Gilbert Sun News - Feb. 2017

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February 2017

Relentlessly local coverage of Gilbert and our neighboring communities

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Mother-daughter team Sharon and Kolby Boris of Boba Love were on hand to concoct bubble tea at the Gilbert Farmers Market during a recent Saturday. Page 16

Charter school at 202/Higley wins narrow approval by council

Site better suited for office complex for economic growth, opponents say BY JIM WALSH

Gilbert resident Phil Alibrandi doesn’t believe that a charter school belongs on a prime piece of real estate near Loop 202/ Santan Freeway at Higley Road, a tract long envisioned as the future home of a major office complex. Three Town Council members, spearheaded by Eddie Cook, agreed with Alibrandi and voted against American Leadership Academy’s annexation petition, with Cook arguing that it undermines the town’s general plan and its long-term goal of broadening the tax base. But Mayor Jenn Daniels and three other

council members voted to approve the controversial annexation, despite their misgivings about the site, saying the school would be built anyway if the land remained in an unincorporated county island. Cook said an economic forecast predicted the 42-acre site would generate $1.3 million in new revenue for the time as office space during a 25-year period, but only $52,000 as a school. He said it would be foolish for Gilbert to squander such a prime opportunity in the Loop 202 business corridor. SEE

CHARTER SCHOOL PAGE 4

(Larry Mangino) /GSN Staff Photographer)

Mike Dolan (from left), Karen Hassan, Rod Heibult and Jan Simon indicate why they chose Gilbert.

Thousands of people #chooseGilbert for its low crime rate, family amenities BY SRIANTHI PERERA

More than 240,000 people choose to hang their hats in Gilbert. That’s a wise decision, apparently, as awards and accolades continue to pour in.

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Community Neighbors Neighborhood Map Business

Gilbert has been deemed the second-safest U.S. city, the best city to raise a family, the SEE

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