Vice Mayor Vincent Manfredi says his experience as a business owner influences how he works with local companies and how he serves on the Maricopa City Council, according to InMaricopa.
In a letter to the editor, Manfredi said he understands the pressure of making payroll, paying bills, and keeping a business moving when things do not go as planned. He said that perspective matters when elected officials make decisions that affect employers and workers.
Manfredi said he supported ending Maricopa’s general business-license requirement, which was eliminated Jan. 1, 2019, while keeping licensing in place for regulated businesses. He also said he voted for the scallop ordinance adopted this year, which allows the city to build qualifying infrastructure and recover costs from the properties that benefit.
He added that transportation and infrastructure projects such as SR 347, the Sonoran Desert Parkway, local roads and alternate routes are important to businesses that need to move goods, serve customers and get employees to work. Manfredi also said the city needs more commercial and light industrial space, and that development reviews should be clear, fair and timely for projects such as food truck courts, small shops and new workplaces.
Manfredi said his company, InMaricopa, offers paid opportunities for teens and young adults in journalism, photography, advertising, marketing and digital media. He said he wants more employers to give young residents a first step toward a career in Maricopa while the city continues to pursue major employers and prepare industrial areas for investment.
