; ;

Independence You Can Trust

Phillip A. Fingerhut Spirit Award
2006
Tribute to Women Civic Leader Honoree
2005
Who's Who in Business Golden Heart Finalist
2002, 2003, 2005
Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Athena Finalist
2002, 2003
  • "I support Karlene's vision for safer schools and a stronger business climate. She is the leader that will bring the community together to make it happen."
    Robin Stamp
    Parent, School Board Member
  • "I support Karlene because we need informed, reasonable leaders who make effective decisions."
    Barby Barone
    President
    Biltmore Advisors, Inc.
  • "I support Karlene because she supports our local schools."
    Alexa Salas
    Student
  • "I support Karlene because she supports human rights."
    Dan Mallar
    Account Manager
    ProThera
  • "I support Karlene because she brings the real world business experience needed on Phoenix City Council."
    Angela Hallier
    Owner
    Hallier & Lawrence, PLC
  • "I support Karlene because she has a long history of giving back to the community."
    Alex Benezra
    Principal Attorney
    Alexander S. Benezra, PLLC

Engage with the campaign


Karlene Keogh Parks

I UNDERSTAND ON THE MOST PERSONAL LEVEL WHAT A TERRIFIC COMMUNITY PHOENIX IS. I was raised here, attending St Mary's High School and ASU. But my transformative moment came when I was a young, single mother with a 5 year-old daughter. I faced a tough time.

Fortunately, there were people around who extended the hand of compassion and help and I was able to get on my feet, get a job, and bring my daughter the home-life stability she needed. I became the first woman in the state of Arizona to sell life insurance and I worked hard at it. Over time, I succeeded. I moved into selling health insurance, established my own brokerage firm, and that little girl that went through tough times at my side went on to get a great education and become a vascular surgeon.
“I became the first woman in the state of Arizona to sell life insurance and I worked hard at it.”
THIS EXPERIENCE TAUGHT ME THE VALUE OF HARD WORK AND TENACITY, BUT IT ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT A FEW CARING PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. I made a pledge that I would pass the opportunity I had on to others who faced tough times. That's why I founded the Keogh Health Connection, a non-profit organization that brings healthcare and nutrition to disadvantaged individuals and families—mostly women and children—so they can get the stability they need to go out and make a new life. To date we've served more than 200,000 Arizonans and the organization is growing faster than ever.

As part of my pledge, I was also the first woman to chair the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, and have served on the board of directors for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, and Phoenix Rotary 100, among many others.

I am currently Senior Vice President at HUB International Insurance Services, with more than 20 offices in the United States and Canada.

