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This Week
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Biden visits TSMC amid huge industry boom BY SUMMER AGUIRRE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
P OPINION........... 11
Judy Bluhm takes a “Santamental” look at the holiday
FEATURES......... 20
resident Joe Biden visited Arizona for the first time as president on Dec. 6 for a ceremony celebrating the first piece of equipment added to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. microchip facility in North Phoenix. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) also revealed plans to construct a second semiconductor fabrication facility (fab) on-site, which will more than triple its total investment in Arizona from $12 billion to $40 billion. This is the largest Foreign Direct Investment in the state and one of the largest in U.S. history. As the semiconductor manufacturing industry is experiencing a boom, the president high-
see BIDEN page 4
Ryanhood comes to MIM with seasonal favorites
YOUTH.............. 21
Dr. Finch shows pride for DVUSD’s report card
OPINION.................... 11 FEATURES................. 16 YOUTH....................... 21 CLASSIFIEDS............. 22 Zone I
President Joe Biden visited Arizona for a ceremony celebrating the completion of the Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) microchip facility in Anthem. TSMC also announced its plans to construct a second semiconductor fabrication facility. (Courtesy of TSMC, Brodeur Partners)
Bond proposal favors public safety and infrastructure BY PAUL MARYNIAK Foothills Focus Staff Writer
S
tating Phoenix confronts $1.2 billion in unfunded needs, the city administration is hoping voters will let it borrow $500 million that it concedes will cover far less than half of that amount. In a lengthy memo to council that was scheduled to be discussed in a hearing Dec. 13, City
Manager Jeff Barton recommends that just over a quarter of the $500 million go to public safety and about 16% for streets and storm drainage. The proposal also calls for 10% of the borrowed funds, or about $50.4 million, to go to arts and culture programs – with $21.6 million of that earmarked for a new Latino Cultural Center and $14 million for the Valley Youth Theater. Barton said that after a study of the city’s capital needs, staff divided the total into $647 million
of “prioritized capital needs” representing the most urgent needs identified by staff while offering balance among the city’s service categories. The remaining $505 million in projects were “determined to be less urgent” or “better suited for deferral to a future bond program.” The administration is recommending nine specific park projects whose cost totals $62.5 mil-
see INFRASTRUCTURE page 8
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