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While Tempe has the highest tax rates of any city in Arizona it AIN'T rated the best city!!!.
And can you beleve the BS comming out of the mayors mouth????? "When you have been No. 1 so long," Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman quipped, "they eventually take you off the list because it's an unfair advantage and it bores the reader."
Tempe left off 'best' list
Jahna Berry Was Tempe snubbed? Money magazine unveiled its list of the 100 Best Places to Live this week. While other Valley communities, such as Scottsdale, Mesa and Gilbert, got nods from the financial publication, Tempe's name was nowhere to be found. The survey will be out in the August edition of the magazine. In Tempe, a college town that prides itself on regularly making such lists, the news was met with puzzlement and shrugs. Tempe was named an All-American City in 2003 by the National Civic League and in 2005 America's Promise called Tempe one of the 100 Best Communities for Youth. "When you have been No. 1 so long," Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman quipped, "they eventually take you off the list because it's an unfair advantage and it bores the reader." Tempe civic leaders are more than a little proud that the city offers big-city sizzle - a 2-mile-long lake, a downtown shopping district, big-league events and swank high-rise condos - but strives to maintain a suburban quality of life. "Livability is like beauty," City Manager Will Manley said. "It's in the eye of the beholder." He ticked off Tempe's pluses: A booming economy, job growth and the home of Arizona State University, the largest university in the nation. "Without saying anything negative about another town," Manley said with a laugh, "what don't we have?" Scottsdale's No. 7 spot on the top 100 list might be a bit easier for Tempe to swallow. The northeast Valley city's name is synonymous with haute cuisine celebrity sightings and status handbags. But Gilbert at No. 16? And Mesa No. 3 on the magazine's top 10 list for big cities? "I was a bit surprised," said Toni Smith, communications manager for the Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau, who read about the rankings this week. "We are such a unique destination in the Valley." Smith questioned some of the statistics used for judging. She pointed out that the magazine survey says that Tempe hosts 11 events, but Tempe Town Lake and Mill Avenue have events on most weekends except in the dead of summer. Also, the magazine's statistical snapshot for Tempe stated that it had five accredited museums within 30 miles, but the number doesn't take into account 20 free museums at ASU, Smith said. "We'll get it next year," Smith added with a laugh. According to the magazine's Web site, the publication used data provider OnBoard of New York and consultant Bert Sperling of BestPlaces.net to whittle the list. Census and county statistics, weather and crime data, school test scores, income, jobs, recreation, quality of life indicators and other criteria influenced the ranks. The top 100 Best Places to Live have 50,000 to 300,000 residents. The top 20 cities were winnowed to 10 through visits and interviews, the Web site says. Tara Kalwarski, the magazine's special-projects editor, said Gilbert stood out because of its low crime rate, potential for job growth and high-performing schools. It also scored points because of its proximity to arts and entertainment. Other Maricopa County communities, such as Phoenix, Tempe and Chandler, shared many of Gilbert's characteristics but didn't make the list because they had more crime, less projected economic growth, or a combination of both, she said. A Gilbert leader basked in the good news. Vice Mayor Dave Crozier called the ranking an honor but said Gilbert's chances of being No. 1 someday are bright, given the town's massive growth. Gilbert ranked as the eighth-largest municipality in Arizona in 2003, when it had 145,250 residents. Results of a mid-decade census survey, however, suggest that its population is closer to 181,000 today. Some planners speculate that Gilbert could reach 300,000 by 2020, perhaps even sooner. "It's going to always be a challenge, but we're prospering, and yet we're still only halfway built out," Crozier said. "By the time we hit 300,000, we're going to be a Number 1 city. Just give us time and give us a chance." Mesa, which has struggled with a sleepy image and budget problems, pounced on the good news that it was among the top 10 large cities in the country. "It's always nice to be ranked," Chamber of Commerce chief Charlie Deaton said, "particularly if you're going to be ranked in something good." Justin Juozapavicius and Chris Ramirez contributed to this report.
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