Phoenix New Times, LLC
Staff Article
| Media |

New Times Poll: Does Jeff Flake Need to Mow His Lawn? You Decide!

Staff Article | June 30, 2016 | 5:02am
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • email
  • Print Article
AA
^
Keep New Times Free
Support Us
I Support
  • Local
  • Community
  • Journalism
  • logo

Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.

Support Us

The other day, Associated Press Congressional reporter Erica Werner tweeted a sweet tweet, quoting Arizona-Senator-slash-Donald-J.-Trump-hater Jeff Flake's response to a question about whether he intends to go to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland in mid-July.

"'No. I've got to mow my lawn.' -Sen Flake on whether he's attending GOP convention," Werner hunt-and-pecked at 6:06 p.m. on June 27.

Please read web version for embedded content

Werner's a reporter with bona fides out the bazoo, but she's based in Washington and we're based in Flakelandia, so — deep sigh — it falls to New Times to put down our ice-cold Tecate, do some Internet sleuthing, and look into whether, in fact, Senator Flake's lawn needs a good mowing.

Related Stories

  • Flake’s Bill Allowing Internet Companies to Sell Your Private Data Passes Congress

Here, then, is a birds-eye shot of the Flake plot in Mesa:

According to the county assessor, Jeff Flake and his wife Cheryl paid $440,000 for the 4,625-square-foot home on November 30, 1999. The assessor's office values the house at $587,000 for 2017 tax purposes — down from $664,200 in 2016. The real estate website Zillow thinks its market value is $775,688, FWIW. Dunno how many bedrooms it has, but it has — count 'em! — 4.75 bathrooms, per Zillow. And a three-car garage.

The question, though, is: Will Jeff be towing the ol' Toro around the yard two weeks from now?

The yard:

Disclaimer: Can we say with 1,000 percent certainty that this lovely home is U.S. Senator Jeff Flake's? No, we cannot. As our daddy used to instruct as he bounced little us on his knee, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and property taxes." But the address is within the boundaries of Arizona's Sixth Congressional District that were in place during most of Flake's tenure in the House of Representatives. It even appears to be within the boundaries of the old First Congressional District, which Flake represented in his first term, before being redistricted when Arizona got two new House seats in advance of the 2002 election. It's the only home in Maricopa County purchased in the name of Jeffrey and Cheryl Flake. And it's listed as the Flakes' primary residence.

So, what'll it be: Mow? Or no mow?

Please read web version for embedded content
  • News
  • Media
  • Politics

Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy

The Phoenix New Times may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners.

©2021 Phoenix New Times, LLC. All rights reserved.

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: California Privacy Policy | California Collection Notice | Do Not Sell My Info