Building on the Vision

Hi, I’m Jim Cavanaugh, the current mayor of the City of Goodyear, and a candidate asking for the support of our Goodyear citizens for one more four-year term as Mayor. Over the following months, I will be communicating my message to you via candidate forums, direct mail, meetings in homes of supporters, and campaign signs.

This year I have chosen an additional way to communicate with you, through my blog, http://www.mayorjimcavanaugh.blogspot.com/. It will give you, the citizens of Goodyear, an unprecedented look at the inner workings of my role as mayor of our community. I will be sharing my rationale for decision-making, updating you on current city council activities, and discussing opportunities for our future. And most significantly, the blog will offer an exchange of views as you may wish to respond to my thoughts on subjects of importance to your community. Please log on anytime to get a glimpse of our campaign and happenings within Goodyear.

As 2009 gets underway, let us be proud of our achievements as a City. When you look at Goodyear from the perspective of growth, we are in our infancy going from about 8000 residents in 1995 to more than 60,000 today. Our changes have been dramatic as seen in a 4-year acceleration in the on-going widening of I-10, the addition of two hospitals, a Southwest Valley Crisis Center, two universities, one major league baseball team coming in the spring and another in 2010, two regional parks and many smaller parks, excellent housing choices, nice streets and views throughout, and an almost 25% reduction in real property tax rates.

As promising as this period of achievements has been, there have also been some unforeseeable challenges. Sadly, in the last two years, more than a thousand of our residents have been forced into foreclosure and bankruptcy. The recession also affected our City by severely cramping financial prerogatives in seeking new and better ways to serve and grow. We will get through these rough times together, but it may not be soon and definitely won’t be easy.

The four years ahead will pose many challenges for our City Council, staff, and citizen committees. Among them:

· Get City Center underway
· Build and stock a first class library
· Secure funding for our performing arts
· Build new administrative and training facilities for police, fire, and public works
· Make better use of the county park in the Estrella Mountains
· Open our new regional mall in 2010
· Plan for our other parks including the Goodyear Recreational Complex where we are building twelve fields and a stadium

Above all, we must continue to focus on bringing quality employment opportunities to Goodyear. Opportunities will abound. We must smartly capitalize on these opportunities while serving our people and protecting our resources. As your mayor, I look forward to bringing the changes needed to secure the best quality of life possible for all of us in this exceptional community.

Jim Cavanaugh,
Mayor