West Valley Collaborative

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West Valley Collaborative

Three organizations which serve the West Valley are working collaboratively toward promoting the goals of the Arizona We Want 2.0. We look upon this report as a starting point.

Leadership West: Cultivates leadership capital for the West Valley and prepares these leaders to effect positive change in the state of Arizona. Leadership West changed its Issue Day topics to mirror The Arizona We Want 2.0

WESTMARC: Western Maricopa Coalition – the West Valley’s public- private partnership dedicated to enhance economic development and promote the quality of life in Western Maricopa County.

West-MEC: Western Maricopa Education Center – a Joint Technical Education District which provides training to enter the workforce and pursue continuing education, and also provides retraining to enhance job skills and career opportunities.

Work of the Collaborative Supported by the Mayors and Managers of

Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Gila Bend, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Phoenix, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Tolleson, Wickenburg, Youngtown

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Education

Arizona high school students graduate college & career ready as measured by national and international standards.

WEST VALLEY COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE TO THE ARIZONA WE WANT - GOAL 1

WHAT CITIZENS WANT?

 Graduate high school students who are college & career ready.

 Align graduation requirements with national and international standards.

 Customize education to meet students goals.

Key Gallup Findings:

 19% of Arizonans rate their community highly for the quality of its public schools.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

 West-MEC provides Career and Technical Education courses in 46 high schools and 3 Central Campus sites – serving 24,000 students

 Midwestern University – the state’s largest medical school – has established new opportunities for students, including the state’s only veterinarian school.

 ASU West, Grand Canyon University, Thunderbird Graduate School, Trine University, Pierce University, Midwestern University, Communiversity in Surprise, Glendale, Glendale North and Estrella Mountain Community Colleges have a combined enrollment of more than 75,000 students.

 Tolleson Elementary School District is developing a growth plan for each individual student and a goal plan for each teacher.

 WESTMARC and Leadership West connecting its membership and alumni with opportunities to connect with educational policymakers and learn about current initiatives.

NEXT STEPS

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

 Support assessments for College and Career Readiness Standards

 Continue to attract additional higher learning institutions to West Valley

 West-MEC will open 3 new Central Campus sites in North Phoenix, Glendale Airport and Start at West- MEC in 2014

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Job Creation

More job opportunities that offer higher wages with job training programs for Arizonans of all ages.

 More job opportunities

 Job training programs for all ages

 Lower business taxes

 More investment in growth industries that offer higher wages

 96% of Arizonans rate their community poorly for economic conditions.

 76% do not believe the next generation will have a higher standard of living.

 The West Valley developed the regional Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone to encourage growth of manufacturing in West Valley.

 Expansion of Career and Technical Education opportunities – partnering West-MEC and Estrella Mountain Community College – Glendale Machining Center, Buckeye Energy Campus

 Estrella Mountain Community College - lead partner 5-college consortium which was awarded $13.5 million Sun Corridor Get Into Energy 3 year Federal Grant

NEXT STEPS

 Work regionally on a solution to infrastructure financing which is needed to enhance economic development

 Continue to advocate for policies that encourage business expansion and create quality

communities for businesses

 Partner with all educational institutions to attract and retain our educated workforce

 Expand education opportunities in all West Valley Communities

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Water, Forests and Open Spaces

Protection for Arizona’s natural environment, water supplies and open spaces.

 Water management plans for all regions of Arizona – statewide, regional and

municipal.

 Policies that balance population growth with preserving open spaces.

 Of 14 features, Arizonans rate the state’s natural beauty, outdoor parks and open spaces as its greatest assets.

 Lake Pleasant Regional Park & Marina

 Rio Vista Nature Habitat

 Tres Rios Nature Habitat and Nature Festival

 Pleasant Harbor at Lake Pleasant

 Luke Air Force – continuing assurance of open space surrounding base

 Use of treated waste water to serve Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

NEXT STEPS

 West Valley Recreation Corridor – 36 miles of trails from Tres Rios to Lake Pleasant

 Continue to promote alternative energy sources

 Enlighten citizens on impact of our water supply

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Infrastructure

Build a modern, effective transportation system and infrastructure.

 Mass transit systems that connect

communities throughout the urban regions of the state.

