League Remembers Former Director Jack DeBolske

The League remembers our former long-time director Jack DeBolske who passed away in July at the age of 89.

Jack was the Executive Director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns for 40 years, from 1957 to 1997, and made a major impact on local and state government in Arizona.

Jack at his last League Conference as Director (1997) with Life Members Harry Mitchell, Gerry Whipple, Chris Bavasi, Hugh Guinn, George Renner, Ben Williams, Jr., Abe Rochlin, Max Klass and Gary Scaramazzo

Jack with Mayor Mark Mitchell, Tempe and League Life Members Harry Mitchell, George Renner and Christopher J. Bavasi at the 2015 Morrison Institute for Public Policy Legacy Award ceremony.

Among his many accomplishments was the establishment of the League as the combined legislative voice for all the incorporated cities and towns in the state, the creation of the Maricopa Association of Governments which he led from 1967 to 1996, negotiation of Arizona’s landmark 1980 Groundwater Management Act, establishment of the Risk Pool for property liability and workers compensation insurance for municipalities, and many other accomplishments.

President Kennedy visiting with a young Jack DeBolske and a group of Mayors

He was a strong advocate for excellence in city management and was instrumental in having the council-manager form of government adopted in municipalities throughout the state. He spearheaded the 1972 citizen ballot initiative that established the Urban Revenue Sharing system in Arizona and he was instrumental in the passage of Prop. 300 in 1985 which instituted a half-cent sales tax in Maricopa County to finance the regional freeway system.

Jack (on far left) visiting with Mayor Max Klass of Glendale, Mayor Sylvan Harenberg of Flagstaff, Arizona Governor Jack Williams and Mayor John Driggs of Phoenix during the open house for the new League building (circa 1972)

Carol Anderson, Mayor of Kingman and Jack DeBolske with Governor Fife Symington at a bill signing ceremony.

In 2011 he was honored as one of ten outstanding individuals to receive the first-ever Arizona Transportation Legacy Awards at a special ceremony in Tucson, and in 2015 he received the ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy Legacy Award as a champion for local government.

Services for Jack will be held at noon on August 19 at St. Francis Xavier, on Central and Camelback.