Jim Lane (mayor)
Encyclopedia
W.J. "Jim" Lane is a former Scottsdale
, Arizona
city councilman and the current mayor
of Scottsdale. Lane is a resident of north Scottsdale
in West Orange
, New Jersey. Having graduated with a BS in accounting from Saint Joseph's University
, Lane went on to work as a certified public accountant
and financial statement
auditor for KPMG
for 20 years, between 1976 and 1996. He is the owner of Scottsdale-based internet service provider
, financial consulting, and telecommunications company Chatham Hill Group LLC. Lane was also an adjunct professor of business and accounting at Scottsdale Community College
.Outside of business, Lane also spent several years as an officer of the Board Of Management of the Scottsdale Paradise Valley YMCA.
Advisory Committee. He came to prominence locally for leading opposition to the proposed termination of the city's fire protection contract with Rural/Metro, and he co-chaired the Know Enough to Vote NO Committee, which advocated against Propositions 200 and 201. In April, 2003 Lane authored op-ed
s in the Phoenix Business Journal and the Scottsdale Republic in favor of retaining Rural/Metro, arguing that the existing private fire and EMS services were "excellent" and the measures would end up costing more while Scottsdale was experiencing a budget deficit. His effort was successful and the ballot measures were defeated by a wide margin, but Rural/Metro decided a few months later to abandon its work in Scottsdale after its contract expired in 2005, leading to the establishment of Scottsdale's municipal fire department. In a subsequent op-ed, Lane placed blame for the development on the International Association of Firefighters labor union, who had backed the measures, and were in failed contract negotiations with Rural/Metro.
(which he lives near), and ensuring the smooth creation of Scottsdale's new fire department. Lane's candidacy for city council was endorsed by the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Republic, and the Coalition of Pinnacle Peak, a local fiscal responsibility political action committee
. In a March primary election, all but one of the council candidates failed to secure the amount needed to avoid a runoff election. Lane places third in a field of nine candidates competing 4 open seats. The six candidates that moved on to the May 2004 general election placed in the same order as in the runoff; with the second-most votes, Lane was elected to the Scottsdale City Council. Lane was inaugurated to his first term on the city council on June 8, 2004.
Soon after his election, Lane joined other new council members-elect in criticizing the outgoing council's decision to vote on a controversial new compensation plan for the city manager on their last meeting, calling provisions that restricted the city council's ability to remove a the city manager a violation of the city charter. An opponent of the city's expenditures on the development of the Los Arcos Mall site, in July 2004 Lane opposed the proposed ASU Scottsdale Center for New Technology and Innovation (later known as SkySong) on the same site, which he considered a risky investment not worth the city's subsidy. Lane expressed support for the banning of all subsidies and tax incentives for private businesses by the city government, and supported state legislation making such practices illegal. After Lane and fellow conservative Bob Littlefield were left out of the budget subcommittee's membership, Lane accused Mayor Mary Manross
of politicizing the subcommittee appointments. In late 2005, Lane voted against the installation of photo radar speed enforcement on the Loop 101 freeway. Lane was sharply critical of three fellow council members during the Scottsdale's city council 2006 election, after, in what became a minor scandal, secretly "having a shill, Karl J. Kulick, represent himself as an independent voter to challenge" a candidate, who was disqualified for coming just under the signature requirement. However, Lane and some other council members raised eyebrows by endorsing candidates for the first time, rather than remaining neutral as had previously been traditional for sitting city council members; the candidate Lane endorsed, Bob Littlefield, was one of the council members Lane had accused of deceptive campaign practices. In 2007, Lane voted against a proposed plan to extend protections against discriminatory hiring practices to gay and transgendered employees; the measure ultimately failed. In December 2007 a similar measure was passed by the City Council, again with Lane's opposition.
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
city councilman and the current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Scottsdale. Lane is a resident of north Scottsdale
Private life
Lane has been a Scottsdale resident since 1973, when he moved from New Jersey. Prior to entering politics, Lane was a businessman; he was described as a "technology consultant" by the Arizona Republic during his first political campaign. He attended Seton Hall Preparatory SchoolSeton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep, is a Roman Catholic boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark...
in West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
, New Jersey. Having graduated with a BS in accounting from Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
, Lane went on to work as a certified public accountant
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
and financial statement
Financial statement
A financial statement is a formal record of the financial activities of a business, person, or other entity. In British English—including United Kingdom company law—a financial statement is often referred to as an account, although the term financial statement is also used, particularly by...
auditor for KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
for 20 years, between 1976 and 1996. He is the owner of Scottsdale-based internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, financial consulting, and telecommunications company Chatham Hill Group LLC. Lane was also an adjunct professor of business and accounting at Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College, is located in Salt River, Arizona, a suburb/rural area of Phoenix. Scottsdale Community College is a two-year college located on the eastern boundary of the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, on 160 acres of land belonging to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community...
