February thoughts

February was always my favorite month in Phoenix. I can't say exactly why. Winter was passing and the hot days hadn't yet arrived. Although the weather has changed because of ripping out citrus groves, shade trees, and grass ("turf") and replacing it with gravel and pavement, somehow this February remains magical. Above is a rainstorm over Park Central.

I'm here for the rest of the month, although between keeping up my day job as a columnist for the Seattle Times and seeing friends, I've been less attentive to the blog. Thanks for keeping things going on the previous open thread. Some thoughts:

• The Super Bowl came and went. Although it was played in the taxpayer-funded, developer subsidizing stadium in a former cotton field in west Glendale, almost all the festivities centered on downtown Phoenix and the deck park. (Regular readers know I refuse to call it Hance Park because of its namesake's destruction of the center city when she was mayor; name the mountain preserve for her, which she richly deserves).

Anyway, this was a triumph for central Phoenix, which has reasserted itself as the center of this sprawling metroplex of lookalike super-suburbs. Light-rail trains (WBIYB) were packed with visitors. Restaurants and hotels did a great business. Scottsdale was irrelevant except for the corporate jets at the Airpark (more than 200 private jets departed local airports after the big game). An Urber from Scottsdale to the cotton field was said to cost $500 on game day.

• The New York Times wrote about our fair city, headlined "As Super Bowl Fans Arrive, Phoenix Seeks to Present a New Face." It was a combination of "parachute journalism" — where a reporter parachutes into unknown terrain and seeks to explain it to readers — and wokeness. It was so-so, but made an effort to describe the rebirth of downtown.

• More about downtown. I was startled when I put up some photos of the Salad Bowl on Facebook. This was a college game played every year from 1947 to 1955, a tip of the hat to our region's agricultural empire. The FB responses numbered in the hundreds.

Most people had never heard of it, seen the urban fabric along Central for the parade, or the imposing, moorish Montgomery Stadium of Phoenix Union High School. Others remembered the games, stadium, Masque of the Yellow Moon (the annual harvest pageant that ran from 1925 to 1955) and more. All gone. Yet it reminded me of the longing for Phoenix history, which is why I continue to emphasize it on this space.

• The Kookocracy is down but not out. It's astonishing that an unqualified, election-denying former newsreader on the local Fox affiliate came within about 17,000 votes of becoming the next governor. The attorney general race was even more razor-thin. But Arizona now has a Democratic governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. Hooray for Team Blue.

But not so fast. The Legislature remains in the hands of the Republicans. In the House, they hold 40 seats vs. 36 for the Democrats, and in the Senate 16 to 13. The Republican Legislature owns every policy blunder and destructive measure over decades — and they've never paid a price.

Arizona's Progressive Era constitution makes the Legislature the most powerful branch of government, followed by the little-covered Corporation Commission, and then the governor. As a result, St. Janet had to play defense for her two terms. As for Hobbs, we'll see. But real change will only come from Democrats gaining control of the state Legislature.

• Finally a reminder that if you live in central Phoenix, every drop of water you fail to invest in shade trees, oleanders, grass, and other cooling landscaping goes to water places such as Buckeye and other sprawl. Don't fall for it.

Enjoy February. Below, photos of the Salad Bowl Parade and Montgomery Stadium:

 

 

 

Comments

[Helen Highwater]

AZ legislature

"Hey, Talton's in town. Let's rush through a bill to defund light rail and busses.

We're the republican legislature version of Beevis and Butthead, We're proud to be stupid.

[Brian Hall]

Did Jon mismanage his money so bad that he can’t retire and stay in phx. Instead of his repetitive I hate Seattle and woke people columns. Ever since his little movie theater closed he’s been even more grumpy and cranky.

[Cal Lash]

Ain't love grand
Fists or Flail
Gentlemen??

[Cal Lash]

Oops meant that to be on
SOTU OPEN THREAD.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

@Helen, I think light rail changed the Valley for the better.

Several years ago, there was an attempt on light rail's life through one of the most mendacious referendums imaginable.

There was a south Phoenix extension planned, and some businesses and residents were upset. They said that any future extension should be put up to a vote, and sure enough it was put on the ballot.

Here's where the plot darkens. The framing was for residents to be given a say whether they want to vote on light rail. If you had looked closer as to what you were voting on, the vote was structured to mean a "Yes" vote would be to halt light rail construction and divert Valley Metro tax funding to roads and highways.

They were telling you that you should go on the record to say you support light rail, so your instinct would be to vote Yes. But a Yes vote was structured to replace transit with roads and highways.

The happy ending was that voters saw through this deception and voted no by more than 60% -- the highest no votes came from south Phoenix and the highest anti-transit support came in the northern exurbs not served by Valley Metro at all.

Phoenix also passed an in-city tax increase to accelerate light rail construction as well as expand bus service, like running later at night and making all daytime services a minimum of 30 minute frequencies.

[Mike Orrock]

February rocks. My first one was 2004, meeting weekly with Sun Lakers and their bike club, to tour all over the East Valley, starting at dawn.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Jon posted the links to Dianne Feinstein retiring from the Senate.

She's both a relic of a past era of politics, with modern politics passing her by. Also, her dementia is becoming more noticeable and it's impairing her and her staff's work.

Still, you can't hate Feinstein and her remarkable political career from San Francisco to Washington. There's a lot more to love about her and her retirement offers her a graceful exit.

When you look at California's senate race next year, it's an embarrassment of riches for Californians. The top two candidates right now are Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.

By a quirk in California's jungle primary law, if Schiff and Porter emerge as the top-two vote-getters they could face each other in November. Republicans aren't guaranteed a contest in the general election.

Schiff is most famous for his role in the Trump impeachment hearings. He cast a very important light on the darkness that has become the GOP remade in Trump's own image.

Porter is most famous for her Whiteboard of Doom. She understands the power of theatrics, and harnesses that power for political effectiveness. Porter is a lawyer and law professor, so she's skilled at advancing arguments and making presentations as a teacher. She seizes the moments, turning committee hearings into Perry Mason-style interrogations where she will grill a CEO with a few questions, then hit them with a gotcha and write the data point on the whiteboard.

Progressives love her, but Porter represents Joel Kotkin country -- south Orange County -- in Congress and every one of her elections was really competitive. She's got just enough support in her purple district to be viable.

(Schiff represents a safely Democratic district around Hollywood and often faces challenges to his left.)

This is looking like a win-win for Californians.

[Tony Perea]

Dianne Feinstein net worth $80,000,000.

Thank you for your incredible sacrifice.

[Kim]

Thanks, great insights as always. And thanks for the reminder to keep watering the shade trees. We don’t need to grow alfalfa in AZ.

[AzRebel]

Kim,

No alfalfa ? In that case, do we invite the 880,000 cows and 177,000 horses in AZ to help themselves at their local restaurant salad bars??

[Cal Lash]

Saudi Arabia owns
most of those fields?
And Topless pole dancing joints?

Cows and horses are European illegal immigrants.

Lite rail may be the right thing for the
Valley of NO shade
but it is so bad ugly.

Long live the Coyote.

[Cal Lash]

Feburary twice brought snow to the Superstitions and Four Peaks.
Lots of rain for several past months and a good Monsoon

[AzReb]

When the headline reads "SUPREMES TAKE ON THE INTERNET", are they talking about the singing group led by Diana Ross or the corporate owned, religious zealots in the black robes?