Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon

Phoenix Mayor Drops Plan to Extended Term

PHOENIX (By Scott Wong, Arizona Republic) January 28, 2009 — Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon has pulled the plug on a ballot proposal that would have extended his term and those of four fellow City Council members by two years, to January 2014.

A group of Gordon supporters filed paperwork Jan. 20 allowing them to begin collecting signatures to qualify the initiative for the city's September ballot.

But the mayor asked the group to abandon its efforts after critics suggested the plan was designed to buy time for Gordon as he considers his next political move. He will be termed out of office in January 2012.

"It became apparent the discussion was going to be more about politics than about budget savings," Gordon said, "and our community really doesn't need that distraction."

The decision came just a week before the council is expected to slash $270 million out of the city's $1.2 billion general fund, which pays for police, parks and other basic services.

The initiative, backed by the Phoenix Election Consolidation Committee, would have aligned all mayoral and council elections, which now are staggered every two years.

Supporters said putting all of the races on the same election cycle would boost voter turnout and save the city $1 million every four years.

But former Mayor Skip Rimsza, whom Gordon served as chief of staff, called the proposal "perfectly silly."

When Gordon told him about the initiative, Rimsza said he urged the mayor to drop the idea - advice Gordon initially ignored.

"You have elections for a reason: to hold elected officials' feet to the fire once every four years," Rimsza said. "Every elected official tends to want to stay in office forever, but term limits were put in place to make sure you don't develop cronyism amongst elected officials and the people they are doing business with."

Gordon, however, still contends the initiative would have provided a one-time fix to the election system, aiding the city and its voters for years to come.

"There was something of benefit for everyone, but the bottom line is it's not going to go forward," Gordon said. "The intent was never to make this about me but to make it about the city."