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Get Your PHX-mas is Here!
A Celebration of our First Year!
The goal of Get Your PHX is to show up, en masse, to support those who pioneer new restaurants, stores, bars and event spaces. We want to provide them a boost as they put their sweat, tears and wealth on the line to make life great downtown. Plus, we want to provide a chance for you to meet others like you, who want to get the most out of Phoenix. Thanks again to Dana Mule of Hula's Hula's Modern Tiki. We had an incredible time, sitting outside around the glass fireplace and sampling the eats.So, here we sit at the end of the year. December represents one full year of Get Your PHX. 12 month! 365 days of PHX-y goodness!We are going to throw a party to rival all holiday, end-of-the-year retrospective parties. At the same time, we are going to say thanks again to all of the folks who have hosted Get Your PHX throughout the year.Join us at Phoenix Metro Retro, the coolest warehouse store in CenPho; specializing in vintage modern furniture and jewelry. Owners Heidi and Doug Abrahamson are walking libraries of information about everything vintage, and especially that groovy, metro-hip era of Herman Miller chairs and cool martinis.And because we can't just stop there we've booked the Surfside IV for Get Your PHX-mas! Surfside IV is a local band with growing popularity in Phoenix for their authentic, hoppin' surf guitar sounds, circa 1965.This will be our first event with a live band. So, please help us celebrate the end of our first full year hosting Get Your PHX.December Get Your PHXThursday, December 17th from 5:30 to wheneverPhoenix Metro Retro708 W. HazelwoodPhoenix, 85013Map hereNow, folk, this is a labor of love. We are ordering food, drinks and a band. Please, please, bring $5 or $10 to help support the effort, and throw it in the pot. Please RSVP to me via email or through Facebook so I can get an accurate count.
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The Latest From the Campaign Trail
Watch for events and endorsements soon.
For now, please help me get this campaign off the ground. I appreciate any size contribution. We have a long way to go and there is much work to be done. But I am convinced that I am qualified for this position, with real experience as a legislator, in the renewable energy field and as a business owner.
Thank you to all of you who have already sent contributions and have found ways to help. You are the backbone of this campaign!
Please make contributions to "Ken Clark Leadership Committee" by check or PayPal at 2010@kenclarkforaz.com. Send "snail mail" contributions to P.O. Box 2101, Phoenix AZ 85001.
Always include your name, address, occupation and employer.
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Downtown Venue Review: Two Hippies Pizza
5341 N. Seventh Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85013
(602) 265-3604
Several months ago we tried Two Hippies tacos and dug it. The amount of food for the price was great, and the same is almost much true for the pizzeria they opened up on 7th Ave. For less than $8 you can get a decent sized pie that is made fresh in about ten minutes. Given my recent re-conversion to vegetarianism, I went with the white pizza that had only vegetables and cheese while my companion tried something with meat. Her feelings were as mixed as mine.
This is more like a Chicago-style pizza, rather than a Sicilian --more dough, more cheese. The dough was a little doughy, but not enough to prevent me from eating it. Holy Toledo was there a lot of cheese, though. Who doesn't love cheese?
The décor and style is in keeping with the other spots, including limited outdoor space consisting of a couple of bar stools. The gentleman behind the counter was pleasant but a bit spacey. That seems par for the course for Two Hippies, and maybe even part of the employee training.
The Good: A lot of food delivered quickly and cheaply
The Bad: Order it to go unless you plan to stand and eat over your hand like as if you're at an awkward break-room party for a coworker's birthday.
The Ugly: They can't make room for tables or chairs, but they manage to squeeze an ATM into the tiny reception area? Cash only! Really, Two Hippies? REALLY? This is America. We buy M&M's on credit, for crying out loud!
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Shining New Rentals in Garfield
I'm all giddy to tell you about these two homes for rent in Garfield. In both cases, the owners have improved the properties and will maintain a close relationship with the neighborhood as we transition in to a renaissance of renovation in downtown neighborhoods.
Folks are buying foreclosed homes in historic neighborhoods at historically low prices and are doing an incredible job bringing them back to their former glory.
 First, 916 E. Taylor is just about the finest example I've seen recently of how an old property should be renovated and improved in an historic neighborhood downtown.
 This is a property with two small houses on it, each about 800 square
feet. They are perfect for the downtown and/or ASU lifestyle, with
everything updated, security and a beautiful courtyard between the
homes. You can walk to First Friday in about 10 minutes from here.
