We all know how important downtown growth is for our economy. As you can probably tell from this blog, I’m a big fan of Green Vendors and sustainable growth downtown (even if the term “green” has been around more than Kim Kardashian).

This image is from 2010 Green Build Conference. I just wanted to show off that I met Ed Begley Jr. Yep, I'm a total renewable energy dork.

Well, if your a pro-environment, sustainable vendor in the city of Phoenix, Green Team is pleased to present the Green Vendor Showcase of Opportunities on Feb. 9

This event is a chance for vendors to work with the city’s EPP Program as well as get one-on-one interaction with some of the city’s department big wigs and discuss new opportunities for the city to make greener choices. And better yet, there’s no cost to participate! But you have to work fast. Vendors need to register but January 31st, (as in tomorrow!) by the end of business hours at the office of Environmental Programs. You can Call 602-256-5669 to register and ask any questions.

Want to just stop by and see whats new in the world of sustainability? Well, you can check out the first annual “We Love Green Vendors” showcase on 2/9 from 9:30-11:30 am in the atrium of Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St.  The event is free!

Good news on the Home loan front. President Barack Obama has signed HR 2112! Oh, you don’t know what that means? Trust me it’s exciting.

Here, let me quote you!!

FHA maximum Loan Limits effective October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012 – Mortgagee Letter 2011-39

 FHA Loan Limits that were in effect from January 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011, as announced in ML 10-40, shall apply for case numbers assigned from November 18, 2011 through December 31, 2011 – Maricopa County $346,250

 FHA Loan Limits with case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012 will remain the same as those that were in effect from January 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011 – Maricopa County $346,250

 FHA Loan limits with case numbers assigned before November 18, 2011 are subject to the LOWER limits that were in effect from October 1, 2011 through November 17, 2011 (some exceptions apply) – Maricopa County $271,050

So what does all of that mean?

Moral of the story is:  FHA Case #’s assigned Jan 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011 maximum loan limit for Maricopa County was $346,250 –

Case numbers assigned October 1, 2011 thru November 17^th, 2011 are subject to the REDUCED loan limits of $271,050 for Maricopa County – And yet another change FHA Case numbers assigned November 18^th, 2011 thru December 31, 2011 will jump back up to $346,250

Basically, you can borrow more under FHA….

Don’t you love how long it took them to say what I said in seven words?

Stay Tuned for more FHA changes.  Please call Jeannie Bolger, Sr. Loan Officer – Nova Home Loans if you have questions. 

Exciting Right?

As Phoenix’s downtown economy grows into a true metropolitan epicenter, we in turn deal with the downsides of big cities, like the homeless populations. There are several local organizations working with the community to  overcome this issue. The Tumbleweed Youth Center, near the downtown ASU Campus, had been providing a safe environment for homeless or displaced youth in Phoenix for decades. But when a growing homeless population met an impending foreclosure, the center was forced to look for a new location that would meet their needs on a budget.

The center is almost completely run on federal and state grants, with community donations making ends meet.

Dick Geasland, Tumbleweeds’ Executive Director, says that the center focuses their efforts on “building trust” between teens and young adults and a system that they may feel has failed them. The center offers emergency housing for ages 12-18, as well as basics, like food and showers, for 18-26 year olds.

According to Geasland,  “Our case managers are more like detectives” as their job entails way more that helping kids stay on track. The center works to help youth obtain original identification, birth certificates or state IDs, which is often lost or never created, as well as connect them with health care providers for a healthy future. The Street outreach street works with current youth center tenants as well as the surrounding community to locate local homeless teens and offer aid, such as hygiene bags and non-perishable foods.

Tumbleweeds got in contact with a former landlord who was able to find and renovate a space to meet their needs and their budget. The new center, located on 16th and McDowell, is almost twice the size of their old facility and includes a 2,500 square foot store front.

Need some screen printing done? Look no further. The center’s store front doubles as a screen printing shop as well as hands on business training and employment for center youth. Geasland also hopes to open part of the center as a performance space to introduce the center to art as well as theater and performance management.

