Tempe Slashes Live Music Permit Fees to Boost Local Talent
In a bid to champion its storied live music legacy and support local businesses, Tempe has dramatically reduced its live music permitting fees. Previously set at $1,671, the one-time fee has been slashed to just $200, effective until March 1, 2024.
The city hopes the substantial discount will encourage more establishments to bring in musicians, enhancing the area’s entertainment options.
To benefit from the reduced fee, businesses must:
• Submit a Use Permit application, accompanied by a letter detailing the entertainment prospects and a site floor plan.
• Obtain approval from the Development Review Commission, a process that involves a public hearing.
• Remit the $200 fee upon approval.
For more details on this incentive, Tempe businesses can reach out to [email protected] or call 480-350-4311.
Chandler Pays Off Public Safety Pension Debt
The city of Chandler issued a $73 million payment to the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) recently, marking the final payment of its unfunded pension obligation. Chandler has become the largest Arizona city to pay off this debt.
“We’ve made concerted efforts over several years to pay off our largest unfunded debt,” says Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. “Doing so has stabilized the pension system that is a critical benefit for first responders who have served our community and generated ongoing savings that we can apply toward needs in other areas.”
The Chandler City Council has previously allocated $125.2 million in additional one-time payments during the past seven years to pay down this unfunded obligation.
PSPRS has made various administrative and staffing changes, adopted more conservative actuarial assumptions, altered the actuarial anticipated rate of return and has thus required higher ongoing payroll contributions to stabilize the managed pension system after years of investment underperformance and actuarial flaws that contributed to the unfunded pension liability.
Chandler Fire Department Offers Free Emergency Preparedness Training to Residents in September
The Chandler Fire Department (CFD) is offering a free training course for Chandler residents who want to learn how to take care of themselves, their family, neighborhood, and community during an emergency or disaster. This Basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course provides community members with hands-on and classroom instruction over two consecutive Saturdays. Courses include fire safety, utility control, light search and rescue, basic medical care, and more.
This two-day self-preparedness training will be held on consecutive Saturdays, Sept. 16 and Sept. 23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The classes will be conducted at the Chandler Public Safety Training Center, 3550 S. Dobson Rd. The training is free, but space is limited.
Training participants will learn about the types of hazards that might affect Chandler and examine the roles and responsibilities of various organizations within the community, such as police and fire departments, other government agencies, public utilities, and nonprofits. Constructing family emergency kits for home and vehicles is also a critical part of community preparedness.
“Some of the potential hazards we Arizonans can face are strong winds, flooding, heat waves, power outages and fires, along with the possibility of man-made threats,” says Chandler Battalion Chief Blas Minor. “Our goal is to give residents the tools, information, and coping skills they need to care for themselves and their families for up to 72 hours following a natural or man-made disaster.”
For more information about Chandler’s Basic CERT course, call 480-782-2120, or visit chandleraz.gov/residents/fire/safety-education/emergency-preparedness.
Tempe Awards Nearly $225,000 in Arts Funding
Photo courtesy of Cultural Coalition
A calendar full of exciting, inclusive arts and culture programs is coming this year thanks to a $225,000 investment from the city of Tempe. Tempe awarded 35 arts grants to nonprofit organizations and artists collectives to support a wide variety of activities, from theatre groups to musical performances to inventive arts events in unexpected spaces. Last year, the Tempe City Council increased its support of arts grants by 50%. The funding helps to ignite creative vibrancy, support capacity building for local organizations and grow connections among the community. An additional $75,000 will be distributed through more grant categories this fall.
