PHOENIX — Avondale Mayor Ken Weise said he plans to get a long-range regional transportation plan through funding approval and work to tackle homelessness during his tenure as the new chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council.
Weise was selected to the post during Wednesday’s annual meeting of the agency, replacing past chair John Giles, who is Mesa’s mayor. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego was elected vice chair and Carefree Mayor Les Peterson was elected treasurer. At-large members are Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, El Mirage Mayor Alexis Hermosillo, and Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn.
The MAG Regional Council is a 32-member board that serves as the governing and policy-making body for MAG.
Weise emphasized the importance of Proposition 400, a dedicated half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. Prop 400 is set to expire in 2025 and will need to be extended by voters, which mayors in the Valley have been emphasizing as a priority.