 New highways and roads to reduce congestion.

 Improvements in airports and rail systems to support trade.

 Statewide high-speed broadband.

 22% of Arizonans rate their community highly for its highways and freeway system.

 Completion of Loop 303 – Connecting I-10 to I-17

 6 Airports in West Valley – planned expansion of all

 Continuing study of Grand Avenue – US 60

 Critical conversations about demand for and supply of high speed broadband

NEXT STEPS

 Work regionally on a solution to

infrastructure financing which is needed to enhance economic development

 Light rail extension to West Valley

 Potential BNSF Switchyard

 Create urban employment hubs to relieve freeway congestion

 Solution for Grand Avenue

 Interstate 11

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Healthcare- Our Largest Economic Driver

More doctors and healthcare professionals to provide primary healthcare services

 Health insurance that is publicly available to all Arizonans with payment assistance for those who need it.

 Healthcare insurance discounts for people who adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors.

 More doctors and healthcare professionals to provide primary healthcare services.

 23% of Arizonans rate their community highly for accessible healthcare.

What’s Happing

NEXT STEPS

 Enhance existing and create new opportunities for all students and West Valley Citizens to expand workforce

 Sun Health Banner Research Institute – leading brain and tissue bank for Alzheimer’s research

 Phoenix Children's Hospital opened a new facility in Avondale

 Cancer Treatment Center of America- Located 1^st Western U.S. Facility in Goodyear

 Plaza Companies the City of Peoria and Bio Accel began BioInspire, an Arizona based medical device incubator

 Avondale’s Healthtech Corridor partnership with Tallwave to drive healthtech development along McDowell Road between 99^th Avenue and Avondale Boulevard

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Young Talent

Quality jobs, more places to gather, protection for the environment and a culture of openness and opportunity for all.

WHAT YOUNGER CITIZENS WANT?

 All of the above Key Gallup Findings:

 6% of young Arizonans believe their community offers good job opportunities.

 19% rate Arizona highly for its nightlife; 20%

believe it’s a good place to meet people.

 Young Arizonans believe leaders need to be

“willing to listen.”

We believe fostering young talent begins in our schools and includes young families

 West Valley Youth Leadership Council

 WESTMARC/Leadership West have made a scholarship available to all West Valley graduating high school students wishing to continue their education in the West Valley

 Student leadership organizations (FFA, DECA, FCCLA, Skills USA, FBLA, HOSA) in all West-MEC high schools – more than 5,000 students involved

 Arizona Broadway Theater and Peoria Performing Arts Center youth groups

 West Valley Arts council student outreach

NEXT STEPS FOR

 Enhance and expand all of our existing programs

Randall McDaniel Sports Complex in Avondale

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Civic Engagement & Community Involvement

Actions that influence Government

 More citizen participation in all aspects of civic life

 More Volunteers.

 More charitable giving at all levels.

 More neighborliness.

 More trust in the people around us.

 Key Civic Health Index Findings:

 10% of Arizonans believe their elected officials represent their interests.

 West Valley Mayors & Managers monthly meetings

 Fighter Country Partnerships – community leaders support group for Luke Air Force Base

 West Valley Chamber Alliance (Buckeye Valley, Glendale, Peoria, Southwest Valley, Surprise Regional & Wickenburg)

 West Valley Arts Council

 West Valley Mavericks are a group of distinguished young men who formed in 2012 to advance commerce, charity, culture and community in the west valley.

 West Valley Legislative Caucus

 Partner with Arizona Town Hall for community outreach programs NEXT STEPS FOR

 Continue to enhance and expand on all

 Encourage and engage more neighborliness

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Quality of Life

Quality Communities with a wide variety of world class and unique entertainment venues make the West Valley an ideal place for the whole family

Major League Fun

 Arizona Cardinals

 Phoenix Coyotes

 Phoenix International Raceway with 2 NASCAR Races per year

 9 of 15 Major League Baseball teams call the West Valley Home for Spring Training: Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds,

Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Los Angles Dodges, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mainers, Texas Rangers

 Arizona Challenger Center

 Wildlife World Zoo

 The Wigwam Resort and Country Club

 Rancho de Los Cabelleros