One-on-One with Mayor-Elect Stanton

PHOENIX - Tuesday, the city of Phoenix will get its first new mayor in 8 years. Mayor elect Greg Stanton will be inaugurated in the morning.

Greg Stanton is putting is finishing touches on his speech, but he says plans to stick to what he campaigned on.

A big part of that, he says, will be making city government more accessible.

“I believe that there is a perception that it has gotten a little too insider, a little too incestuous, we are going to blow that right open,” he says.

Stanton served on the Phoenix City Council for 8 years, leaving in 2009 to work the Attorney General’s Office.

Diversifying phoenix's economy will be a top priority.

“I have a relentless commitment for getting Phoenix ready for the international economy, and I am so tired when the rest of the goes into a recession we slide back even further because we don’t have the depth in our economy.”

Stanton believes the city has a communication problem, and he wants to make city government more transparent.

“I want the people of this city to have confidence that all the decisions are going to be made in their interest and not special interests. That this is a cleanly run city.”

Over the past couple of years the city has taken some high profile hits over employee pay and benefits. Stanton wants to reform the pension system without making enemies.

“I don't think that we should treat city employees as political pawns -- to try and create false adversarial relationships. We can solve these issues but we can solve them best in partnership with our employees.”

As for that 2 percent grocery tax the city implemented in the depths of the recession, Stanton wants it gone by May of 2013.

“Letting people know that we are going to get rid of it as the budget improves, but let’s do it in a way where we don't hurt our highest priority, which is our police and fire.”

The inauguration ceremony begins at 10 Tuesday morning at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix.