From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Phil Gordon
Phil Gordon
Current Mayor of Phoenix
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 2, 2004
Preceded by	Skip Rimsza
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	April 18, 1951 Chicago, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Politician

This biographical article or section is written like a resume. Please help improve it by revising it to be neutral and encyclopedic.(December 2007)

Phil Gordon (born April 18, 1951 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American Democratic party politician, and the 51st and current mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. He was sworn in as mayor on January 2, 2004.

The former city councilman was elected mayor in the non-partisan mayoral race on September 9, 2003, garnering 72 percent of the vote, and re-elected on September 11, 2007, with 76 percent of the vote.[1]^{[citation needed]}. Gordon was re elected to a second term on September 11, 2007, receiving 77 percent of the vote.

Born to Sid and Judy Gordon, he is the oldest of three children. In the mid-1960s, the Gordon family moved to Phoenix where Phil attended Madison Meadows Elementary and Middle School and Central High School. He attended the University of Arizona and graduated with a bachelor's degree in education. After earning his undergraduate degree, Gordon entered Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and graduated cum laude.^{[citation needed]}

Gordon has had worked in a variety of professions, including as a school teacher, lawyer, business owner, chairman of Landiscor aerial photography company, as well serving on the Madison School Board. Before serving in elected office, Gordon was a leader in the movement to revitalize, preserve and redevelop central Phoenix.^{[citation needed]}

After serving as chief of staff to a former Phoenix Mayor in 1996, Gordon's interest in Phoenix became his incentive to seek public office. Pledging to fight crime and preserve neighborhoods, he entered the race for Phoenix City Council and was elected in 1997 and 2001.^{[citation needed]}

As a councilman, Gordon spearheaded Shannon's law (Arizona), making it a felony to discharge a firearm within city limits. He co-founded and chaired the Slumlord Task Force, which produced legislation to aid in the fight against neglectful and criminal landlords.

As Mayor, Gordon lists his three priorities for the city as: Public Safety, Education and Jobs. He has already chalked up a record on these items: Light Rail, ASU Downtown, two new downtown hotels, expansion of the Phoenix Convention Center and the passage of a $878 million bond program. The U of A Medical School has opened in downtown Phoenix and, according to The Tucson Citizen, "Credit for this belongs to UA President Peter Likins, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and members of the Board of Regents who hammered out details between two schools that have been traditional rivals."^{[citation needed]}

Gordon has been chair of the Arizona Child Occupant Protection Task Force, the task force charged with establishing the standards for instructors/technicians for the coordinating child occupant protection programs for the state. He has been chair of M.A.N. (Men’s Anti-Violence Network), an organization to fight domestic violence and was named 2003 Man of the Year by M.A.N. Gordon also serves on the Voice for Crime Victims Board, an organization that preserves and protects constitutional rights of crime victims.^{[citation needed]}

He is past chairman of the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Committee, Central City Village Planning Committee, Phoenix Planning Commission and the Downtown Village Planning Committee. He also served as member of the board for the Orpheum Theatre Foundation, Downtown YMCA, Phoenix Ballet Company and Roosevelt Action Association. Gordon currently serves as a thought leader on the Chrysalis Shelters Advisory Board.^{[citation needed]}

Gordon is married to Christa Severns and has four children, David, Jeff, Rachel and Jacob.^{[citation needed]}

• List of mayors of Phoenix, Arizona

• Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's official website
• Phil Gordon for Mayor official website
• Phil Gordon official MySpace.com page