Time to shift vision back to E.V.

The ride to my grandparents’ home in the West Valley seemed like it took forever. The smell from the cabbage fields in Glendale left a lasting impression. For decades, the West Valley was the butt of jokes by those who lived in the East Valley. With the exception of Luke Air Force Base and agriculture, the West Valley was a place to pass through on the way to Los Angeles or grandma’s house.

The East Valley was where it was happening. It had its own Air Force base, Arizona State University, the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, and all of the income, amenities and jobs you could ask for. It also had elected leadership that saw a big picture and the importance of working together. While the high school football teams fought it out for bragging rights on Friday nights, the local governments worked together to accomplish common goals. They were all one team, ours.

With time and the unchecked growth of political egos, the cohesiveness that once kept the East Valley on track diminished.

The new breed of political leader saw public service in city government as a place to get a ticket punch on the way to higher elected office, more power or wealth.

As the “new” East Valley style of leaders postured, the West Valley, that place that never was supposed to be more than farmland, was following the old East Valley model of working together for the future and common good.

One only need look at what they now have and what we don’t. They’ve got an Air Force base that employs 8,000 people and pumps $2 billion dollars into the local economy.

We lost ours. They have the new University of Phoenix stadium, home of the Super Bowl earlier this year. That complex was supposed to be built here but went west thanks to the local infighting. They have more Major League Baseball teams for Cactus League play and several colleges and universities. NASCAR calls the West Valley a destination.

It’s easy to see what works best. The West Valley prospered while the East Valley now struggles to sustain itself.

There is hope. The election of Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, a highly successful and proven business leader, lawyer and certified public accountant, has jump-started hope in Mesa and the East Valley. Smith’s already established himself as a strong regional leader.

Beyond Smith there’s another ray of hope. Last week, longtime public servant and current Town Councilman Don Skousen turned in nominating petitions to run for mayor of Gilbert.

A former Scottsdale police command officer and deputy city manager, retired college professor and twice interim Chandler city manager, Skousen is known as one of the steadiest and wisest governmental leaders in Arizona. His reputation for integrity, vision, innovation, accountability and cooperation is legendary. Skousen’s always put service above self.

Over the past few years, Gilbert has fallen on hard leadership times with current Mayor Steve Berman. According to an Aug. 16 Tribune report by Dennis Welch, Berman has the “oft-stated goal … to become the richest, most powerful man in Gilbert.”

Berman, a cellphone salesman, has brought considerable negative publicity to the family-oriented town. He’s currently under criminal investigation for domestic violence; he drives a truck donated to the town by an auto dealership that received economic incentives, and he received — and later returned — a free suit from a Gilbert merchant for whom he appeared in a promotional ad. The stories about him never seem to end.

Austin Hill’s Nov. 28 Tribune column (“Brewer would face tall tasks as governor, state GOP figurehead,” Opinion 2) refers to several East and West Valley mayors as “a broad array of thoughtful, rational, like-minded governmental leaders who serve outside the capitol” who stand poised to aid new Gov. Jan Brewer when she takes office. Berman didn’t make the list of respected mayors.

In March, Gilbert voters will have a choice to elect a new mayor — a choice that will no doubt affect their own town, but also the entire East Valley.

Retired Mesa master police officer Bill Richardson lives in the East Valley and can be reached at bill.richardson@cox.net.