What's it like to live in Phoenix? Chances are you enjoy "dry heat" and an active participation in local government. Since 1950, Phoenix's government and citizens have actively passed bonds totaling more than $3.5 million. In 1988, a bill was passed setting aside more than $1 billion in bonds alone. What's up with all these bonds, and why do people in Phoenix like them so much? Well, things that were made possible from that money include:

• The establishment of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve Program, a 6,000-acre open-spaces project, never before seen in urban America.
• The expansion of the Civic Plaza, which was increased in size to 340,000 square feet in 1985 and renovated in 1995, so that it now can accommodate some of the country's largest conventions and conferences.
• The Development of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which serves almost 25 million commercial passengers a year and is among the fastest-growing airports in the country.
• The building of the 20-story Phoenix City Hall, which opened in 1993 and now houses about 1,300 city employees.
• The opening of the Central Library in 1995.
• The construction of the History Museum and Arizona Science Center in 1996.
• The expansion of the Phoenix Art Museum in 1996.

Currently, Phoenix has more than $1 billion in public and private projects intended to better the lifestyle of all citizens. Phoenix has won innumerable awards ranging from overall safety, to the quality of airports and even advances in the field of technology. It won the Carl Bertelsmann award in 1993, an accolade given to the best-run city government in the world.

Things to do around town
Need a break from all the active participation that seems to keep everyone so busy? Go play a round of golf on one of Phoenix's championship golf courses. They even have a 24-hour tee-off reservation hotline. Is watching sports a little bit more your speed? Check out one of Phoenix's nine professional sports teams or any number of the professional baseball teams that call Phoenix home during the months of spring training.

The Arizona Science Center complex contains a museum with 350 hands-on exhibits that encourage visitors to explore and experiment with computers, bubbles, weather, physics and biology. It is a great place to bring the kids if you've brought your family along to Phoenix. Another attractive feature is a five-story giant- screen theater with shows about the American West, NASA and other subjects. The planetarium has star shows every hour, and in the evenings, you see one of the planetarium's laser light shows that accompany the music of bands such as Pink Floyd and the Doors.

Want to enjoy that "dry heat?" Explore one of Phoenix's many guided trails for a day of hiking. The historic landscape and preserved space are always a great adventure. Cap off any day with a nighttime trip to Copper Square, whose website, http://www.coppersquare.com/ bills it as "90 blocks of urban lifestyle, attractions and business in the heart of Phoenix."

Sources:
(http://phoenix.gov/CITYGOV/history.html#BORN)

(http://www.coppersquare.com/)