Now, I know what your thinking. “A great non-profit helping out Downtown Phoenix?! How can we help?” Clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, and bottled water can be dropped off at the center which is located at 1419 N. 3rd Street, Suite 102 in Phoenix. You can also visit their website for the most currently list of needs as well as to donate funds.

Roberta Voss, Barbara Klein and I wrote an Op Ed for the Arizona Republic this week. 

Want to know HOW people go about trying to manipulate the redistricting process, exactly? Have a look at this Op Ed, which ran in the Arizona Republic on November 1st. If this does not get you hot under the colar, I don’t know what will. See the full, pre-edited version below.

Continue reading

I know what you are thinking: “What do the Australians think of the influence of money on the American political system?”

Okay, maybe you were not thinking that. But the folks at the Victorian Labor Party were asking the question when they asked me to write a multi-part series on the topic. Here is part one.  My article is on page 14, but you might find this magazine an interesting glimpse into campaigns and elections in this lovely paradise of a country.

I’m a particular fan of their list of important political movies to see, called “Showbiz for Ugly People.”

You do know that politics is supposed to be showbiz for ugly people, right? It explains so much.

Join Michael Messner of the Speedwell Foundation on April 8th at the Arrogant Butcher.

Learn how parks and open space can help solve the urban real estate crisis.

See more here:

79 people applied to be redistricting commissioners in time for the October 15th deadline.

Check out the story here.

There are some great names in there. Some I don’t know.

However, as I often say, this is the least noticed, but most important game in town right now. More important that the elections we are about to have.

Despite what some say, we could have more than 10 out of 30 state legislative districts be competitive. We have only 4 right now and our legislature favors extremism as a result. Further, it is simply unfair that over half of all registered voters effectively don’t have a choice in their elections in Arizona because whomever wins in the primary election in most districts will win in the general election.

How do we fix this? First, we get commissioners that agree that we can have more competitive districts. Second, we as citizens have to push back against those in government who will seek to draw districts for their own narrow interests. Redistricting is not rocket science and the ASU Morrison Institute is going to help you learn how to draw district lines using the best known mapping software, called Maptitude.

See here for more information about workshops that they will host in December. Unfortunately, they will cost money. So, it is best for groups or organizations to send somebody to participate.

For the sake of our state, please get involved!

More to come…

The phrase of the day is “Feed in Tariff”.

No, it is not a tax on over-eating at McDonalds.

It is a way of encouraging the use of renewable energy. Germany is most famous for this method, but it is not the only one. Read here about how our Corporation Commission might consider the issue.

Why is this important to you? Well, if you’ve ever asked “why don’t we have more solar in Arizona?”, then this is one major reason why.

There are two types of methods generally used.

1) Rebates –this is what we have now. Basically, if you install the panels, you get a rebate from the utility company (as required by the Corporation Commission).

Example: The gross cost for solar panels that I want to put on my roof is $15,000. The utility will give me a rebate of $8,000. Then I can also take various tax credits, etc. The ultimate cost will be around $7,000.

Why this is good: Its better than nothing, which is what we had.

Problems: You need to be able to come up with the initial cost (although leasing companies have made this a little better). Also, just because you install it does not mean that you will use it. Further, as the utilities are the ones who give out the rebates, they can slow the process of installation.

2) Feed in Tariff –The utility (and other rate payers) pay you for the electricity that you produce and put in to the system with renewable energy technology.

Example: My electric bill is $100 per month. But I know that every month I could generate $150 per month worth of electricity, based on current rates and what I know the utility will pay for the electricity I generate. I pocket $50 per month and get free electricity.

Why this is good: It gives investors certainty that they will get money back from their investment. It drives the installation of manufacturing for that renewable resource, but also energy efficiency (the less energy you use, the more money you pocket at the end of the month!).

Problem: Some argue that those rate-payers who don’t have solar have to absorb the cost difference of installing solar versus the cheaper coal/gas options. The important thing to keep in mind, however, is that (a) costs for solar are decreasing and (b) it will cost more if we wait and try to do it later.

So, look at this map. Who do you think would benefit if we do this the right way?

‘Nuf said….

So, how’s this for an eventful evening?

I’m driving along Osborn Rd., near my home near 7th Ave and Osborn Road. Heading east. It’s dark. Last Thursday evening.

