District 3
The following also is provided in Spanish. Lo siguiente también es provisto en Español.
Bill Gates has served on the Phoenix City Council since July 2009 and was elected to a four-year term on August 30, 2011. He represents a diverse district stretching from the Black Canyon Highway to 64th Street and Northern Avenue to Bell Road, including the Moon Valley, Sunnyslope, and Paradise Valley Mall areas. The district is home of the scenic North Mountain and Phoenix Mountain preserve areas.
Vice Mayor Gates is committed to providing the residents of District 3 the very best constituent service from the City of Phoenix. Gates’ priorities are fiscal responsibility, economic development, fighting blight and improving public safety.
Given our weakened economy and limited resources he is fiscally austere in his approach to providing core service delivery, minimizing fee increases and voting against tax increases, and pushing for innovation and efficiency Gates works closely with small businesses, property owners, developers, an surrounding neighborhoods to foster a good business environment via business and neighborhood meetings and advocating for less red tape at City Hall.
Some areas of focus include commercial and small business redevelopment along major business corridors, including 32nd Street, 19th Avenue, Cave Creek Road and the Sunnyslope and Moon Valley areas. Vice Mayor Gates is a strong supporter of renewable energy related economic development, especially solar energy initiatives. He also works regularly with Police and Neighborhood Services staff, neighborhood block watches, and other community groups to keep neighborhoods clean and safe and address issues and complaints, including graffiti and property blight.
Vice Mayor Gates chairs the City Council Finance, Efficiency,Innovation,and Sustainability Subcommittee and serves on the Neighborhoods,Planning and Development, Housing, and Homeless Subcommittee and the Parks, Arts, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee. He also spearheaded the successful fall 2011 public campaign to preserve Phoenix Home Rule.
Gates has served in a variety of capacities with nonprofit and community organizations such as Valley Leadership, INROADS, American Legion Boys State, the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar, Disabled Sports USA and United Blood Services Community Leadership Council. He also serves as a lector at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Gates was appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation in 2006. In 2008, he was awarded the Mark J. Santana Award by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, which recognizes exceptional contributions of Arizona attorneys in furthering education and understanding the role of the law. The Phoenix Business Journal honored him in 2010 with a Forty under 40 Award, which recognizes prominent young leaders in various industries in metropolitan Phoenix.
In addition to his post on the City Council, Gates is a lawyer for PING, a Phoenix-based golf equipment manufacturer. He also serves on the Governor's Regulatory Review Council. Prior to working for PING in 2001, Bill was an associate at the firm of Fennemore Craig, practicing commercial litigation with an emphasis in property tax litigation.
Gates is a graduate of Deer Valley High School in Glendale, Ariz. He attended Drake University where he received his bachelor's degree in political science and economics in 1993. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1996. Gates is married and has two daughters, ages eleven and eight.
City of Phoenix, Council Office
200 W. Washington St., 11th floor
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-262-7441
Fax: 602-534-4190
E-mail: council.district.3@phoenix.gov
