Glendale’s Community Newspaper
www.glendalestar.com
Vol. 75 No. 25
INSIDE
This Week
$736M budget passed, some rates lowered BY DARRELL JACKSON Glendale Star Staff Writer
NEWS............ 10 Sanderson Ford, Wildlife World donate to conservation group
June 20, 2019
Continuing to build on the economic success the city has seen the past few years, Glendale councilmembers approved the fiscal year 2019-20 budget June 11. During that same meeting, officials approved a decrease in property and secondary tax rates. The budget, which totals $736 million, is a 6.8% increase over the prior year’s $689 million budget. The increase is mainly attributable to the capital plan, which includes a major expansion of the Pyramid Peak Water Treatment Plant for which the city of Peoria is paying. With the passing of the FY 19-20 bud-
get, city officials hope to align the budget with the strategic plan, ensure resource allocation is aligned with city council priorities, and include numerous initiatives dealing with the perspectives of citizens. “To all citizens, you can assure that this city is being good stewards of your tax dollars and are focused on driving value for customers. That is the fundamental difference between success and failure,” City Manager Kevin Phelps said. Phelps pointed to $236 million earmarked for the city’s operating budget, which provides police, fire, jail, emergency medical, 9-1-1 and other vital services for citizens. “If we take that $236 million of oper-
Legislators reflect on 2019 session
ating budget and divide it by our estimated populations, which as of 2018 was 247,804, we spend approximately $952 per year, per capital, for all those services for citizens,” Phelps said. “Basically, that is $80 per month.” While the budget passed six to one, Barrel Councilman Bart Turner was the lone dissenting vote. “One month ago I voted no on this budget because it is more that just allocating dollars to departments. We are creating three new staff positions — two deputy city managers and a senior staff position — in the city manager office,” Turner said. “It is a month later and we have not gotSEE BUDGET PAGE 3
Living Room • Bedroom Children’s Furniture • Dining Room • Electronics Outdoor Furniture • Office/Entertainment
BY ANDREA ESTRADA
FEATURES .... 14 GCC president named Mom of the Year
OPINION ................... 12 FEATURES ................ 14 RELIGION.................. 18 SPORTS .................... 21 YOUTH ...................... 25 BUSINESS ................ 26 CLASSIFIEDS............ 26
West Valley stakeholders joined state and federal representatives at the WESTMARC Legislative Agenda Breakfast in mid-June to hear about highlights from the 2019 legislative session. WESTMARC, or the Western Maricopa Coalition — an economic development agency comprised of the 15 communities, businesses and educational institutions in the West Valley — invited Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale; Sen. Tony Navarrete, D-Phoenix; Rep. Joanne Osborne, R-Goodyear; and Democratic Rep. Lorenzo Sierra, AZ LD 19, to participate in a panel discussion at the Arizona State University West campus. The panel opened by asking each of the legisSEE WESTMARC PAGE 2
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