[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," HOW CLOSE IS THE STATE SENATE TO OVERRIDING A FUNDING CAP FOR SCHOOLS.

WE'LL FIND OUT IN OUR WEDNESDAY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND ON "CRONKITE NEWS," HOW ARIZONA COULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT ON RECYCLING SOLAR PANELS.

THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

WE START WITH SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN TODAY.

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE OFFICIAL FIRST DAY OF SPRING TRAINING BASEBALL, BUT INSTEAD IT'S THE 77TH DAY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S LOCKOUT.

SPRING TRAINING BASEBALL IS BIG BUSINESS IN THE VALLEY, GENERATING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

SIX OF TEN CACTUS LEAGUE FANS COME FROM OUT OF STATE, WITH THE MEDIANRIES FOR SPENDING A MINIMUM OF FOUR DAYS.

THIS FOLLOWS TWO PREVIOUS YEARS OF SHORTENED SPRING TRAININGS DUE TO THE COVID PAP.

SPEAKS OF WHICH, TODAY'S ARIZONA COVID REPORT SHOWS 3 COVID-RELATED FATALITIES ON RECORD.

HOSPITALIZATION RECORDS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

ICU BED OCCUPANCY ALSO CONTINUES AN ENCOURAGING TREND.

NATIONALLY MORE THAN 50 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FREE COVID-19 HOME TESTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THAT THAT AMOUNTS TO MORE THAN 80% OF INITIAL ORDERS.

THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS THAT THE TEST SHOULD HELP EASE THE LONG-TERM SPREAD OF COVID, BY PROVIDING FOR A QUICK DIAGNOSIS.

AND THE CDC TODAY SAID THAT NEW RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING FACE MASKS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

>> WE ARE ASSESSING THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS BASED ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE PANDEMIC, AND WILL SOON PUT GUIDEANCE IN PLACE.

IF AND WHEN WE UPDATE OUR GUIDANCE, WE WILL COMMUNICATE THAT CLEARLY, AND IT WILL BE BASED ON THE DATA AND THE SCIENCE.

>>> A FOOD AND DRINK RESEARCH FIRM FOUND THAT 35% OF LEGAL-AGED ADULTS IN THE U.S.

GAVE UP DRINK IN THE JANUARY.

IT'S ALL PART OF A MOVEMENT CALLED DRY JANUARY, OR DRU-UARY, WHICH CALLS ON THOSE WHO DRINK TO TAKE THE MONTH OFF TO RESET THEIR BODIES.

>>> THE STATE SLATELEGISLATURE IS WORKING ON TWO BILLS.

WE SPOKE TO JEREMY DUDA OF "THE ARIZONA MIRROR" FOR THIS WEEK'S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

JEREMY, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

LET'S START WITH THE HOUSE YESTERDAY.

OKAY LIFTING THE EDUCATION SPENDING CAP, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE SENATE.

WHAT IS GOING ON THERE?

>> IT PASSED FAIRLY EASILY IN THE HOUSE, AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF HAMMERING, AND SPEAKER BOWER SAYS WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE THE DEADLINE HITS ON MARCH 1ST, AND THEY DID THAT YESTERDAY AND IT PASSED WITH A LITTLE MORE MORE THAN HALF, BUT IN THE SENATE IT WAS NOT QUITE SO EASY.

IT WAS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS.

BY MY COUNT THEY WERE UP TO 19.

THEY HAD ALL OF THE DEMOCRATS INCLUDING MENDEZ WHO DROVE OUT TO VOTE REMOTELY FROM HIS OFFICE.

BUT THE 20TH IS NOT EASY.

YOU SAW KAREN FANN PULLING PEOPLE IN TO TRY TO WIN THEM OVER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THAT VOTE APPARENTLY.

I SPOKE WITH ONE SENATOR AND HIS CONCERN TIES INTO THE LITIGATION OF PROP 208, WHICH WAS INCOME TAX HIKE FOR WEALTHIER ARIZONANS WHICH VOTERS APPROVED IN 2020.

IF THIS WAS ONLY ILLEGAL, AND EXCEEDS THE SPENDING LIMIT, AND THEY KICKED IT DOWN TO THE LOWER COURTS TO MAKE THAT DECISION, WHICH SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE.

AND IT WAS ALMOST 1.2 BILLION OVER ALREADY.

AND IT JUST -- I THINK IN ORDER TO NOT INCLUDE THAT PROP 208 REVENUE.

