~Kristen Pizzillo~
2014
Editing Note: School bond and override elections are always contentious. No one wants their tax rates to go up. But, I think most people can agree we all want good schools. Good schools translate into higher property values. Last year, I was a proponent of the Liberty Elementary School District bond measure. Wow! What a nail-biter. It passed by just a mere 45 votes.
How does this relate to my next pick for "People of the West Valley?" Kristen Pizzillo is the working mom of two (of the most adorable) little girls in the Palm Valley area of Goodyear. I find her unique as she's an advocate of local elections and especially elections involving schools... she's unique because many younger couples don't vote. I wanted to know what motivates Kristen. I hope you enjoy her story as much as I do.

Q. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
A. I am 33 years old and a proud Native Arizonan. I spent most of my youth growing up in Peoria, yet I also call Prescott home, as I spent early childhood living there. I have a Bachelor degree in Marketing from Arizona State University, with a minor in History. I have been married for 10 years to my best friend, Nick, and together we have 2 pretty amazing girls, Sophia and Aubrey. Some of my favorite things to do in my spare time are reading (particularly anything John Patterson), exploring new hiking trails, going to Arizona Cardinals games (Go Cards!), meeting up with friends for coffee, and spending time with my family.
Q. What motivates you to be involved in your community?
A. At the current stage of my life, most of my motivations to serve and be involved come from my kids. They are the two that push me to strive to be the best I can be. I try my best to stay involved at the school, volunteering when I can, both in their schools and with the extracurricular activities i.e. Girl Scouts.
Q. What challenges do you face as a working mom in the West Valley?
A. I’ve been a real estate agent for 11 years, 6 of those years were spent in new home sales. I took a few years off after working for Pulte Homes to be home and raise my girls. It was the most rewarding thing I could do and will be forever grateful that I have the ability to be home when I need to. Today I work for a small residential resale firm, Arizona eHomes. I work alongside two of the most professional Realtors I’ve ever known, my broker Tim and his wife Kym. They are good friends of mine who so graciously have taken me on their team as their buyer’s agent. I think my challenges as a working mom are those that most working moms face, and that is the balance of work and home. Resale is an always on call job, you never know when your clients will call and want to see that house that just went on the market, and I’ve learned to embrace that there is only one me, so time management is always a work in progress. I love to sell homes, they are the biggest investment in most people’s life, but I also love that my job is flexible enough to set my hours around my young kids' schedules.
Q. Do you support the Litchfield Elementary School District capital bond and why?
A. 100% yes, I support the LESD bond override. The current state of our education system in Arizona is extremely troubling. For too long our state has ranked at the bottom of the 50 states, and at what point do we say enough is enough? It’s time to shift the focus on how we handle the education system. I don’t think throwing money at the schools is always the best answer, but for where we are at currently, with the projections in population growth over the next decade, I feel it’s imperative that the bond is passed.
Q. What advice would you give to the retired resident - or family who has no children attending local schools - who might be on the fence about voting for the bond?
A. My advice to anyone that is currently retired and maybe on the fence about supporting the school bond: Number one, I can totally understand the frustration that one would feel, when you may be living on a fixed retirement income, and once again the schools are at it again asking for your Yes vote for money. But the message I want to deliver is please consider the consequences of not voting for it. We force schools to have to make cuts to areas in education that are so essential. Aides are so essential to teachers in our classrooms that are already overly populated. The technology we need in our schools, the extracurricular programs being offered are all examples of the need for the override. I’m a fiscal conservative, yet I can’t justify not giving the extra tax dollars to schools. I worked in the Del Webb active adult communities during my time in new home sales, and every other day I was asked if there was a school tax exemption. It’s understandable that you are simply tired of paying for schools in retirement, your kids no longer are in the system, I get it. But the bottom line is quality schools benefits ALL people in a community. People want to invest moving into an area where there are high ranked schools, so your Yes vote contributes to more than just a few more dollars on the property tax. We all win.
A. I am 33 years old and a proud Native Arizonan. I spent most of my youth growing up in Peoria, yet I also call Prescott home, as I spent early childhood living there. I have a Bachelor degree in Marketing from Arizona State University, with a minor in History. I have been married for 10 years to my best friend, Nick, and together we have 2 pretty amazing girls, Sophia and Aubrey. Some of my favorite things to do in my spare time are reading (particularly anything John Patterson), exploring new hiking trails, going to Arizona Cardinals games (Go Cards!), meeting up with friends for coffee, and spending time with my family.
Q. What motivates you to be involved in your community?
A. At the current stage of my life, most of my motivations to serve and be involved come from my kids. They are the two that push me to strive to be the best I can be. I try my best to stay involved at the school, volunteering when I can, both in their schools and with the extracurricular activities i.e. Girl Scouts.
