities. The city expects to save nearly $12 million over the life of these bonds, which mature in 2032.
“This City Council established several years ago by policy…to set aside adequate funds to pay the debt service on the ballpark debt,” Lange said.
Refinancing the city’s general obligation bonds issued in 2007 and 2008 – primarily used for water and wastewater projects – is expected to save Goodyear $3.7 million over the life of the bonds, which mature in 2037.
The third category of bonds, used to repay the Water Infrastructure Financing Authority of Arizona, will save the city approximately $300,000.
These figures are in present values and could be even more over the life the bonds.
For more information on the city’s finances and budget, visit www.goodyearaz.gov/transparency.
Combined $17m in bond interest savings
Goodyear, Ariz. (March 30, 2016) – The Goodyear City Council unanimously approved refinancing three bond categories at its Monday meeting. The move is estimated to save the city nearly $17 million in interest payments over the life of the existing general obligation, revenue, and public improvement corporation (PIC) bonds.
“The target is to get these bonds paid off within our existing means of financing,” said Larry Lange, the city’s finance director.
The largest savings comes from refinancing PIC Series 2007 and 2008 bonds issued to build the Goodyear Ballpark and its training facilities. The city expects to save nearly $12 million over the life of these bonds, which mature in 2032.
“This City Council established several years ago by policy…to set aside adequate funds to pay the debt service on the ballpark debt,” Lange said.
Refinancing the city’s general obligation bonds issued in 2007 and 2008 – primarily used for water and wastewater projects – is expected to save Goodyear $3.7 million over the life of the bonds, which mature in 2037.
The third category of bonds, used to repay the Water Infrastructure Financing Authority of Arizona, will save the city approximately $300,000.
These figures are in present values and could be even more over the life the bonds.
For more information on the city’s finances and budget, visit www.goodyearaz.gov/transparency.
Harkins Theatres announces 16-screen Goodyear location - Phoenix Business Journal
Click here for a link to the newspaper article
Click here for a link to the newspaper article
10 WAYS WORKERS WON IN GOODYEAR
As the economic recovery continues, some businesses are expanding or adding jobs in Goodyear.
Click here for a link to the newspaper article
As the economic recovery continues, some businesses are expanding or adding jobs in Goodyear.
Click here for a link to the newspaper article
Will West Valley get planned malls? Answers scarce
Goodyear has been waiting in anticipation for the Estrella Falls Regional Mall to open. The great recession impacted the anticipated 2009 start date with hopes of a fall 2016 open date. As early as November 2013 in a public event, Jack Rasor a retail development partner of Macerich (mall developer), stated in front of hundreds in attendance that the mail was on track for a Fall 2016 opening. Hopes were high as we continue to wait for the submittal of a site plan for the Estrella Falls Mall. Each day that passes makes it more difficult for the developer to make the fall 2016 opening date.
Please note: There are a couple of key issues addressed in the article that are not accurate. First, The City cannot
sell the mall land to another developer if the mall is not opened by 2016 and second, the City did not have
to address a shortfall in its 2015 budget as a result of the mall not opening.
Click here for a link to the recent newspaper article
Goodyear has been waiting in anticipation for the Estrella Falls Regional Mall to open. The great recession impacted the anticipated 2009 start date with hopes of a fall 2016 open date. As early as November 2013 in a public event, Jack Rasor a retail development partner of Macerich (mall developer), stated in front of hundreds in attendance that the mail was on track for a Fall 2016 opening. Hopes were high as we continue to wait for the submittal of a site plan for the Estrella Falls Mall. Each day that passes makes it more difficult for the developer to make the fall 2016 opening date.
Please note: There are a couple of key issues addressed in the article that are not accurate. First, The City cannot
sell the mall land to another developer if the mall is not opened by 2016 and second, the City did not have
to address a shortfall in its 2015 budget as a result of the mall not opening.
Click here for a link to the recent newspaper article
Use multiple sources in verifying material posted on the internet
I typically do not respond to bloggers. They can be counter-productive, mean-spirited, and are only looking to promote their own ego.
Nevertheless, I fell obliged to respond to a recent blog item that contained misleading and false accusations about me. The item said my source of a mall update that I provided to a local publication came from a meeting with Macerich.
That is totally false. The blogger was sent an email informing him that the source was an outside event that staff attended, and did not come from a meeting with Macerich. The blogger chose either to disregard this information or chose not to research the information provided. As a result his readers were misled.
A reference to the “developer” in the local article, which the blogger was dissecting, resulted from a November 13, 2013 Valley Partnership event that city staff attended. Jack Rasor was representing WDP Partners LLC, a partner in a company that develops retail properties in partnership with Macerich.
He assured a crowd of hundreds of attendees that the long-planned Estrella Falls Regional Mall would open by the fall of 2016. Such was the source of the information conveyed during a 90-minute interview with Estrella Publishing.
It should be remembered that planning for any proposed economic development project must be fluid and can change at any time. However this does not change what was said at the Valley Partnership meeting: that Estrella Falls Regional mall would be completed by fall of 2016.
Please let me state this succinctly. This information was not the result of a meeting with Macerich.
If you have any questions regarding any issue, posts or magazine article please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns by contacting me at jpizzillo@cox.net.
I typically do not respond to bloggers. They can be counter-productive, mean-spirited, and are only looking to promote their own ego.
Nevertheless, I fell obliged to respond to a recent blog item that contained misleading and false accusations about me. The item said my source of a mall update that I provided to a local publication came from a meeting with Macerich.
That is totally false. The blogger was sent an email informing him that the source was an outside event that staff attended, and did not come from a meeting with Macerich. The blogger chose either to disregard this information or chose not to research the information provided. As a result his readers were misled.
A reference to the “developer” in the local article, which the blogger was dissecting, resulted from a November 13, 2013 Valley Partnership event that city staff attended. Jack Rasor was representing WDP Partners LLC, a partner in a company that develops retail properties in partnership with Macerich.
He assured a crowd of hundreds of attendees that the long-planned Estrella Falls Regional Mall would open by the fall of 2016. Such was the source of the information conveyed during a 90-minute interview with Estrella Publishing.
It should be remembered that planning for any proposed economic development project must be fluid and can change at any time. However this does not change what was said at the Valley Partnership meeting: that Estrella Falls Regional mall would be completed by fall of 2016.
Please let me state this succinctly. This information was not the result of a meeting with Macerich.
If you have any questions regarding any issue, posts or magazine article please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns by contacting me at jpizzillo@cox.net.
West Valley sound off - Top budget priorities (including Goodyear)
"Stay fiscally sound while providing high quality and cost effective services to residents". Scroll through the various elected officials until you come to Joe Pizzillo, Goodyear Vice Mayor Click for full story:
"Stay fiscally sound while providing high quality and cost effective services to residents". Scroll through the various elected officials until you come to Joe Pizzillo, Goodyear Vice Mayor Click for full story:
