Ask Matt - Q&A
Have questions of your own? Ask
Matt!
Q What three things do you want to see
changed in Chandler?
I'd like to see more affordable quality housing built. Currently,
city staff is working on improving our infill policies to provide
limited incentives to build affordable housing in areas of the city
that are mostly built out. In addition, we are investigating if
older commercial centers in Chandler can be redeveloped into mixed-use
projects that will include affordable housing.
The city must work harder to promote a more sustainable and connected
community. We’ve done some work in this area: the City Council
and staff have recently developed a number of new initiatives, but
I feel we need to do more and will work to make it happen.
One of the new initiatives incorporates the use of shade and environmentally
sensitive design into our development standards for commercial,
residential, and government buildings. By early next year, we expect
to have these revised standards complete, along with a plan to institute
a green building program in Chandler.
We should strive to become a more connected city, too. That means
we must work harder to provide pedestrian and bicycle-friendly links
among our city-own facilities, businesses, and neighborhoods so
that residents can go where they want to go without always using
a car or bus. This strategy will identify better opportunities to
create meaningful open spaces and community gathering points. (top
of page)
Q Which council decisions in the
past 10 years have helped Chandler? Which have hurt?
Implementing Impact Fees on New Construction
Impact fees have proven to be a double-edged sword for the city.
They have provided revenue to help offset expansion and growth costs;
however, they add to the cost of building structures and housing
affordability. As a member of the City Council budget subcommittee,
I have been extremely sensitive to the need to draw a balance between
covering growth costs and not adding additional dollars to the cost
of a new homes and businesses.
Maintaining Prudent Financial Policies
Our city was able to gain great bond ratings from bond-rating agencies.
Those high ratings have saved the city tax payers millions of dollars
on financing and refinancing of municipal projects.
Preserving Employment Corridors
Chandler devoted most of its largest undeveloped parcels, mainly
along freeway corridors and around the municipal airport, as well
as other remaining areas in South Chandler, to retail development
and business centers, so that they could become key economic engines
and employment centers. I will continue to remain firm on that commitment
to our citizens. (top of page)
Q With gasoline prices rising and
expected to remain high, do you favor changes to Chandler's transit
plan, or is the current plan sufficient? Why?
The City of Chandler is the newest member of the Valley Metro Rail
Board (known as METRO”. While the city does not have any light
rail lines planned in Chandler in the immediate future, we feel
it is critical to have input on decisions that will affect the region
as a whole – and quite possibly our community. Mass transit
is a vital component to the Valley’s overall quality of life
and is an element that really knows no borders.
Unlike other Valley cities, Chandler has no dedicated local funding
source for transit. As a result, the city has only been able to
provide a minimal level of transit service in spite of our significant
population increase over the past 10 years. However, voter approval
of Proposition 400 in 2004 is now providing some regional funds
for a significant increase in public transit in Chandler.
Some improvements have already been made. Several bus routes will
also be extended into south Chandler, and new routes will be added
to Ray Road and Queen Creek Road.
Eventually, all of the arterial street bus routes will be upgraded
with increased service frequency as well as later evening and weekend
hours.
Plans are also being developed to implement several neighborhood
circulator routes similar to the ALEX bus in Ahwatukee.
This year the city implemented a taxicab coupon program in partnership
with Valley Metro. This program provides senior citizens and people
with disabilities with another affordable transportation option.
We added low-income veterans to this program.
More bus pullouts and widening of intersections are needed as well
beyond the remade (widening) intersections in the northern part
of our city. (top of page)
Q If the stalled Elevation Chandler
project is still in its current state when the 2009 council terms
begin, what role do you see the city taking to resolve the situation?
I pass this structure everyday on my way to work and I keep asking
myself this same question. What can the city do to fix the problem
of this unfinished building?
Unfortunately, this is a private-property rights issue, and there
is little the city can do other than require the owner to keep this
property safe and graffiti free. The city has spoken to several
potential buyers about what can be developed on the location; however
none of potential buyers of the property has proceeded with the
purchase.
Hopefully, either the bankruptcy courts will decide this issue
or a buyer-seller transaction will occur soon. The council will
work with the new owners, in either case, to ensure a quality development
occurs. (top of page)
Q What is your position on the
Covance's move into Chandler and how do you think their operation
will affect the city and its image?
Bio-technology is a growth industry. Attracting bio-technology-related
companies assists in Chandler’s efforts to diversify the city's
employment base. Covance’s decision to build a facility in
our community provides a catalyst for other bio-technology firms
and firms that work with Covance (pharmaceutical firms, for example)
to locate to Chandler. It is important to understand that Covance
is in compliance with Chandler's and the State of Arizona's environmental
and water codes. Our staff will continue to monitor this business
just as it does any other business that locates in Chandler. (top
of page)
Q If the economy should worsen
and sales tax revenues fall, what steps would you recommend to balance
the city budget?
Chandler is one of the few Valley cities not facing a budget crisis.
This is owed in part to fiscal conservative policies implemented
and strengthened by the City Council over the past 20 years. Of
those 20 years, I served 12 years on the budget subcommittees and
either supported or implemented many of those policies. Chandler
has a great financial foundation--better than most communities.
The good news is that this current budget will not cut any programs
or services to residents. And while we will continue to deliver
these services and amenities, we have had to make some adjustments
to ensure we remain financially sound. The city has delayed a number
of capital projects. These are non-critical projects that will be
deferred a year or more until we are certain we have the revenue
streams to pay for ongoing maintenance and operational costs associated
with the projects. All toll, we have identified more than $3.5 million
is savings.
The City Council and staff are continually taking a hard look at
current operations to see where we may become leaner. That will
include ways to deliver services more efficiently, setting priorities
on when capital projects are undertaken, and streamlining the budget
process itself.
Finally, over the last four years, including this year, we lowered
the tax rate by 9.86 cents per $100 of assessed evaluation; this
translates into a small savings to the average homeowners, but a
savings nonetheless.
Other Valley cities have had varied responses to the issue of illegal
immigration. While everyone understands immigration is a federal
issue, the reality is the impact is felt down to the municipal level.
What role do you see local government playing in addressing immigration
issues? And specifically, how do you see Chandler's day-laborers
impacting planned redevelopment of downtown and the south Arizona
Avenue corridor.
I want to emphasize that the issue of illegal immigration is a
national issue, and when it comes to enforcement, it calls for the
support and commitment of federal officials. Locally, over the past
few years Chandler has been proactive in addressing the day labor
issue. In June 2005, Chandler hosted a valley-wide community forum
to discuss options and ideas on how to deal with the issue. Shortly
after the forum, a citizens panel studied the issue and made several
recommendations, among them implementing a "no parking or stopping"
zone in the downtown area, issuing citations for violators and increasing
patrols--policies that were adopted by the City Council. Over the
past few years no-stopping violations have decreased, and there
is observed decrease in the gathering of day laborers, particularly
in some sections of the downtown. (top of page)
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