Stanton gets recognition
Mayor honored for sustainability efforts in Phoenix
Greg Stanton is among the top public officials in the country, says Governing Magazine, which praises the Phoenix mayor for sustainability efforts.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is among the top public officials in the country, according to a prominent government magazine. Governing Magazine bestowed the honor because of Stanton’s efforts to improve the city’s environmental sustainability during his tenure as mayor, according to a write up on the magazine’s website.
“The most brilliant political leader in the world couldn’t make Phoenix as green as Boston or Seattle. But under Stanton, the city has taken significant steps in the direction of sustainability,” a magazine staffer wrote.
Eight others, ranging from a governor to a city health commissioner, also made the list for 2017.
Governing highlighted Stanton’s leadership in a successful 2015 cam-
paign for a 35-year, $31.5 billion transportation package that will add 42 miles of light rail, more than 1,000 miles of bike lanes, 135 miles of sidewalks and expanded hours of bus service.
The magazine also noted Stanton was one of the first mayors to announce Phoenix would continue to abide by the environmental provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement after President Donald Trump backed out of the multinational agreement.
Governing selects a handful of elected and appointed public officials at the national, state and local level for its annual list of public officials of the year. Stanton was one of two city officials selected this year and is the first Arizona mayor to receive the distinction.
This year’s other honorees include Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe — the state has created more than
200,000 jobs on his watch, according to the magazine — and Illinois’ Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart who was previously named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential Americans for reforming the county’s foreclosure eviction process.
Governing and the nonprofit Living Cities hosted the Annual Summit on Government Performance & Innovation in Phoenix earlier this year, where Stanton was a keynote speaker.
Governing also named Phoenix the best city for good government in May.
Stanton said the recognition extends to his city council colleagues, staff and the community that worked with him to create positive change in the city.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be mayor in an exciting time,” he said.
Stanton will resign as mayor sometime in the next seven months to run for Congress. The magazine doesn’t bestow the honor on federal officials, so it seems he came in just under the wire on this one.