It is amazing
that it is June already and summer has arrived. The kids are out of school
and many of us are planning family vacations or weekends in the cool country.
We always recommend that you take precautions when leaving your home unoccupied
for a few days or longer (see protecting property article
on page 2).
As is always the case in District 5, much is happening. Most of you know
that I have been working with the business and education communities to develop
a School to Work Task Force. The goal is to develop a partnership that evaluates
the existing programs and look at new opportunities to provide direction to
our young students (sixth to eighth graders). Specifically, the task force
will focus on future education and skills necessary to be competitive in the
work force after graduation. Improving the employment base in our community
attracts more employers and economic development opportunities. The task force
has been formed with Chairman Frank Rivera, from ATL, Inc. and president of
the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Other members include Jaime Molera, former
Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and representatives from
the city of Phoenix's Youth and Education and Community and Economic Development
departments, Arizona Department of Education, YMCA, Cartwright, Alhambra and
Phoenix Union High School districts and many private businesses. We continue
to move forward on this issue, and I will keep you informed of our progress.
Speaking of jobs and economic development, a New Markets Tax Credit Program
has been awarded to the city of Phoenix and much of District 5 is included
in the designated area (see related article on page 2).
This is an excellent opportunity for local businesses and property owners
to potentially take advantage of federal tax credits to move or expand their
business in District 5. Two specific areas that qualify and have been a target
for commercial redevelopment are the 27th Avenue corridor from Indian School
Road to Northern Avenue, and the Desert Sky core area. Anyone interested in
this program needs to move quickly as these funds will move fast.
Finally, I'm beating the same drum, but with summer being here we need to
be extra vigilant with our children around water. Childhood drowning incidences
are avoidable. There are several city departments and private businesses offering
assistance with information, CPR classes, pool fences, swim lessons and green
pool pumping (see related articles on page 3 and 4). If you have questions,
call the Water Safety Hotline at 602-495-5555. Let's make this summer the
best water summer ever.
Have a safe and enjoyable summer with your family and friends. Sincerely,
New Bus Route 41 In an effort to improve transit service for residents,
the city of Phoenix is coordinating with Avondale to extend bus service on
Indian School Road from Desert Sky Mall to Estrella Mountain Community College.
This jointly funded project would provide new transit service in Phoenix on
Indian School Road from 83rd Avenue to the western boundary of the city at
115th Avenue. The service will run hourly on weekdays from about 6 a.m. to
10 p.m. and Saturdays from about 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The extension will be called
Route 41 and will be timed to connect with regular Route 41 buses at Desert
Sky, but will start out as a single bus operating between Desert Sky and Estrella
Mountain Community College. It will get "folded" into a revised Route 41 schedule
in conjunction with the next Bus Book. It is planned to be implemented in
August 2003. For more information, call 602-253-5000.
Neighborhood Success Story The Water Conservation Office's Neighbors
Helping Neighbors partnership has been working hard in the Longhaven West
Mobile Home Park at 5201 W. Camelback Road repairing plumbing and replacing
parts. These are problems the city has been able to solve for these residents
which might never have come to light without the initiative of the plumbing
repair partnership.
Using the city's Human Services
Department's (HSD) energy assistance funds, they were able to repair a bad
power line and restore power to a woman's home that hadn't had heat for almost
a year.
Another woman was over the HSD income criteria by less than
$30 and survived the last two summers with only a room air conditioner. The
Foundation for Senior Living donated an evaporative cooler to her and Water
Conservation provided the rest of the materials needed to install it.
These are just two examples of residents who were helped and
neither had any idea about the city services that were available to them.
The Water Conservation Office has completed plumbing repair and retrofit of
130 homes in this mobile home park and have another 95 owners who have signed
up for help.
For more information about the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program,
call 602-534-3950 or go to phoenix.gov/WATER/nghbrhlp.html.
I'm disappointed to report that two bills I supported in the Legislature
to curtail the problems associated with both cruising and the clustering of
sex offenders in neighborhoods didn't get passed this year.
House Bill 2386 would have provided police officers additional tools to curtail
the problems associated with unruly cruising behavior. During the past several
years cruising has created increased problems for some west Phoenix neighborhoods
and businesses, such as increased crime, excessive noise, littering, and restriction
of traffic to enter and exit local residential areas.
