Scottsdale's own chocolate factory / P. 30
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS................................10 Residents fume over noisy short-term renters.
NEIGHBORS................. 16 Karate champ on global stage.
It's getting bigger and better / P. 28
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF SCOTTSDALE) | scottsdale.org
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Feds deem Old Town low-income BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor
W
alking through downtown Scottsdale past high-end restaurants and galleries selling thousanddollar paintings, visitors may have no idea they are in a low-income community. But they are — at least according to a designation afforded the area by an economic development incentive tucked into the federal tax law passed in December 2017. The law included a provision allowing states across the country to designate certain areas as opportunity zones designed to spur development in needy areas by allowing developers and investors the chance to defer a percentage of taxes on capital gains
as long as they hold onto the property for a required number of years. “Attracting needed private investment into these low-income communities will lead to their economic revitalization, and ensure economic growth is experienced throughout the nation,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin when the first zones were announced. That first batch of zones included downtown Scottsdale, or Census Tract 2107.2, specifically, which drew pause from some who do not associate the term “low-income community” with downtown Scottsdale. State governors had the ultimate say in which tracts received the designation, but Arizona Governor Doug Ducey delegated much of that authority to the Arizona Com-
merce Authority, which, in turn, relied heavily on input from local governments. In Scottsdale, city staff made the recommendation to nominate the downtown tract — not the mayor or City Council. Mayor Jim Lane said he saw “no apparent need” for the opportunity zone designation in downtown Scottsdale, an area not hurting for investment. That tract is roughly bracketed to north by Camelback Road and northwest by the Arizona Canal and to the south by Indian School Road and east by Miller Road. It does not include Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall but does include much of Old Town, the Arts District, 5th Avenue and
see OPPORTUNITY page 6
Former state A prank remembered of�icial seeks judge-dad’s seat PROGRESS NEWS STAFF
FOOD ............................. 30 Their restaurant helps your health.
NEIGHBORS .........................16 BUSINESS .............................26
OPINION .............................. 27
ARTS ....................................28 FOOD & DRINK...................30 CLASSIFIEDS .......................34
S
ix Scottsdale residents have submitted applications to become the next Justice of the Peace for the McDowell Mountain Precinct, including former Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan. The precinct includes much of Scottsdale and parts of Phoenix with boundaries that reach Tatum Boulevard to the west, McDowell Mountain Road to the east, Thomas Road to the south and Stagecoach Pass to the north.
see JUDGES page 14
Andrew Bloom REALTOR®, Senior Partner Andrew@BVOLuxury.com VOTED #1 SCOTTSDALE REAL ESTATE TEAM FOR 2018
Forty years ago this year, perhaps the greatest senior prank ever played in Scottsdale by high school kids was captured in photos that are being examined by, from left, Mike Forzano, Kathy Shupe and Greg Field. You can learn all about the merry pranksters on page 24. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff)
(480) 999-2948 www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com