.Outside of business, Lane also spent several years as an officer of the Board Of Management of the Scottsdale Paradise Valley YMCA.
Rural/Metro campaign
In the summer of 2001, Lane was appointed to the city of Scottsdale's Fire and Emergency medical servicesEmergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
Advisory Committee. He came to prominence locally for leading opposition to the proposed termination of the city's fire protection contract with Rural/Metro, and he co-chaired the Know Enough to Vote NO Committee, which advocated against Propositions 200 and 201. In April, 2003 Lane authored op-ed
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
s in the Phoenix Business Journal and the Scottsdale Republic in favor of retaining Rural/Metro, arguing that the existing private fire and EMS services were "excellent" and the measures would end up costing more while Scottsdale was experiencing a budget deficit. His effort was successful and the ballot measures were defeated by a wide margin, but Rural/Metro decided a few months later to abandon its work in Scottsdale after its contract expired in 2005, leading to the establishment of Scottsdale's municipal fire department. In a subsequent op-ed, Lane placed blame for the development on the International Association of Firefighters labor union, who had backed the measures, and were in failed contract negotiations with Rural/Metro.
City Council
Lane's early political involvement established the fiscal conservatism and engagement in economic issues that he would later run on. In 2004, Lane was a candidate for the Scottsdale City Council. He ran as a political outsider, criticizing the dominant political culture. Lane pledged to foster greater transparency and accountability, cut taxes, and reduce spending, especially by ending preferential treatment and subsidies for businesses. He supported all three measures on the ballot with the City Council vote, which would increase the sales tax to support the McDowell Sonoran Preserve purchases and increase police and fire funding. He also campaigned on revitalization of south Scottsdale, noise reduction at the Scottsdale AirportScottsdale Airport
Scottsdale Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located nine miles north of the central business district of Scottsdale, a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Although most U.S...
(which he lives near), and ensuring the smooth creation of Scottsdale's new fire department. Lane's candidacy for city council was endorsed by the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Republic, and the Coalition of Pinnacle Peak, a local fiscal responsibility political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
. In a March primary election, all but one of the council candidates failed to secure the amount needed to avoid a runoff election. Lane places third in a field of nine candidates competing 4 open seats. The six candidates that moved on to the May 2004 general election placed in the same order as in the runoff; with the second-most votes, Lane was elected to the Scottsdale City Council. Lane was inaugurated to his first term on the city council on June 8, 2004.
Soon after his election, Lane joined other new council members-elect in criticizing the outgoing council's decision to vote on a controversial new compensation plan for the city manager on their last meeting, calling provisions that restricted the city council's ability to remove a the city manager a violation of the city charter. An opponent of the city's expenditures on the development of the Los Arcos Mall site, in July 2004 Lane opposed the proposed ASU Scottsdale Center for New Technology and Innovation (later known as SkySong) on the same site, which he considered a risky investment not worth the city's subsidy. Lane expressed support for the banning of all subsidies and tax incentives for private businesses by the city government, and supported state legislation making such practices illegal. After Lane and fellow conservative Bob Littlefield were left out of the budget subcommittee's membership, Lane accused Mayor Mary Manross
Mary Manross
Mary Manross is the former Democratic mayor of Scottsdale, Arizona. First elected in June 2000, she served two terms and lost her candidacy for her third term as mayor in the November 2008 runoff mayoral election to her opponent, former Certified Public Accountant and businessman and former city...
of politicizing the subcommittee appointments. In late 2005, Lane voted against the installation of photo radar speed enforcement on the Loop 101 freeway. Lane was sharply critical of three fellow council members during the Scottsdale's city council 2006 election, after, in what became a minor scandal, secretly "having a shill, Karl J. Kulick, represent himself as an independent voter to challenge" a candidate, who was disqualified for coming just under the signature requirement. However, Lane and some other council members raised eyebrows by endorsing candidates for the first time, rather than remaining neutral as had previously been traditional for sitting city council members; the candidate Lane endorsed, Bob Littlefield, was one of the council members Lane had accused of deceptive campaign practices. In 2007, Lane voted against a proposed plan to extend protections against discriminatory hiring practices to gay and transgendered employees; the measure ultimately failed. In December 2007 a similar measure was passed by the City Council, again with Lane's opposition.