House Bill 2332 attempted to provide families additional relief from the
growing problem of sex offenders being clustered into neighborhoods and near
schools. The bill would have prohibited sex offenders on probation from living
within close proximity to other sex offenders.
Although the bill was granted a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee,
legislators failed to adopt the bill, arguing that it would place sex offenders
in a bind to find housing. Although these latest legislative efforts were
rejected, the dialogue and debate on these issues will continue within the
halls of the Capitol and I will continue working to remedy these problems
that affect the community.
New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC) will help create new jobs, enhance
commercial, retail and industrial development and help finance small and start-up
businesses in under-served areas of Phoenix.
In December 2000, Congress passed legislation creating the program as part
of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act to encourage private investment in
low-income communities. The U.S. Department of the Treasury administers the
program, which will release $15 billion from 2002 through 2007.
In order to be considered for the program, Phoenix created an independent
non-profit corporation, Phoenix Community Development and Investment Corporation.
Phoenix has been awarded $170 million in NMTC allocation or $66.3 million
in tax credits.
In exchange for tax credits, the NMTC Program can help raise equity, provide
low-interest loans, or provide gap financing for businesses in under-served
areas of Phoenix. Individuals or corporate investors will receive a 39 percent
tax credit over seven years; 5 percent each year for the first three years
and 6 percent each year for the last four years.
Phoenix's $170 million allocation allows us to issue tax credits to eligible
investors totaling $66.3 million. For more information, contact Bobby Franco
at 602-262-5040.
An
empty house is a tempting target for a burglar. Use this checklist of tips
to help safeguard your home while you're away.
Have good locks on all doors and windows and use them.
Ask a neighbor to watch the house while you're away.
Never leave your house key hidden outside your home.
Stop all deliveries, or arrange for a neighbor to pick up your mail, newspapers
and packages.
Plug in timers to turn lights, a radio or television on and off at appropriate
times.
Leave your blinds, shades and curtains in a normal position. Don't close
themunless that is what you do when you are home.
Close and lock garage doors and windows. Ask a neighbor to occasionally
park in your driveway.
Tell your local police you plan to be away. Patrol officers may have
the opportunity to periodically check your home.
Engrave your valuables with an identification number.
Staying alert to safety may make your vacation much more pleasant and enjoyable.
Being a victim of a crime is no fun. For more information about preventing
burglary, go to the Police Department's Web site at phoenix.gov/POLICE/preven1.html.
Leslie's Pool Supply and the United Phoenix Firefighters Association
have once again partnered together to give away 14 pool fences for deserving
families that qualify. The pool fences will be given away by the firefighters,
but donated and installed courtesy of Leslie's Pool Supply. The fences will
be given away from Memorial Day, May 26, to Labor Day, Sept 1.
To enter:
You must enter your name, address and contact phone number along with
a brief paragraph on why you need a pool fence donated.
You must have children 6 years or under living at the address.
The home must be occupied by the owner.
Once the criterion is met, you becomes eligible for a random drawing. Leslie's
Pool Supply and their contractors have 100 percent control on how and where
the fences are installed.
Pool fences must meet the following standards:
Enclose pool fencing with a permanent, non-climbable fence that is 5
feet in height.
All gates must be self-closing, self-latching and open outward from the
pool.
All latches must be 4 inches above the ground or inaccessible from the
outside by small children.
Any opening in a fence or wall must be less than 4 inches wide.
To enter you may send an e-mail to Information@SaveRKids or mail your name,
address and contact number to:
Pool Fence , 61 E. Columbus , Phoenix, AZ 85102
For more details about the free fences, go to www.SaveRKids.org
or contact the Water Safety Hotline at 602-495-5555.
To receive assistance in draining a green pool, call the District 5 office
at 602-262-7446.
Too often, firefighters hear people say, "it was just a few
seconds." Unfortunately, just a few seconds is all it takes for a child to
drown. Drowning is the leading cause of death in Arizona for children under
the age of five.
Most of these children drown in their own backyard swimming
pool, but others drown in buckets, bathtubs, toilets, dog water bowls, canals
and ponds. Small children are top-heavy, and they don't have the upper body
strength to lift themselves out of one of these dangerous situations. Even
if the child survives the incident, they are often left with permanent brain
damage.
Drowning and near drowning can be prevented, and you can help!
Anyone involved with the supervision of children needs to be aware of the
dangers associated with any body of water. Below are some useful tips to prevent
these needless tragedies.
Know where your children are at all times.