BUT THE SENATOR TELLS ME IT WILL SOMEHOW POTENTIALLY OPEN THE DOOR TO ALLOW PROP 208 TO GO INTO EFFECT, WHICH REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN.

AND UNTIL THEY GET AN ANSWER ON THAT, WHICH COULD BE AS LATE AS MARCH 10TH, ACCORDING TO THE JUDGE.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO VOTE IN FAVOR.

>> AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS A ONE TIME ONE-YEAR ONLY BILL THAT THE HOUSED PASSED, AND IT CONCERNS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, NOT FUTURE BUDGETS.

WHAT IS THE HOLD UP?

>> I'M NOT SURE.

I MENTIONED THAT POINT OF $1.54 BILLION, I BELIEVE, AND IT WOULD BE ONLY THAT, REVENUE ABOVE THAT WOULD STILL EXCEED THE LIMIT.

HE IS STILL CONCERNED THAT -- HE IS CONCERNED THAT THE JUDGE MIGHT BE DRAGGING HIS FEET IN ORDER TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE SENATE DOES.

AND BASICALLY THE JUDGE SAID I'LL DO IT WHEN I DO IT.

AND HE HAD UNTIL MARCH 10TH AS A DEADLINE.

SO THE CLOCK IS TICKING, SO I SPOKE WITH SPEAKER BOWERS EARLIER TODAY, AND HE SAID THERE IS NO LINKAGE BETWEEN THE TWO.

HE SAID IT IS UNFORTUNATE IF ANY OF HIS COLLEAGUES ARE VIEWING THE TWO AS LINKED, BUT CLEARLY THERE ARE SOME REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE YES UNTIL THEY GET THAT CONFIRMATION.

AND KAREN FANN KNOWS THAT A LOT -- THE HOLD UP FOR A LOT OF HER FELLOW REPUBLICANS IN HER CAUCUS.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED 208, THERE IS NO LINKAGE TO ANYTHING ELSE?

>> THAT IS NOT LINKED TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

PLENTY OF EDUCATION STUFF TO GO AROUND EVERY SESSION.

>> YES, THERE IS.

THE IDEA WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF IN QUITE A WHILE IS THE BREAK UP OF MARICOPA COUNTY.

AND NOW WE'RE SEEING A BREAK UP INTO FOUR SEPARATE COUNTIES.

AND THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS SOME TRACTION.

HOW MUCH TRACTION, AND WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON HERE?

>> IT PASSED IN THE HOUSE GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COMMITTEE TODAY.

BUT OF COURSE TAKE MARICOPA COUNTY WITH 4.4 MILLION PEOPLE, MORE THAN 60% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION, AND CARVE IT UP INTO FOUR COUNTIES, THE NEW MARICOPA COUNTY, AND THE EAST VALLEY, AND SCOTTSDALE AND NORTHERN PHOENIX IN THE NORTH VALLEY, AND THEN THE WEST VALLEY, AND SAID STARTING NEXT YEAR, THEY WOULD SPLIT THESE FOUR UP.

IT HAS A LOT OF REPUBLICANS -- EVERY REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE COMMITTEE VOTED FOR IT THIS MORNING, BUT THEY ARE MISSING ONE IMPORTANT REPUBLICAN VOTE SO FAR, QUESTION IS SPEAKER RUSTY BOWERS, WHICH HAS SOME CONCERNS OVER WHAT A DISRUPTION THIS WOULD BE.

AND WHAT BECAME VERY APPARENT IS THEY HAVE NOT DONE A LOT OF LEG WORK.

THEY DID NOT SPEAK WITH ANY OFFICIALS IN MARICOPA COUNTY ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD WORK.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO SPLIT UP THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SPLIT UP MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT'S NOT CLEAR WHO ALL WAS CONSULTED.

NO ONE TALKED TO MY OFFICE.

THEY WERE TALKING WITH APPARENTLY CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS IN THE WEST VALLEY, AND IT IS UNCLEAR HOW THE REPRESENTATIVE DECIDED WHO AND WHO WASN'T GOING TO BE CONSULTED HERE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS.

>> THE SPEAKER CALLS IT A DISTRACTION, BUT THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BUREAUCRATIC NIGHTMARE.

GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

AND NOT MUCH LEG WORK, AS YOU MENTIONED , THIS IS A HUGE DEAL, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER WAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTION, AND A WAY TO GET BACK AT THEM SOMEHOW?

