$25M CLAIM AGAINST CHANDLER / P. 4
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From Uptown to Downtown, covering Chandler like the sun.
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
Inside This Week
Legislature, inflation loom as city financial threats BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
NEWS.................................... 3 Chandler City Council adds more days to fireworks calendar.
BUSINESS........................ 22 New eyecare business opens in Chandler.
SPORTS............................ 28 ACP snags first state title as girls clinch badminton trophy.
COMMUNITY................................... 18 BUSINESS.......................................... 22 SPORTS.............................................. 28 GET OUT............................................ 32
CLASSIFIEDS..................................... 35
November 13, 2022
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handler City Council got its first look at the 2023-24 budget at an Oct. 27 work session and learned there are some worrying issues on the horizon – so troublesome that members suggested staff look at increasing the budget stabilization reserve. That’s a fund the city uses as a stopgap if there’s an unplanned change to the city’s finances. Council hopes that provides a three-year window to make adjustments. There are a number of reasons for budget concerns in the future, but the two big-
gest are inflation and state lawmakers. Dawn Lang, the city’s deputy city manager and chief financial officer, said the price of asphalt, concrete, pipes, data fiber, anything cement-based, or anything with a computer chip are up 10% or more. Those increases mean the city may not be able to complete all the capital improvement projects officials promised voters in last year’s bond election. “The impact that it’s having is they always build in contingency on the capital projects,” Lang said. “They’re having to use that contingency upfront. So as they get closer to the end of those projects, they’re
LD 12 stays blue as TU, Kyrene incumbents win BY PAUL MARYNIAK AND KEN SAIN Arizonan News Staff
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emocrats extended their grip on Legislative District 12 for another two years as Tempe Union and Kyrene governing boards each saw the return of an incumbent and a new face in last week’s General Election, according to unofficial results. Rep. Mitzi Epstein of Tempe clobbered Republican David Richardson 58.6%-41.4% in the Senate race as she transitions from the House seat she held for six years while her Ahwatukee running mates, Patty Con-
treras and Stacey Travers, each garhered 29% of the vote over Chandler Republicans Jim Chaston and Terry Roe, who each garnered 20%. Epstein filling the Senate seat occupied by Ahwatukee resident and Democrat Sean Bowie, who decided not to run for re-election. Her move left both House seats up for grabs because two-term Rep. Jermaine Johnson opted to run for Justice of the Peace in Chandler. Contreras, a retired City of Phoenix human services program manager, and Travers, a scientist, easily best-
having to have conversations around reducing scope, and things like that, or canceling a project.” That may lead to council going back to voters to ask for more bond money sooner than it usually does. “In the long run when it comes to our bond authorization, because projects are costing more, our bond authorization isn’t going to last us as long,” Lang said. “With costs going up, I’m glad that we left these somewhat looser categories that might be things that are going to have to
see BUDGET page 15
Heading for ‘the hills’
Chandler mixed-media artist Phil Webster works on one of the many pieces he will be showing off and selling when he makes his debut next weekend for the big Hidden in the Hills arts studio tour. He is one of three Chandler artists who are involved in the two-weekend event, as you’ll read on page 32.
(Special to the Arizonan)
see ELECTIONS page 6
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