District 6 Issues

ASK
 
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Jane M.
asked
What is your opinion about the continuation of the 2 percent food tax?
See Answer
Answer
Jane, my answer to this is related to your question re budget cutbacks on our parks, so I am going to combine both answers if you don't mind. As a longtime business owner, I believe the City of Phoenix should never hold onto taxpayer dollars that are not necessary to perform the basic functions it is charged with providing. However, maintaining the beauty, safety, and accessibility of our parks is part of that core mission and the city is failing if this is not done well. Of course, your larger question is not just about parks. The City Manager laid out what would happen if we did what Councilman DiCiccio called for and eliminated the food tax altogether—Phoenix would be forced to lay off 99 police officers and four 9-1-1 officers, reduce library hours, cut accessibility to public pools, as well as reduce services to seniors centers and afterschool programs. I disagree with any approach that jeopardizes key city services. I appreciate the alternative introduced by Councilmembers Nowakowski and Williams, that the City Manager says can reduce the food tax without hurting city services. I also support the Council directing city staff to carefully study the proposal's impact before voting to put it into effect. Finally, I am concerned that while Mr. DiCiccio joined the Mayor in voting for this proposal, his political signs continue to push for cuts that would jeopardize pubic safety and other key services.
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Barb G.
asked
Phenix has trouble attracting good sustainable employment. What do you see yourself doing to fix this?
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Answer
HI Barb, that is a huge and important question, so please forgive the long response. As a successful business owner, job creator, and former board member of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, I bring a unique set of skills and experience to the role of City Councilmember. And I know that helping the private sector create high wage jobs has to be our number one priority. As part of my strategy I will focus on taking a regional approach to attracting new business and jobs, using the city's purchasing power to support local businesses, working with key industrial hubs, creating small business incubators like CO+HOOTS for Phoenix and the district, and visiting with at least 5 local businesses every month. In addition I’ll avoid the unfortunate extreme ideological agendas that hurt our future and development deals that give away millions in taxpayer dollars with little or no return.
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Patricia M. J.
asked
How are you going to protect our neighborhoods?
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Answer
That’s a very important question Patricia. Remember this district is comprised of many neighborhoods, including Ahwatukee, Arcadia, the Biltmore, and North Central Phoenix, and we both know that the unique quality of life our neighborhoods have to offer is why people like you and me choose to live here. It’s also why so many businesses want to expand here. Finding the right zoning and development balance to encourage smart growth, create new jobs, and preserve neighborhoods is the critically important challenge. Specifically, we need to:
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Myer S. R.
asked
Your opponent was one of those opposed to a LGBT non-discrimination policy in the city. How outspoken would you be for gay rights?
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Answer
I believe we have to safeguard the human rights and dignity of all of our citizens. I attended the hearing in support of the ordinance, which by the way, also provides protection against discrimination for people with disabilities. I think most people expected Mr. DiCiccio to vote against the ordinance, but I was deeply disappointed in the way he used his office to trivialize and mock the issue, calling it the "bathroom bill." Phoenix needs leadership that is respectful and is working to unite us rather than divide us.
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Dean R.
asked
I believe bike riding it is good for our health, the envoronment, and for business. Will you support greater cycling infrastructure?
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Answer
This is an issue that is very personal for me, Dean. For many years I was an avid biker, riding every Sunday with a bike club that met out of Granada Park. I stopped cold when one of my dearest, closest friends was killed in a traffic accident while riding his bicycle. I saw a post on www.phoenixspokespeople.blogspot.com that talks about creating a real separation between bike lanes and the rest of the road through the use of elevation, curbs, and planters. That is smart and reasonable, and I will work for that on the City Council. I will also work for greater connectivity of the city's bike lanes and look into a ride share program similar to the one in NYC that--in addition to the obvious health and environmental benefits--is projected to generate 170 new jobs and $36 million in revenue.
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Barbara M.
asked
How would you promote sustainable development and protect the environment?
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Answer
Great question, Barbara. As a businesswoman and former board member of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, I am in favor of promoting sustainability because it makes bottom line sense. We can potentially save taxpayers millions of dollars while reducing pollution and preserving our quality of life. The City of Phoenix spends $75 Million on electricity every year, yet some simple things can reduce that. For instance, switching to LED lights can cut the energy usage of our streetlights by 80%. The Energize Phoenix program was a wonderful collaboration between the city, ASU, and APS that increased energy efficiency in one targeted area. It cost residents nothing, but has now reduced residential energy bills by18-20% per year. We should be extending lightrail and making it easier and more safe to bike around the city. And we should continue improving the city's walkability while providing more frequent bus access and better route connectivity. During tough budget times we may not be able to do everything at once, but we have to start planning right now, and we have to recognize that there is a real cost that comes with ignoring the challenge.
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carol j.
asked
What is your stance on the following? Denying ACCHS health care to yound adults because the do not have children.
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Answer
Due to budget constraints 2 years ago, the Governor eliminated AHCCCS to childless adults. Now there is discussion about expanding Arizona’s Medicaid program to cover anyone earning up to 133% of the federal poverty level. This is actually a restoration of the original plan and I am very much in favor of it. The federal government would cover 90% of the cost of the program, covering more than a quarter million low-income Arizonans and bringing billions of dollars into the state. Governor Brewer proposes to pay Arizona’s share of the program by taxing hospitals, which she said would come at no cost to the state’s strained general fund. According to the Governor’s budget office, the federal match for about 300,000 childless adults on AHCCCS would be about $1.8 billion in fiscal year 2015, nearly $2 billion 2016, just over $2 billion 2017 and $2.1 billion in 2018. Arizona would also receive about $464 million for the second half of fiscal year 2014, when the Governor expects the expansion to go into place. The other part of the equation is that the state’s 10% match will be funded by the hospital tax. This tax is expected not only to fund the state’s match for new coverage, but also to offset money the state is already spending on preexisting coverage. The Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting estimates that the general fund will get an extra $62 million in 2014, $136 million in 2015 and $155 million in 2016. The economic impact of the Medicaid expansion is substantial. According to a study by ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business, the proposed expansion would create 2,717 new jobs in 2014, 13,821 new jobs in 2015, and 15,419 new jobs in 2016. Another study estimates that Arizona would bring in about $7.3 million in additional sales tax and income tax revenues in fiscal year 2014, $27.2 million in 2015 and $42 million in 2016.