Q. What challenges do you face as a working mom in the West Valley?
A. I’ve been a real estate agent for 11 years, 6 of those years were spent in new home sales. I took a few years off after working for Pulte Homes to be home and raise my girls. It was the most rewarding thing I could do and will be forever grateful that I have the ability to be home when I need to. Today I work for a small residential resale firm, Arizona eHomes. I work alongside two of the most professional Realtors I’ve ever known, my broker Tim and his wife Kym. They are good friends of mine who so graciously have taken me on their team as their buyer’s agent. I think my challenges as a working mom are those that most working moms face, and that is the balance of work and home. Resale is an always on call job, you never know when your clients will call and want to see that house that just went on the market, and I’ve learned to embrace that there is only one me, so time management is always a work in progress. I love to sell homes, they are the biggest investment in most people’s life, but I also love that my job is flexible enough to set my hours around my young kids' schedules.
Q. Do you support the Litchfield Elementary School District capital bond and why?
A. 100% yes, I support the LESD bond override. The current state of our education system in Arizona is extremely troubling. For too long our state has ranked at the bottom of the 50 states, and at what point do we say enough is enough? It’s time to shift the focus on how we handle the education system. I don’t think throwing money at the schools is always the best answer, but for where we are at currently, with the projections in population growth over the next decade, I feel it’s imperative that the bond is passed.
Q. What advice would you give to the retired resident - or family who has no children attending local schools - who might be on the fence about voting for the bond?
A. My advice to anyone that is currently retired and maybe on the fence about supporting the school bond: Number one, I can totally understand the frustration that one would feel, when you may be living on a fixed retirement income, and once again the schools are at it again asking for your Yes vote for money. But the message I want to deliver is please consider the consequences of not voting for it. We force schools to have to make cuts to areas in education that are so essential. Aides are so essential to teachers in our classrooms that are already overly populated. The technology we need in our schools, the extracurricular programs being offered are all examples of the need for the override. I’m a fiscal conservative, yet I can’t justify not giving the extra tax dollars to schools. I worked in the Del Webb active adult communities during my time in new home sales, and every other day I was asked if there was a school tax exemption. It’s understandable that you are simply tired of paying for schools in retirement, your kids no longer are in the system, I get it. But the bottom line is quality schools benefits ALL people in a community. People want to invest moving into an area where there are high ranked schools, so your Yes vote contributes to more than just a few more dollars on the property tax. We all win.

Q. Goodyear has a very low voter turnout year after year. Is voting important to you? Do you think you're a rarity in your age group? If so, why?
A. Voting is very important to me. It always has been since I turned 18. I grew up learning that voting is something that you do, regardless of what side of the issue you are on, or the chances your side won’t win. It is our right in this country, something I wish every American would take the time to do. I never really felt like I was a rarity for my age group, but when I saw the numbers of voter turnout at the last local election, I guess I am a rarity. It’s sad that my generation doesn’t turn out better to get their voices heard.
Q. Which local events do you look forward to every year?
A. One of my favorite times of the year is July 4th, and I have enjoyed for the last few years Goodyear’s star spangled 4th celebration. It’s gotten better every year so far, and continues to get bigger and better. I also enjoy Spring Training every year, there is nothing like catching a cheap game of professional baseball and getting a sun tan on. We are so fortunate that here in AZ we can look forward to these games each year. Another one of my favorite festivals is the Salsa Challenge at Tempe Beach park. Always a fun time!
Q. If the West Valley could do one thing to improve, what would you like it to be?
A. If the West Valley can improve upon one thing, it is to shift focus on the retail component that is so desperately needed here in Goodyear. For so long the line has been “when the mall comes they will come” but I say the local officials and EcDev team need to go around the mall and compete heavily for other companies. I don’t want to see Goodyear turn into a primary industrial city. I know we need industrial warehouse because of the proximity to the interstate, but I think we can improve upon the retail side of growing this city. I think we can do a much better job at selling the features of this city, and to me it’s been lagging. Now that the 303 loop has just about come to completion, it’s game on for our city! Companies should want to grow here!
A. Voting is very important to me. It always has been since I turned 18. I grew up learning that voting is something that you do, regardless of what side of the issue you are on, or the chances your side won’t win. It is our right in this country, something I wish every American would take the time to do. I never really felt like I was a rarity for my age group, but when I saw the numbers of voter turnout at the last local election, I guess I am a rarity. It’s sad that my generation doesn’t turn out better to get their voices heard.
Q. Which local events do you look forward to every year?
A. One of my favorite times of the year is July 4th, and I have enjoyed for the last few years Goodyear’s star spangled 4th celebration. It’s gotten better every year so far, and continues to get bigger and better. I also enjoy Spring Training every year, there is nothing like catching a cheap game of professional baseball and getting a sun tan on. We are so fortunate that here in AZ we can look forward to these games each year. Another one of my favorite festivals is the Salsa Challenge at Tempe Beach park. Always a fun time!
Q. If the West Valley could do one thing to improve, what would you like it to be?
A. If the West Valley can improve upon one thing, it is to shift focus on the retail component that is so desperately needed here in Goodyear. For so long the line has been “when the mall comes they will come” but I say the local officials and EcDev team need to go around the mall and compete heavily for other companies. I don’t want to see Goodyear turn into a primary industrial city. I know we need industrial warehouse because of the proximity to the interstate, but I think we can improve upon the retail side of growing this city. I think we can do a much better job at selling the features of this city, and to me it’s been lagging. Now that the 303 loop has just about come to completion, it’s game on for our city! Companies should want to grow here!