The Now Senior Phoenix Council Member Welcomes a New Addition to the Team but Knows it Comes at a Cost
Phoenix City Councilman Claude Mattox, today welcomed Bryan Jeffries to the council, expressing hope that the appointment will end the revolving door in City Hall and its adverse impact on city government.
“Public offices should be more than stepping stones to political careers. Elected officials commit to serving the public for a period of time. Quitting before the end of their terms so they can chase the next opportunity is a major disruption and comes at a cost. More importantly, it denies the voters a voice through representatives that they directly elect.”
In just the past two years, Mattox and the council have on three occasions found it necessary to appoint new members to the governing body following the resignation of council members elected by the voters. The result is Phoenix, in that period of time, has had one of the highest turnover of council members through resignation of any city or town in the state.
Two of those quitting before the end of their terms were ex-City Council members Greg Stanton and Peggy Neely, who are now seeking to return to City Hall as candidates for Mayor.
When Mattox announced his candidacy for Mayor earlier this year, he made a commitment to complete his term on the council. “At that time, many well-meaning supporters suggested I consider doing as other candidates have done and quit so that I could devote more attention to my campaign. Frankly, this council has seen too much change, particularly in these challenging times. It was an easy choice for me to resist the greener pastures others have chosen, and instead complete my term.”
There is more about Claude at..
Website: www.mattoxformayor.com.
on Facebook: (facebook.com/mattox2k)
on Twitter: (@mattoxformayor).