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Tom C.
asked
Do you support the policies of Barak Obama?
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Answer
I am a registered independent. I do not make sweeping decisions based on any individual personality or party line, but on the merits of the issue. I believe our municipal elections are non-partisan for a reason. It's because when we start polarizing over national agendas we lose sight of the role of the Council—to deliver basic quality services in the most effective and efficient way possible.
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Kay L. S.
asked
What would you do to protect Senior Citizens in our neighborhoods?
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Answer
We have got to maintain funding for public safety in Phoenix. Whether that funding is for firefighters or police officers, it effects response times in an emergency as well as the safety of our streets, and it can make the difference between life and death. Some of the other services that I will fight to preserve are senior centers and public transportation like light rail, buses, and Dial-A-Ride. These critical services have already taken cuts—two seniors centers have been permanently closed and according to a recent survey, 97% of our police officers believe they don't have the resources they need to keep us safe, yet Councilman DiCiccio has called for even deeper cuts. As a longtime businesswoman, I believe in finding ways to trim fat. But you have to be able to tell the difference between fat and fundamentally important services like public safety and the programs senior citizens rely on.
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Dorothy M.
asked
What's your party affiliation?
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Answer
I am a registered Independent.
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Terrance H. B. S.
asked
Coming to Phoenix one does not know there are 22 Arizona Native American Tribes & connecting with us prospers the city. Why not engage us?
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Answer
I agree. The 22 Tribes are part of Phoenix's rich history and cultural diversity and Native Americans—from all these tribes—make up a large portion of our residents. We should be promoting that rich heritage, and a representative from the city should regularly attend meetings of the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona to foster the connectivity you are talking about.
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Doug G.
asked
What will you do to encourage more infill development, or re-development of decaying commercial areas?
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Answer
Doug, the Downtown warehouse district by the arena is a great example of how a commercial area can be turned around. It was once considered by many to be a lost cause, but now it has the potential to be an exciting and vibrant part of the city. The city has played a collaborative role in that redevelopment with key organizations like the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, the Phoenix Community Alliance, and Downtown Phoenix, Inc. That collaborative, proactive role is one I would look to play on the City Council. The development of Downtown with new restaurants and the Cityscape project has made a big difference, but ultimately, success is going to be based on attracting residents to sustain grocery stores and other amenities. Likewise, I believe infill development can do a lot to restore neighborhoods. The key is to work closely with local community leaders to make sure zoning is handled appropriately.
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Henry G. F.
asked
Where do you stand on gun control
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Answer
I am a proud gun owner for both recreation and safety. However, I believe we have to reduce gun violence and I support requiring universal background checks as a sensible way to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorists, and the mentally ill.
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Kate
asked
Do you think public art can celebrate the diversity and history of our city?
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Answer
Of course. Our history and diversity is a big part of the reason many people choose to live in Phoenix or spend their vacation time here. Whether it is about Native American history and culture, or the Phoenix of the 19th and 20th centuries, I think there is a welcome place in our public art to reflect that. And we are a city of the future, too, and the people writing the next chapters come from all over the world and there is room for that to be reflected, as well. Ultimately, I believe public art is about beauty and impact and making us think, and that can take many forms. The potential surprise and variety of it is one of the reasons art is so able to enrich our lives.
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Ziven
asked
What about crime, assault weapons and gang violence?
See Answer
Answer
This is such an important question. Recently, the private company that conducts research for the City of Phoenix surveyed the 2900 members of the Phoenix Police Department on behalf of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. What they found is that 97% of our police officers believe they don't have the resources to get the job done. It is unconscionable that things have gotten to this point. But even though the Department is down 263 officers, Sal DiCiccio wants to cut taxes and eliminate another 99 police officers and four 911 operators. That is the equivalent of losing 1 full police precinct. The city has already seen some rise in crime and we cannot afford to lose the fight against gang-related violence, property theft, drugs, and quality of life crimes like graffiti and vagrancy. Finally, it is important to remember that maintaining police equipment and staffing levels is also about officer safety. Fewer officers covering the 518 square miles of Phoenix spreads the force thin and increases their risk. As citizens, we have an obligation to look out for the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us.
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john c.
asked
Because you are running for a municipal office, can you explain your voting record in past municipal elections?
See Answer
Answer
I am happy to share my voting history with you in its entirety. I have voted in every even-year general election for as long as I can remember. I started voting in municipal elections when I saw things beginning to go in a dangerously partisan direction—and moving away from transparency and accountability. I voted in the mayor's race, the 2013 special election, and of course am running now—a step I would never have considered if I didn't think it was important.
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Ron H.
from Ahwatukee, Arizona asked
What is your position on the loop 202 extension? Should it be built at all and if so should it be through Ahwatukee or somewhare else?
See Answer
Answer
Routing the Loop 202 through residential neighborhoods, destroying a church, 200 homes, and cutting a hole in the side of South Mountain is a complete non-starter for me, dead on arrival. Joint EPA and DEQ studies have already identified elevated levels of toxins from vehicle emissions and the proposed route only increases that danger. Additionally, construction and the blasting of South Mountain will clearly aggravate the levels of particulate matter that already exceed safety standards. What's more, aligning the Loop 202 on tribal lands has been voted down twice by the Gila River Indian Community. It is unlikely to pass in the future, and issues with air quality and noise pollution remain. For all these reasons, I believe the money we would spend on the project should instead be spent making the existing freeway better and improving local streets. And finally, I am concerned that Councilman DiCiccio has leased land that falls along the proposed Loop 202 route and that he will benefit financially no matter which alignment it follows. According to an AZ Republic investigation in January of 2010, Councilman DiCiccio did not disclose his conflict of interest, yet "participated in closed-door Loop 202 negotiations." The article goes on to say that, "DiCiccio won't say how much he invested or what his potential profit could be." This runs counter to the transparency and accountability taxpayers expect and deserve from their elected officials and I believe it compromises his ability to represent us effectively.
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