>> THE SENATOR SAYS THIS IS ABOUT REPRESENTATION, AND BUILDING A GOVERNMENT -- ABOUT IT NOT BEING SO HUGE, BUT IT'S HARD TO NOT VIEW THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES, AND THE BALLOTS OF THE 2020 ELECTIONS BEING PART OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES, AND THE CLAIM THAT THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED.

AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE.

AND IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE DEBATES OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAD AT THE COUNTY FOR CERTIFYING THE ELECTION, IF YOU LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA, THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING SPLITTING UP THE COUNTY FOR THE PAST YEAR.

AND THEY ARE VERY EXPLICIT ABOUT THAT.

>> GOOD INFORMATION.

GOOD STUFF.

JEREMY DUDA, ARIZONA MIRROR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING HORIZON," A WEBSITE MADE BY DESCENDANTS OF SLAVE OWNERS DESIGNED TO HELP BRING HEALING TO THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY.

>>> A NEW PHOENIX-BASED WEBSITE ALLOWS THAT DESCENDANTS OF SLAVE OWNERS TO EXAMINE THEIR ANCESTOR'S BELIEFS, EVALUATE THOSE ACTIONS AND OFFER CONCRETE PLANS TO MAKE AMENDS ALL TO HELP BRING HEALING TO THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY.

WE LEARNED MORE FROM REA BENNET, A DESCENDENT OF A SLAVE OWNER AND MICHAEL ZIRULNIK, ONE OF THE COFOUNDERS OF THE PROJECT.

>> GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

WHAT IS SPEAKING TRUTH ALL ABOUT.

>> SPEAKING TRUTH IS TO ALLOW WHO THEN SLAVER WAS, TWO, SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THEY LEARNED OF THIS HISTORY, WHEN THEY LEARNED OF THIS HISTORY, HOW IT MADE THEM FEEL.

TO RENOUNCE THE ACTIONS OF THEIR ANCESTORS, AND THEN TO STATE WHAT IT IS THAT THEY ARE DOING OR PLAN TO DO TO ATONE FOR THOSE ACTIONS OF THEIR ANCESTORS.

IT'S REALLY AN EFFORT TO MOVE US TOWARDS A COMMUNITY AND A NATION THAT IS HEALING.

>> REA, YOU GOT INVOLVED IN THIS.

TALK ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

>> WELL, I'M A SOUTHERNER, AND I AM A DESCENDANT OF SLAVE OWNERS, AND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS I HAVE BEEN TEACHING WAYS TO MAKE AMENDS FOR THAT.

BECAUSE I THINK WHEN YOU ARE FACED WITH THE REALITY OF BEING A DESCENDANT OF A SLAVE OWNER, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DO BUT TO -- TO STATE THE TRUTH, REFLECT ON THAT TRUTH, AND THEN ALSO MAKE PLANS FOR AMENDS, AND -- SO I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT, FOR LIKE, MAYBE THE PAST FIVE YEARS OR SO, AND I HAVE A PROJECT I'M WORKING ON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, FOR THAT -- THAT INVOLVES AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS, AND THEN THIS PROJECT, THOSE ARE MY TWO EFFORTS TO MAKE AMENDS AT THE MOMENT.

I'M NOT THROUGH YET.

I HAVE OTHER THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO DO, REGARDING MORE DIRECT CONTACT WITH DESCENDANTS THAT MY ANCESTORS ENSLAVED, BUT I'M WORKING UP TO THAT.

>> MICHAEL HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?

WAS THERE A MOMENT WHERE YOU AND OTHERS SAID, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO?

OR ARE THERE BEST PRACTICES AND THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.

>> WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE.

WE WERE AT A FUNCTION AT REA'S HOME ABOUT TWO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, AND THE OTHER COFOUNDER, BOBBY, REA AND MYSELF WERE IN ONE OF THE BACK ROOMS, AND THERE WERE A SERIES OF PHOTOS, AND BOBBY AND REA STARTING TALKING ABOUT THEIR FAMILY HISTORY, AND WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE, AND THEY HAD REALLY A SHARED HISTORY OF FAMILIES WHOEN SLAVED INDIVIDUALS, AND THAT WAS THE IMPETUS OF THIS PROJECT.

AND PRECOVID TIMES AND INTO THE PANDEMIC, THIS PROJECT GREW AND HERE WE ARE LAUNCHING IT.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

REA, WHEN YOU SHARE YOUR STORIES AND OTHERS SHARE THEIR STORIES A CATHARTIC, INFORMATIONAL, AS YOU SAID, TO MAKE AMENDS?

