Phil Gordon (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Gordon
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| 58th Mayor of Phoenix | |
| In office January 2, 2004 – January 2, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Skip Rimsza |
| Succeeded by | Greg Stanton |
| Phoenix City Council | |
| In office January 5, 1997 – October 30, 2004 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 18, 1951 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona Arizona State University |
Phil Gordon was born on April 18, 1951. He is an American politician. He served as the 58th mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. He was mayor from 2004 to 2012. Before that, he was a member of the Phoenix City Council. Phil Gordon is part of the Democratic Party.
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Phil Gordon's Early Life and Learning
Phil Gordon was born to Sidney and Judy Gordon. He was the oldest of three children. His grandfather came to the U.S. from Lithuania. In 1960, his family moved to Phoenix. There, Phil went to Madison Meadows Elementary and Middle School. He also attended Central High School.
Education and First Jobs
After high school, Phil went to the University of Arizona. He earned a degree in education. Later, he studied law at Arizona State University. Phil Gordon has had many different jobs. He worked as a school teacher and a lawyer. He also owned a business. He was the chairman of a company called Landiscor Aerial Photography. He also served on the Madison School Board.
Starting in Politics
In 1996, Phil Gordon worked for a former Phoenix Mayor. This made him want to work in public service. He wanted to help Phoenix. He promised to fight crime and protect neighborhoods. He ran for the Phoenix City Council. He was elected in 1997 and again in 2001.
Becoming Mayor of Phoenix
Phil Gordon was a city councilman. He ran for mayor in 2003. The election was not tied to a political party. He won with 72 percent of the votes. He officially became mayor on January 2, 2004. He was re-elected on September 11, 2007. This time, he won with 77 percent of the votes.
Making Downtown Phoenix Better
As mayor, Gordon worked hard to improve downtown Phoenix. He and the City Council invested a lot of money. They put more than $1 billion into the city's center. They worked on projects like making the Phoenix Convention Center new again. They also built a large Sheraton hotel. A new Arizona State University campus was also created downtown.
Working with Others
Mayor Gordon also supported a big transportation plan. This plan was for a system of different ways to get around. Phoenix voters approved it in 2000. He also had disagreements with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. They disagreed about issues related to immigration. Gordon did not support the Arizona SB 1070 law. He believed it was unfair.
Special Recognition
In 2008, President George W. Bush asked Phil Gordon to join a special group. This group traveled to Jerusalem. They went to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel.
See also
- List of mayors of Phoenix, Arizona
- Timeline of Phoenix, Arizona, 2000s-2010s
