Phil Gordon (politician)

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Current Mayor of Phoenix
Phil Gordon
Phil Gordon
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2, 2004
Preceded by	Skip Rimsza

Born	April 18, 1951 Chicago, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Politician

This biographical article or section is written like a résumé.
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.

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.

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.

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]}

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 77 percent of the vote.[1]^[1] ^[2]

During his tenure at Phoenix City Hall, Gordon has focused heavily on revitalizing downtown Phoenix. He and other members of the Phoenix City Council have put more than $1 billion into the city's core,^[3]^[4] investing in projects such as the revitalization of the Phoenix Convention Center, the construction of a new $350 million Sheraton hotel,^[5] and the creation of a downtown Arizona State University campus.^[6]

Gordon has also been a staunch backer of a planned $1.1 billion multi-modal transportation system which was approved by 65 percent of Phoenix voters in March, 2000. ^[7] a project that has faced criticism.^[8]^[9] Most recently, the Mayor has engaged in a verbal dispute with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio over issues related to illegal immigration.^[10]^[11]