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHEN YOU SHARE YOUR STORY?

>> WELL, THINK THAT -- WELL, I THINK DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT EMOTIONS.

MY FIRST EMOTION WHEN I FOUND OUT WAS ANGER.

THAT QUICKLY MORPHED INTO SAD NSZ NESS, SO I THINK IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE -- THAT I AM GOING TO BE -- HOPEFULLY BECOME A PART IN A HEALING EFFORT IN THIS NATION TO BRING US BACK TO SOME FORM OF UNITY AS A COUNTRY.

WE HAVE NEVER DONE THAT IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE HAVE NEVER HAD A -- AN -- AN ORGANIZED OR GRAND EFFORT TO REALLY RECONCILE, AND WE -- WE'RE HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT DO THIS, AND THAT PARTICIPATE IN IT WILL GO FORTH AND -- AND TELL THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND THEN ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS MAKING THE AMENDS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY, I THINK, GOING TO BRING ABOUT RECONCILIATION.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE IF YOU TALK ABOUT RACIAL HEALING AND RECONCILIATION IN THIS COUNTRY.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO COME TO THE TABLE, INCLUDING THE OPPRESSIVES, AND WE'RE HOPING TO EVOLVE THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR DESCENDANTS.

>> AND REAL QUICKLY, MICHAEL, BEFORE WE GO.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE HEARING THIS AND SAYING WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

YOU TELL THEM WHY.

>> TED, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE'RE IN A SPACE AND PLACE IN TIME, WHERE THESE CONVERSATIONS REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN HAD AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.

I THINK THAT WHAT IS CRITICAL TO DEMOCRACY IS INDIVIDUAL AND LOCAL INVOLVEMENT, AND THAT'S THE PLATFORM WE'RE OFFERING.

THIS IS NOT A PROJECT THAT IS INTENDED FOR PEOPLE TO REDEEM THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILY'S NAME, IT'S A PROJECT THAT INTENDED FOR INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE ACTION TO REALLY BRING ABOUT SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.

NOW, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THAT WE ARE ONE SMALL COMPONENT OF A MUCH LARGER EFFORT ACROSS THE NATION, BUT WE ARE DOING OUR VERY BEST TO MAKE THAT CONTRIBUTION.

>> FOR MORE INFORMATION WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO?

>> TO SPEAKING TRUTH.ORG.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

>>> IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE THE CITY OF TEMPE APPROVED A DEDICATED FUNDING STREAM TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING IN THE CITY.

THE INITIATIVE IS CALLED HOMETOWN FOR ALL, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH TEMPE MAYOR COREY WOODS.

MAYOR WOODS, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, TED.

>> GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT HOMETOWN FOR ALL IS ALL ABOUT.

>> IT'S THE UNIQUE WAY TO GENERATE MORE AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING IN OUR CITY.

THERE WAS A STUDY WITH THE COMMISSION THAT BASICALLY SAID WE'RE GOING TO NEED ANOTHER 11,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN TEMPE BY THE YEAR 2040 JUST TO KEEP PACE WITH CURRENT DEMAND.

SO WHEN I FIRST BECAME MAYOR, I KNEW THERE WAS A STUDY, BUT DIDN'T SEE A FRAMEWORK TO HELP US GET TO THAT POINT.

WE HAVE 49 OUT OF 50 STATES HAVE SOMETHING CALLED TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, WHICH IS USED TO ADDRESS BLIGHTED AREAS AND CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

RENT CONTROL IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE IN MANY OTHER STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT TOOL.

WE HAVE RESIDENTS WHO REACH OUT REGULAR, AND SAY MY RENT IS JUMPING 20 OR 30%, WHAT CAN THE CITY DO ABOUT THIS?

AND THE REALITY IS UNFORTUNATELY NOTHING.

AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING IS A TOOL THAT SAYS THE COUNCIL WILL AGREE TO UPGRADE YOUR PROPERTY, BUT YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF SET-ASIDE UNITS THAT WILL BE DEEMED AFFORDABLE.

IT IS A TOOL THAT IS USED IN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THAT TOOL HAS ALSO BEEN BANNED.

SO THE HOMETOWN FOR ALL WAS A DAY TO ADDRESS THAT, AND MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GET TO THOSE 11,000 UNITS BY 2040.

