Peggy Neely Launches bid for Phoenix Mayor

For Immediate Release

April 21, 2011
Contact Robert Johnson
Office: 602-528-3684


Neely Launches bid for Phoenix Mayor on Platform of Jobs, Reduced City Spending and Transparent Government


Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely today announced her candidacy to become the first female Mayor of Phoenix in nearly thirty years, with an administration focused on creating jobs, trimming the City budget and making City Hall business more transparent to residents.


Neely, who launched an exploratory campaign last year, said she took time to listen to residents before making the decision to enter the race. “I took a thoughtful look at the job of being Mayor and what it really means to be responsible for leading the City of Phoenix,” she said.

“I am ready and up to the challenge,” Neely said.

“Peggy will bring a fresh, common sense approach to the Mayor’s Office that will help make Phoenix a better place to live and work,” former Mayor Skip Rimsza said.


Fellow Council member Michael Johnson said Neely has the energy and ideas that are right for the job. “She leads with strong ideas and is driven by an intense passion for helping people,” Johnson said.


Neely released a four-page policy statement entitled “The Phoenix We Want,” with a range of ideas and proposals she would work to enact if elected Mayor.


She said job creation would be at the top of her list, noting that “opportunity starts with a good job.” She pledged to work every day on ways to create new jobs for city residents, with a focus on attracting more high-wage employers to Phoenix.


Neely also wants City Hall to be more business-friendly and work harder to support education efforts and big ideas that lead to more investment.

She said the city budget also would be a priority, noting a desire to better control spending and move the City to a pay-as-you-go system. She said she would push to streamline, consolidate and privatize city services where it makes the most sense for taxpayers still recovering from economic hardship.

Finally, Neely said she wants to reform the lobbying process, require more financial disclosure from City leaders, pursue a tougher ethics policy and make more information available online.


She also wants to put an end to “emergency” tax increases, like last year’s food tax that was passed with almost no input from the public. “We need to make sure tax increase proposals are always subject to thorough public discussion and are not allowed to be rushed through the process.”

“It doesn’t matter what the institution is, when the public trust is involved, seeing is believing.”

She cited education and public safety as other key issues for her as Mayor, noting they are both “cornerstones of our quality of life.”

“I believe in this great city. I love it here. Like so many others, my family chose to be here. I’d like to be your mayor.”

In accordance with Arizona’s resign-to-run law, Neely resigned her position as Council member in paperwork filed with the City Clerk this morning.


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Paid for by Neely for Mayor
http://www.peggyneely.com/