Use an approved barrier to separate the pool from the house.
Never allow children to be alone near a pool or any water source.
Have life-saving devices near the pool, such as a pole/hook, or flotation
device.
Keep large objects such as tables, chairs, toys, and ladders away from
pool fences.
Post the 911 number on the phone.
Do not allow children to play around the pool and store all toys outside
the pool area.
If you leave the pool area, take the children with you.
Always have a "designated child watcher."
Learn to swim.
Never swim alone, or while under the influence of alcohol or medications.
Never swim when thunder or lightning is present.
Never dive into unfamiliar or shallow bodies of water.
In addition to Legislative Districts 10, 12, 13 and 14, District
5 also encompasses a small portion of Legislative Districts 11 and 15. This
information was inadvertently omitted from the March newsletter.
Legislative District 11
State Representative
Deb Gullett
Phone: 602-542-5766
Fax: 602-417-3011
E-mail: dgullett@azleg.state.az.us
State Representative
Stephen Tully
Phone: 602-542-5977
Fax: 602-417-3111
E-mail: stully@azleg.state.az.us
State Senator
Barbara Leff
Phone: 602-542-4486
Fax: 602-417-3170
E-mail: bleff@azleg.state.az.us
Legislative District 15
State Representative
Ken Clark
Phone: 602-542-5058
Fax: 602-417-3015
E-mail: kclark@azleg.state.az.us
State Representative
Wally Straughn
Phone: 602-542-5829
Fax: 602-417-3115
E-mail: wstraugh@azleg.state.az.us
State Senator
Ken Cheuvront
Phone: 602-542-5325
Fax: 602-417-3149
E-mail: kcheuvro@azleg.state.az.us
The District 5 office frequently receives calls from residents
complaining about loud noise from vehicles driving through the neighborhood,
from parties in neighbors' yards and from stereos played both inside and outside
neighbors' homes.
Often a simple contact from a police officer with the person
responsible for the noise remedies the problem. Occasionally, residents who
are disturbed by chronic, loud noise must request prosecution of the violator.
The City Code covering noise disturbances says, "Noise of such
character, intensity or duration as to be detrimental to the life or health
of any individual or in disturbance of the public peace and welfare is hereby
prohibited."
Victims of a noise disturbance can aid the Police Department
and increase the chances of a conviction by simply making an audiotape of
the noise that is disruptive and disturbing to them. The audiotape should
be impounded as evidence by the police office that responds to the call and
takes the report.
Certain elements help to make the audiotape a more effective
piece of evidence. These include verbal documentation of the date, time of
day, location of the victim (whether inside or outside the house) and status
of the doors and windows (are they open or closed at the time of recording).
The location of the source of the noise relative to the location of the victim
while recording the noise is also appropriate information.
Remember that because calls for service must be prioritized,
a loud noise complaint is assigned the lowest priority and response time might
be rather long. If you have such an issue, call Crime Stop at 602-262-6151
and request contact from the responding officers. If you do not request contact,
the officers will drive through the area and listen for the reported noise
but they may fail to hear it, especially if some time has lapsed since the
call was first received by the dispatcher.
The city has been working with the Legislative Task Force to write some legislation
to help solve the ongoing problem in neighborhoods of sex offender clustering.
Hopefully, a striker, or addition, will be added concerning sex offenders
to HB 2301, Criminal Extradition. It basically deals with residency restriction
for registered sex offenders and requires all registered sex offenders to
live at least 1,320 feet apart.
"Westside Story" is posted on the city's Web site at www.phoenix.gov.
For alternative format/reasonable accommodations, call 602-262-7176 or TTY
602-534-5500.
Your comments, suggestions and story ideas are welcome by calling Councilman
Mattox at 602-262-7446,
e-mail council.district.5@phoenix.gov
or mail to City of Phoenix, 200 W. Washington St., 11th Floor, Phoenix, AZ
85003.
Message from Councilman Claude Mattox 
It is amazing
that it is June already and summer has arrived. The kids are out of school
and many of us are planning family vacations or weekends in the cool country.
We always recommend that you take precautions when leaving your home unoccupied
for a few days or longer 
Using the city's Human Services
Department's (HSD) energy assistance funds, they were able to repair a bad
power line and restore power to a woman's home that hadn't had heat for almost
a year.
An
empty house is a tempting target for a burglar. Use this checklist of tips
to help safeguard your home while you're away. 
To enter: 