I
was the buyer's agent for this property. The listing agent was Sherry
Rampy and the man responsible for the renovation is Kurt Krutak, who
has done a number of similarly meticulous transformations. According to
Rampy, "This property stands as an example of what is possible in
Garfield and it is right next to everything going on downtown."
 This is how the property used to look.
This property is the new gold standard for how homes should be renovated and the potential we have in the Garfield neighborhood.
Both units are for rent right away. Please contact Ruben at rubenx02@yahoo.com or 602-368-6832.
 Second, 747 E. McKinley is a 1925 bungalow, renovated in 2006 with a new bathroom, new kitchen, laundry, security, all new landscaping and an inviting updated front porch. I even renovated most of the old double-hung sash windows so you can open the place up the way it was meant to be. It is about 1,100 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath.
 Here is they way it looked when I bought it in 2005.
You can walk from the front porch to the center of First Friday activities in about 5 minutes. I know. I timed it. I live here. I'm moving up the street to my old stomping grounds, but I will leave my heart in Garfield!
This property will come open in January. Please contact me at clarkreport@kenclarkforaz.com for inquiries.
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Why Can't I Have a Twain for Chwistmas?
 In polite cocktail party chatter, after people ask why we don't have more solar in Arizona, they often bemoan the fact that why we don't have a high speed rail line between Phoenix or Tucson, etc.
After all, there are only so many times you can get pinned between two 18-wheelers and a 20-year old in a Hummer with spinney wheels on I-10 before you start to wonder if there is isn't better way.
The only answer I got when I asked was that there was not sufficient capacity on the rail line next to I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson.
 The issue came front and center when Amy and I were in New Mexico in October, riding that state's spankin' new Rail Runner between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
I gotta say, I was a little embarrassed that New Mexico was kicking our collective petooty in the high speed rail department. This thing was pretty swanky, in all it's double-decker, panoramic windowed glory. Kinda like pimp my ride meets the Santa Fe Super Chief.
Well, it just so happens that one of my real estate clients helped plan and install the high speed rail servicing Washington, DC. So, he pointed me to people who could get me some answers as to why we don't have this basic necessity and what it would take to get it.
He pointed me first to Chris Blewett, the project manager behind New Mexico's Rail Runner. This soft-spoken public servant seemed almost underwhelmed by his own accomplishments. At a total cost of $400 million (via state bond), they had phase one of the rail line completed in about 2 years, from conception to operation. That was 45 miles of upgraded track, plus trains. Phase 2, the next 100 miles, was completed about 2 years later.
 In government time, that's like doing the 100 meter dash in 5 seconds.
So certainly, you'd think, it can't be that bad. Absent our budget morass, we could pull that off, right? Heck, Civic Plaza cost over $500 million.
Well, the reasons it worked so easily was that there was under-used Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) line between the two cities. All the state had to do was kinda spruce it up with new ties and some new track, according to Blewett.
What made the rail line necessary, however, was not so much the traffic but the Native American communities that dot the land on either side of the existing I-25. The freeway simply can't grow outward any further without encroaching on tribal land. This problem won't be apparent tomorrow, but it would bottleneck the entire state in the next decade if alternatives were not created.
The rail line, on the other hand, offered an actual solution and that is where we need to learn to make better arguments.
According to Blewett, when answering the "why not here" question, you have to look more broadly. You have to answer the question: what can commuter rail help with beyond the old standard "traffic and air quality" issues?
It creates an alternative and markets like alternatives. It allows you to build affordable housing closer to work. Money put in to rail goes further per mile than money put in to widening freeways.
 If it were all that simple, then we would have it in Arizona, right?
That is when I turned to Mark Pearsall, a rail transit planner with the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). The first thing he did was clarify for me that we are really talking about two different things: commuter rail and passenger rail.
1) The commuter rail is in the metro area, it travels long distances (say from Wickenberg to Gilbert), but it makes frequent stops. It is an elevated train, so it is not light rail. But it is not a connector for major metro areas. This needs rail lines capable of speeds up to 79 miles per hour.
There are several options for commuter rail in Phoenix: BNSF owns track from Wickenberg, down Grand Ave. to Central Phoenix. A commuter could get from Surprise to downtown Phoenix is 30 minutes. (You think the wait is long at Matt's Big Breakfast now? Just wait.)
In order to make that happen, we would have to lay parallel track on the Grand Ave. corridor, do some signal upgrades and build a few bridges. Pearsall estimates this would average 5,000 riders per day.
There is also a Union Pacific track that could connect Buckeye to Phoenix. They would actually have to lay more main-line track in that case. Finally, there is a southeast line that could connect Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert and Queen Creek.