Got the setting in your head?

I pass this guy on the south side of the street (so, on my right for the directionally-challenged). He is just finishing tagging a large apartment building sign with green paint.

My jaw drops as I think, “Really, right out here where we can all see you? Really?”

I slow down to get a look. He sees me. I drive ahead a little to pull over on the north side of the street to call Crimestop, police non-emergency. (That’s 602-262-6151, in case you ever need it.)

I’m sitting in the parking lot of Superstar Video fighting with my iPhone to find the number, and he is moving east at a good pace. You have to keep a good pace up while tagging, you know. It’s just part of the mystique, I guess.

I look over my shoulder while the phone is dialing and he is crossing over the street to my side, right toward me. This is not a little kid. He’s no Andre the Giant either, but I’m guessing that he did not spend much time in the library over lunch hours. He is somewhere in his late teens or early twenties, I figure.

I’m on the phone with Crimestop trying to tell her two things at the same time: 1) I just saw this guy tag a sign and I’m watching him. I need to get cops here before I lose him; and 2) this guy is approaching my car, looking right at me with that arms-spread-out, hands-up, “wha’s up”, “you better move along” look.

She’s a little disbelieving for a second because police non-emergency normally expects to get calls about neighbors who won’t stop dumping yard waste in each other’s ally space. I’m sure it didn’t help that I was talking so quickly that she probably thought I was a Russian immigrant.

So, I’m staring at him and talking to her, not letting up. He’s giving me his best, “I’ll cut you” look.

I should mention at this point that I REALLY HATE TAGGERS. I mean with a passion. People work their butts off for their property, and these guys not only deface somebody else’s work, but they also make all of our lives just a little harder with every paint spray and pen stroke.

Don’t tell me its art. Don’t tell me its culture.

Tag up a piece of canvass that you paid for yourself and then I’ll believe you.

I guess he figured that he had successfully intimidated me, or that he better move on because I was still on the phone with somebody at this point.

He moves off ahead of me to the east and then easily, lightly reaches his arm out to a car parked 20 feet in front of me and sprays across the front hood.

I’m telling this to the Dispatch and I think she was taken aback by the gall of it as well, by the tone in her voice.

She say’s, “hold on, I’m trying to get some officers to you.” It goes  quiet and tagger guy is moving east more quickly now, crossing 7th Ave.

I’m not about to lose this guy. My first perp, man! Are you kidding?

A tricked-out Prius, but not mine...

So, I swing my turbo-charged Toyota Pious out on to the street and hang back to watch were he is going. It was amazing that this guy had gotten himself up to the pace of an Olympic speed walker, but still kept that arms-swinging-across-the-butt, chest-high swagger that said, “Don’t cross me, man! I’ll paint you green!”

A few steps later, I see the a white spinning paint can leave his hand and disappear behind  bush in front of Safeway and what used to be the old Furr’s Cafeteria (the octogenarians who used to hold up there would have been aghast at the sight).

So, I drive ahead of him so it looks like I gave up and I circled around in the Safeway parking lot, the whole time talking to Dispatch. I keep telling her where he is, even as he crosses back to the south side of the street and continues east.

Then a major development in the world of Ken, the Perp Tracker: the suspect takes off his dark shirt to reveal a white undershirt. Dark shirt thrown aside, he is starting to lose his swagger in favor of a faster gait.

This guy is a master of disguises. Not only did he ditch the paint can, but he changed clothes and now he’s running. Surely nobody will recognize him!

I swing out past the shoppers; open trunks, canvass reusable shopping bags in mid-pack, and on to the street again. Now he is on my right, but ahead of me by about 50 feet. He ducks in to one of the long, low-slung apartment buildings to my right and I pass as I watch him move down the breezeway, as if he just got back home from a light jog around the block.

I’m trying to describe this to Dispatch, who is intermittently leaving my company. She is trying to try to patch me in directly to the police line so I can talk to the officers in the cars and in the helicopter, which is on its way.

It did not work, unfortunately. VERY unfortunately. Because, admit it folks, how cool would THAT have been?!

