Phoenix Councilman Michael Johnson, who is barred from seeking re-election because of city-imposed term limits, has already made plans for his post-council days.
He and former Councilwoman Peggy Neely are linking their political-connected circles to start a consulting firm dubbed Johnson-Neely Public Strategies.
As it turns out, the unlikely duo joined the city council at the same time, and forged a political bond at a time when there was a deep rift among their colleagues.
"It forced Peggy and I to form a bond, and from that, a friendship developed," says Johnson.
The pair served together for about a decade on the Phoenix City Council, and now plan to leverage the political connections they've made in local, regional and state government to help their clients.
Neely, who lost her bid for mayor in 2011, said she isn't interested in managing political campaigns. Neither is Johnson.
They prefer to help companies navigate the city's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, which certifies socially and economically disadvantaged business owners. They just launched their company this week, but Neely says she's been in talks with a handful of potential clients.
Johnson tells New Times that his interests lie the same areas he's focused on during his time as an elected official -- boosting small, local and minority businesses to give them a competitive edge.
- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
As a former homicide detective with the Phoenix Police Department, Johnson is also looking for clients who could benefit from his knowledge and expertise in law enforcement.
"I'm really excited about the opportunity for both of us to work together," Neely says. "We have a large sphere of contacts and experience."
As for Neely, she plans to blend her experience in real estate and working major development project while on the city council to serve as more of a strategic planner for her clients.
Visit arizonapublicpolicy.com.
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.