According to Pearsall, this entire network would move 17,000 riders per day.
This is where money is not the only problem. Have a look at the map above. In order to see all of those connections, you would have to find a way to connect a number of those track lines that are not already connected. The map makes it look easy, but it is a spaghetti junction of rules, ownership and rights of way.
Further, you'd need to get agreement from BNSF about dedicating valuable track space and time to passenger rail. While not using all of the track space now, BNSF fears that they might in the near future.
MAG is going to come out with the results of a study in the spring, the most serious in 30 years, with conclusions about which of these lines are the most feasible. Click on the photo, above to download a copy of a recent system analysis. You will be able to get the major study at the same website in the spring.
This is where it comes down to money again. The next time the existing transportation sales tax is up for renewal is 2026, and I don't see the voters going for another tax on top of our existing one any time soon.
So, no! No twain for Chwistmas until 2026, little Johnny!
2) Passenger rail is what we think of when we talk about Phoenix to Tucson or L.A. to Phoenix.
The problems of using existing track and laying new main lines is the same as with commuter rail, but the costs for completing the projects are much higher. However, whereas you can share rail corridors between commuter and freight rail in many cases in Maricopa County, Union Pacific tells us that we would have to build our own corridor for passenger rail between Tucson and Phoenix.
That's big money, folks.
This is where Pearsall has hope for an ADOT study, under way now. That study will identify the top 8 corridors of possible service between Phoenix and Tucson in which you could average 70 to 100 mph. This "alternatives analysis" is meant to start the discussion of getting federal dollars to lay the track.
You know, "baby steps."
This is also where MAG and ADOT will be coordinating efforts. They will want to locate commuter rail line next to passenger rail line in some cases to maximize efficiency and make a seamless system.
Pearsall is confident that all of these details could and would be worked out once there is money in the pot. Railroads would change their tune and track could be laid.
Just drop $2billion in the tip jar on the way out, thanks.
But, you could envision it one day. Just close your eyes and let's imagine together: hiking in the mountains around Wickenberg, stopping off for lunch in downtown Phoenix and having a nice evening out in Tucson, without ever setting foot on a gas pedal.
Or, more seriously, you could actually save money over building new, congested freeways. (gasp!)
However you want to look at it, I think it is a goal we should have.
Postscript: It looks like the AZ Republic was doing a story on this issue as I was writing this. So, learn more here.
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In Other Market News...
The Latest on Anti-Deficiency
Just in case you are following the drama and pageantry of real estate law as relates to foreclosures, this link is for you.
Three Reasons I'm Still Betting on CenPHo
There was an article in the New Times about why downtown is dead, or dying, or some such nonsense. I don't buy it and here's why.
Are Prices Going Up or Down? Who to Believe?
I hate when I publish analysis about how prices are going up and then hear news on the car radio saying the exact opposite. "You calling me a liar?" I yell at the dashboard, only to realize nobody will answer. Well, here is a good summary from my broker, John Hall & Assoc. explaining why two people report the same data two different ways.
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CenPho Community
More Sustainable Nosh in PHX
I told you about this site last month, but I want to tell you again. It's a good place for info.
Best News I've Heard in YearsThe City of Phoenix announced a couple weeks ago that it will now take all numbers of plastic in recycling, except #6, which is styrofoam.
Memories of the Wall and Tinsley HallOK. This really has nothing to do with CenPho community, but if you were inspired by the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, you might like this.
Ah, the Siren Songs of RedistrictingIf you don't think congressional and legislative redistricting affects you a the local level, just think of how our state budget is doing now. We have 3 out of 30 competitive seats. Here is a great primer on the issue.
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National "Be Aware of Awareness Months" Awareness Month
Maybe you are sitting around, bored, and thinking "Just what disease or issue should I be aware of this month?"
Well here is your answer in a handy-dandy list!
Now, don't be sad if you missed national "Library Card Sign-Up Month" in September, or "Go Hog Wild--Eat Country Ham Month" in October.
I think if I tried to be aware of all of these things my brain would open up my skull from the inside, step out of my head and move to Wasilla, Alaska.
On the other hand, you know what they say. Knowledge is power.
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Final Words, Compliance and Other Legal Stuff
As always, I respect your right not to be bothered with annoying spam email. If you would like to be removed from my email list, just let me know. Thanks!
And in order to be in compliance with state election law, I should say that the portion of this email that is used to talk about my campaign is paid for by the Ken Clark Leadership Committee, Hon. Sam Coppersmith, Chair.
Sincerely,
Ken Clark
  
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Organizations Worth Supporting
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