So, I’m sitting on Osborn with my hazard lights on where I last saw him and I’m thinking I’d better move. If the cars going around me don’t take off a rear view mirror, then the police who are on their way are likely to think my dinky little car is an old plastic bag on the side of the road and drive over it.

So, I go back over to the Safeway parking lot and park closest to where I lost him. Dispatch (I’m great friends with her by now, so I can call her “Dispatch.” We’ve been through a lot together, don’t you know.), is asking me whether the officers are there yet.

By now two police SUVs are pulling up; one down the ally around where he went and another searching the street. The helicopter (yes, a helicopter for a tagger) is over head looking for him. I distinctly remember saying to Dispatch, “Wow, they got here fast! I love you guys! Great job!”

Yep. Adrenaline makes you say stupid things.

A third SUV enters Osborn further to the east as I see Perpie (I can call him “Perpie” now. We’ve been through a lot together, don’t you know.) walk out of the apartment buildings and back to Osborn. His entire demeanor is as if to say, “Me? I’m just out for a stroll while I compose some poetry about dandelions.”

I’m telling Dispatch, “That’s him, you’ve got him in the helicopter spotlight”, as if her desk is in the helicopter and she can see any of this. The officers just pull him aside and detain him. No running. No “Cops” Reggae music soundtrack.

Dispatch, being the experienced and busy woman that she is gets my digits, asks me to stay put and hangs up.

So, to speed up this story (because I know that you probably have work that you should be doing right now, rather than reading this), I talk to the officer, identify Perp, take the officers to the can of paint, show them where he spray painted the car, which is now gone (poor people), and point out the tagged apartment building sign.

I was especially proud when one cop, after the officers had hauled Perp away and we were all talking in front of Superstar Video, gives me the best complement I’d ever heard. He said, “Man, I’ve never seen a civilian tail a suspect like that. You should have heard the play-by-play on the radio. We knew just where to get him.”

Now, this is just a tagging. I know. It seems silly in some ways to detail this chase. We are not talking about armed robbery here.

But I am simultaneously proud of being a part of catching Perp and cognizant of the comedy of a guy like me driving around in a little Toyota Prius with police and a helicopter tracking a small time crook.

It makes me realize what our officers go through night after night and how happy I am that I don’t have to do it.

Epilogue:

The next day I went out to my car and found that he tagged my driver’s side headlight while he was crossing in front of my car, trying to intimidate me.

I took pictures and let the reporting officer know.

In re-reading this story, it is neither as funny or as exciting as it was when it happened. Again, its the adrenaline.

I am also reflecting on the fact that a kid like this, whom I learned is 17 years old, probably has nobody to take him aside and tell him, “This is not the route you want to take for your life. Divert now and let me tell you how.” That makes me deeply sad.

However, I still feel that we should not back down from people like this out of fear. That is when we lose our neighborhoods again.

“As a map maker, I can have more of an impact on an election than a campaign. More of an impact than a candidate. When I as a mapmaker have more of an impact on an election than voters, the system is out of whack.”
–Consultant David Winston who drew House districts for the GOP after the 1990 U.S. Census.

You’ve heard me go on about our problems with redistricting. For background check out these articles form last year explaining the background on Arizona redistricting: here and here.

Well, now is your chance to help us fix the most crucial problem facing Arizona today. You can become one of our 5 redistricting commissioners.

The 5 commissioners (2 Republicans, 2 Democrats and 1 Independent who will be the chairman), will be chosen beginning in January to oversee the drawing of our legislative and congressional lines. As you can see from the quote above, this is an incredibly influential and important job. You could choose to maintain Arizona’s dysfunctional system of elections, or you could the agent of reform that will affect Arizona for the next generation.

In order to be a commissioner you:

• must have been registered with the same political party for at least the last three years.
• cannot have been a candidate for public office within the last three years.
• cannot have been elected or appointed to public office within the last three years.
• cannot have served as an offer of a political party, or served as a registered lobbyist or as an offer of a candidate’s campaign committee for the last three years.

You can apply  by going to www.arizona-redistricting-nominations.com. Applications are easy to fill out and are due by October 15th at 5pm.

Watch for more information from me on this issue. But for now, I cannot overstate the importance of this process. the district lines that we draw will determine whether Arizona will move forward, or miss its potential altogether.