Glendale’s Community Newspaper
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Vol. 75 No. 21
INSIDE
This Week
Coalition discusses WV development BY ANDREA ESTRADA Glendale Star Staff Writer
NEWS...............4 Holiday Inn just one of many incoming WV hotels
FEATURES .... 16 Tim Finnegan’s celebrates Irish culture in Glendale
Career & Education Opportunities See Center Section
May 23, 2019
Nearly 50% of Maricopa County’s growth over the next 25 years is projected to occur in the West Valley. In order to accommodate a population growth of more than 1 million people, according to John Graham — WESTMARC board member and Sunbelt Holdings president and CEO — economic development strategies are focusing on infrastructure, roads, water and sewer. Graham gathered alongside other WESTMARC members, elected officials and expert speakers at the 2019 Economic Development Summit on May 15 to discuss future growth in the West Valley
and learn about water, transportation and other developments needed to sustain that growth. WESTMARC, also known as the Western Maricopa Coalition, is a public-private partnership of the West Valley’s business and education sectors founded in 1990. The coalition’s membership is comprised of the cities of Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Gila Bend, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Phoenix, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Tolleson, Wickenburg and Youngtown. “You can imagine all the things we need to add. It’s a formidable task, but one that I know — with the past — is something we’re up to,” Graham said.
Tentative $736 million budget approved
Graham added that WESTMARC is also working on strategies to attract Class A office space — the highest-quality office space — and connect with advanced industries to generate jobs and retain workers in the West Valley. Because 62% of the West Valley’s workforce commutes to jobs in other parts of Maricopa County, strengthening the job market is mission-critical, Graham said. And looking forward, Graham said the future of the West Valley is bright. “There’s certainly a lot of heavy lifting left, but I’m really optimistic about it,” he said. Water resources experts at the summit SEE WESTMARC PAGE 3
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BY DARRELL JACKSON Glendale Star Staff Writer
OPINION ................... 14 FEATURES ................ 16 RELIGION.................. 20 SPORTS .................... 22 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT .... 26 YOUTH ...................... 28 BUSINESS ................ 30 CLASSIFIEDS............ 31
After weeks of discussions at numerous budget workshops, Glendale City Council has approved a tentative 2019-20 fiscal year budget for $736 million, an increase of $47 million over the previous year. Final budget approval is slated for June 11. Then, the final property tax levy is slated for adoption June 25. The budget includes increased council staffing costs of $114,945, with the possible addition of two council assistant positions; fire department SEE BUDGET PAGE 2
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