In a 7-1 vote, Councilwoman Ann O'Brien was selected by her peers to serve as the next Vice Mayor of Phoenix.
As a dedicated member of the City Council, serving District 1 for the past four years, Vice Mayor O'Brien has been a leading voice on homelessness, public safety, economic development, and housing – serving as chair for two different subcommittees.
Most recently, she has served as the Chair of the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee where she was instrumental in creating the Community Court, offering our homeless offenders an alternative route through the judicial system and out of homelessness.
Currently, Vice Mayor O'Brien serves as the Chair of the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee where she is focused on reducing bureaucracy and cutting red tape to spur housing growth and ensure Phoenix remains competitive and attractive to companies looking to grow and invest in Phoenix.
The safety of Phoenix residents is of high priority to the Vice Mayor. During her last four years, Vice Mayor O'Brien has worked to ensure Phoenix Police are the highest paid law enforcement agency in the State and has fought to get the latest technology in the hands of first responders by pushing for drones and Artificial Intelligence technologies. In 2023, Vice Mayor O'Brien piloted a lockbox program where seniors and disabled adults could request a lockbox be installed on their home containing pertinent medical information and a key to the house to ensure easy access for first responders in case of an emergency.
“Congratulations to Vice Mayor O'Brien on assuming this new role! I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure the City keeps providing top-notch services to our constituents, growing our strong local economy, and advancing solutions to the homelessness crisis. I have greatly appreciated her partnership over the last four years and am excited to see all that we'll accomplish for Phoenix in the year ahead," Mayor Kate Gallego said.
“I am beyond honored to be entrusted by my peers to serve in this important role," said Vice Mayor Ann O'Brien. “As Vice Mayor, I will continue to work towards reducing homelessness, cutting red tape, and making Phoenix the best place to live by staying committed to working with my colleagues in a nonpartisan fashion."
Over the next year, Vice Mayor O'Brien will be focused on pushing for policies with meaningful results and not quick political wins. She is committed to bringing back more first-time homebuyer product, making meaningful reforms to modern day policing, keeping our neighborhoods clean, and bringing the City of Phoenix's technology out of the 20th century and into the 21st.