>> SO CASH, DONATIONS, AND PERMITTING FEES AS WELL?

THAT'S ALLOWED?

>> WE DONATE AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO THE AMOUNT OF PERMITTING FEE THAT A DEVELOPER WOULD PAY.

IF YOU PAID $200,000 IN PERMITTING FEES THE CITY WOULD SUBMIT 50% OF THAT, SO $100,000.

WE ALSO HAVE A VOL -- VOLUNTARY DONATION SYSTEM.

>> AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN?

>> EXTREMELY OVERWHELMING.

I MEAN, WE -- A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, I THINK, ARE HAPPY TO SEE SOME STRUCTURE AROUND THIS.

BECAUSE TYPICALLY WOULD HAPPEN IS YOU GET TO THE SECOND AND FINAL HEARING, AND THEN GET INTO THIS BACK AND FORTH WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, TRYING TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY ISN'T LEGAL IN THIS STATE, SO I THINK THEY ARE HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE TO GETTING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT HAVE STRUCTURE AROUND THE PROCESS, AND THE RESIDENTS SEE NOW THE CITY ACCUMULATING PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL SUMS OF MONEY, WITH WE USED TO GO OUT AND PURCHASE ADDITIONAL PARCELS ON THE MARKET, OR DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIATION ON EXISTING LOTS SO THEY ARE GETTING CLEAN DIRT.

>> BEFORE WE GO FURTHER, DEFINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

>> IT IS DEFINED BY SOMETHING WE CALL AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

THAT IS SOMETHING THE HOUSING EXPERTS ACTUALLY USE, AND YOU HAVE TO MEET A CERTAIN RANGE.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT RANGES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WORKFORCE HOUSING AS OPPOSED TO MARKET RATE HOUSING, SO THE NUMBERS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, QUITE HONESTLY, BUT WE -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY DID TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY -- REALLY SORT OF MEASURE THIS, IS THE COUNCIL PASSED AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOCUMENT THAT WOULD GIVE OUR HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AN ACTUAL RUBRIC THAT HE GETS TO USE -- HE IS AN EXPERT IN THIS AREA TO BEGIN WITH -- BUT SOMETHING HE COULD LOOK AT TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE HOUSING IS ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE OR WORKFORCE.

WITH DEVELOPERS FRANKLY NOW KNOWING WE CARE ABOUT THAT, WE DIDN'T WANT THEM SAYING IT WAS WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE, WITHOUT SOMEBODY BEING THE ARBITER.

>> AND I'M ASSUMING HOMES, AND VACANT LAND.

WHAT ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT ARE SAYING NOT IN MY BACKYARD?

>> SURE.

I SEE OTHER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY WHERE PEOPLE TRY TO OPPOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND GROUP GETS TOGETHER TO TRY TO PUSH IT OUT.

THE FIRST PROJECT I ACTUALLY APPROVED ON THE COUNCIL WHEN I CAME BACK AS MAYOR IN 2020, WAS A MARKET-RATE APARTMENT COMPLEX.

WE HAD 300 PEOPLE WHO SIGNED A LETTER SAYING WHY IS THIS NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

AND THIS IS A PERSONAL PASSION OF MINE, AND SOMETHING I WANT TO SEE ACHIEVED, AND IT IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS.

>> BUT WHAT IF YOU GET A BUNCH OF RESIDENTS SAYING NO, NOT HERE, NOT THIS.

>> I THINK THAT'S WHEN SOMEBODY IN MY POSITION HAVE TO LEAN ON OUR DATA THAT TALKS ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL UNITS WE NEED BY 2040, AND YOU HAVE TO SAY, LOOK, I UNDERSTAND YOU MAY HAVE SOME PREDISPOSITIONS AGAINST THIS, AND YOU MAY BE WORKING OFF OF NOTIONS AND STEREOTYPES THAT SIMPLY ARE NOT TRUE.

THESE ARE FOLKS THAT LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY ARE WAITING TABLES OR TEACHING YOUR KIDS OR BEING OUR FIRST RESPONDER, WE HAVE TO REMAIN A DIVERSE PLACE, AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP HOUSING IN THIS AREA FOR PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS.

>> $6 MILLION RAISED SO FAR.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

MAYOR, IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, SUPER CROSS IN ARIZONA.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A SUPER CROSS RACETRACK.

HERE IS A HINT .

.

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A LOT OF DIRT.

♪♪