The Dealmaker: 7/20/2018

Council seeks to have Queen Creek regional partner on items related to Johnson Utilities. “Queen Creek Town Council [has] approved an intergovernmental agreement to act as regional partner with the town of Florence in the ongoing [ACC] investigation of the billing and water quality issues of Johnson Utilities… The agreement includes submitting an application to the commission to be designated as the interim manager for Johnson Utilities.” QC Independent. http://bit.ly/2NxVfuS

An unlikely group of billionaires and politicians has created the most unbelievable tax break ever; O-zones ‘a bright light,’ says Rose Law Group founder and president Jordan Rose. Forbes looks at how a “group of conservatives and liberals, capitalists and philanthropists, U.S. lawmakers and small-town mayors… have successfully created one of the greatest tax-avoidance opportunities in American history, in the service of underperforming American cities and neighborhoods”: OPPORTUNITY ZONES. Jordan Rose calls O-zones “a bright light in our economy allowing for major investment in areas that might otherwise be overlooked.” http://bit.ly/2Nunpqs

Pinal, Goldwater make final arguments to judge on road tax.  (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents a coalition of property and business owners throughout Pinal County working to bring new transportation infrastructure to the county.) PinalCentral has a brief wrap-up of the closing proceedings, with the Goldwater Institute arguing that the “tax as written is unconstitutional,” while the county continues to maintain its position that “the tax stands on firm legal ground.” http://bit.ly/2munlLX

Interior Department proposes a vast reworking of the Endangered Species Act; Cameron Carter, Rose Law Group partner and director of Transactional Department, comments. “The proposed revisions have far-reaching implications, potentially making it easier for roads, pipelines and other construction projects to gain approvals than under current rules.”—The New York Times • Cameron Carter tells Rose Law Group Reporter: “This is an important issue and we hope that the resulting changes will protect private property rights and also provide for a reasonable process to allow important infrastructure to be developed on public lands.” http://bit.ly/2LtQEME

[OPINION] Pipeline builders abuse eminent domain. How the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission “denies landowners the right to meaningful appeal.” By Institute for Justice senior attorney, Robert McNamara, and Niskanen Center chief counsel, David Bookbinder. (A WSJ subscriber piece.) http://bit.ly/2LcSlyP

A rare, 2.6-acre development opportunity in the heart of Phoenix. Forbesreports on the RFP issued recently by the city of Phoenix, seeking “a developer to enhance downtown’s Central Station [‘one of the most valuable pieces of land in downtown Phoenix”] with retail, restaurant, office and residential components.” http://bit.ly/2NwELmF

City Gate apartment developers donated to Gilbert council members before controversial vote. “Developers and zoning attorneys involved [in the apartment proposal] contributed to Vice Mayor Brigette Peterson and Councilman Jordan Ray’s re-election campaigns the month before they cast their votes…” But in a bit of a twist, AZCentral reports that one neighbor, “vehemently opposed to the apartments, said he does not see a problem with either council member taking money from the developers.” http://bit.ly/2uDwBSl

Most expensive homes for sale in Arizona. Rather than serving up another edition of that favorite Friday feature, “Most expensive home sales in Phoenix,’ Dealmaker has decided to freshen things up a bit with “the top ten homes FOR SALE in Arizona” — humble abodes from Gold Canyon to Wickenburg, priced as high as $16 mil — in Arizona Foothills Magazine. http://bit.ly/2uQVcCG 

Phoenix works with community to replace aging public-housing complex.“As new apartment buildings crowd the downtown skyline and rents rise across Phoenix, low-income residents continue to rely on decades-old public housing. But that’s beginning to change: In June, the city announced that the A.L. Krohn East apartments in central Phoenix will be completely replaced with new units.” Cronkite News. http://bit.ly/2Lt4P4H

Flagstaff: Construction to start soon on 30 units off Highway 89. “Within the next month, the development company Brookfield Communities plans to start construction on 30 site-built homes… in the Trails End development.” Renderings, price- and size-range info, along with other project particulars in Arizona Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2my1wuM

♫ HERE’S A STORY ♫ … The Brady Bunch house is for sale. The “Traditional-style residence” in L.A. “was used for outdoor representations of the beloved television family’s abode…. Its broker expects an ‘avalanche’ — of lookers.” Not necessarily a good thing: “Last year, owners of… Walter White’s residence on ‘Breaking Bad’ had to build a fence around the property because of unwanted visitors.” (Hopefully, none named “Tuco.”) Access the L.A Times report via Builder. http://bit.ly/2JLaPRC

Banner plans 1st of 3 new rehab hospitals. “Banner Health Acute Inpatient Rehab Hospital” would be located near “7th and Willetta streets in Phoenix.” The facility would be “part of the Banner University Medical Center campus on McDowell.” Two similar facilities “have already been announced in Sun City and Gilbert.” AZBEX. http://bit.ly/2O6hQ2O

REAL MAP, HYPOTHETICAL TOWN – New River Incorporation Committee releases preliminary map. “The committee has been conducting a feasibility study to find out if incorporating the area into a locally governed municipality is economically possible.” As part of the study, the group has produced a map showing the “hypothetical town’s borders.” (Is it just us at Dealmaker HQ, or does the outline of the border’s western edge bear an uncanny resemblance to a profile of Bart Simpson?) Check it out in Foothills Focus. http://bit.ly/2uRQhB9

Steven Scharboneau Jr.: A New River ally in the Phoenix Planning Department. Steven Schaarboneau serves on Phoenix’s Rio Vista Planning Committee. He’s also founder of New River Desert Hills Incorporation Committee, and someone Foothills Focus describes as having “finally given the community a meaningful influence with the agencies currently guiding the growth in the area.” http://bit.ly/2uLxffU

Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2O6RoFV 

Don’t miss anything… follow multiple winner of the Arizona Republic’s tweet of the week contest, and Senior Partner at Rose Law Group and Director of RLG Renewable Energy Department, Court Rich. http://bit.ly/Court_RichTwitter 

As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!

APS-backed group sues over clean energy ballot measure, claims 300K invalid signatures. Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona submitted “double the required 225,963 signatures needed to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot” — but not enough valid ones! That’s the claim made by “Arizonans for Affordable Electricity, a political action committee whose funding comes from [APS] parent company Pinnacle West…” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2mugv94

Heads of anonymous-spending groups file suit vs. anti-‘dark money’ initiative. “The lawsuit charges that some of the paid circulators for the ‘Stop Dirty Money’ campaign did not register ahead of time with the Secretary of State’s Office as required by law. It says out-of-state residents who were carrying petitions also failed to register.” A Capitol Media Services/Howard Fischer report in Arizona Daily Star. http://bit.ly/2JCFct7

Flake sticks up for intelligence agencies, but Senate doesn’t stick up for Flake. “Sen. Jeff Flake vowed to try again after the Senate blocked a vote Thursday on his resolution supporting U.S. intelligence agencies and rejecting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 elections.” Cronkite News..http://bit.ly/2zStBqp

Longtime Arizona Corporation Commission executive appointed interimdirector. “Matt Neubert will take on the role after serving as director of the commission’s securities division for 15 years…” Neubert’s appointment comes after previous director Ted Vogt “resigned amid conflict-of-interest accusations.” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2zWKvUF

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