Inside East Valley Business

Arizonans want economic implications taken into account when climate change policies are considered, according to a poll commissioned by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The poll, which was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed 500 likely voters and has a 4.38 percent margin of error.

The results show Arizonans are concerned about the issue of climate change but want to see any action balanced against reasonable economic concerns, said Glenn Hamer, president of the Arizona chamber.

Seventy-nine percent opposed a proposal to reduce carbon emissions that would increase electric and natural gas rates from 45 to 260 percent. They also responded negatively to imposing California emission standards on Arizona vehicles that could significantly increase the cost of new cars.

Sixty-nine percent would not support a greenhouse gas reduction program if it meant losing jobs to India or China. Sixty-one percent agreed with the statement that “Arizona should not form greenhouse gas agreements with neighboring states that could result in raised gas or electricity prices or that would damage the economy.”

Participants did favor incentive-based approaches. Eighty-seven percent supported proposals to provide tax incentives for individuals, business and power plants that use clean energy. Eighty-three percent favored increased federal funding for research and develop of those technologies.

Sands On Broadway, a four-year-old auto dealership that replaced Berge Mazda Volkswagon in 2004, has closed.
Officials with the four-year-old dealership emptied it’s lot and moved their vehicle invetory to Sands Chevrolet in Glendale last week.
Dealership officials were unavailable for comment.

State officials held a big land auction this morning but found only one taker.
A total of 11 left-over parcels that were purchased for freeway construction were up for sale at an Arizona Department of Transportation auction in downtown Phoenix. However, only one property was sold – a 13.3-acre site at the northwest corner of Lindsay Road and the San Tan section of the Loop 202. The winning bid was $4.6 million.
ADOT officials won’t disclose the name of the buyer until the close of escrow in 60 to 90 days.
Highway officials put a positive spin on the meager interest the auction generated.
“Quite frankly, we’re pleased with the one tentative sale,” said ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel. “We know that doing this will help shine a light on the fact that properties are available.”
Nintzel said the proceeds from the auction will go to the Maricopa Association of Governments’ freeway construction fund.
The properties up for bid are remnants of land purchased from private owners to construct freeways.

Two adults can expect to pay $164 for lodging and $80 for food for a total $244 on average each  day while on vacation this summer, according to the AAA Arizona 2008 Vacation Cost Survey.

The survey of 49 cities shows the most and least expensive destinations as well as offering some cost-saving suggestions.

The five  most expensive and their daily averages are Honolulu, $673, New York City, $606, Miami and Miami Beach, $370, San Diego, $361 and Las Vegas, $358.

The five most economical are Tulsa, Okla, $179, Albuquerque, N.M., $179, Wichita, Kan., $194, Oklahoma City, Okla., $194 and Fresno, Calif., $207.

Average costs for Arizona cities include Mesa, $208, Tucson, $272 and Phoenix, $281.

AAA Arizona has been tracking the average costs for vacationers since 1950, when the daily expenses for lodging and meals reached a remarkable $13, said Don Nunnari, vice president of membership products and services.

“One of our main goals in releasing this annual survey is to help travelers plan ahead,” said Nunnari. “In the current economy, the alst thing you want to do is return from vacation and realize you have exceeded y our travel budget.”

Some of the cost-saving suggestions include, if driving,  figure your fuel costs in advance, book rooms early, travel off-season, bring your own food, avoid ATM machines and take advantage of discounts.

Industrial employment in Arizona dropped nearly 1 percent during the past 12 months, according to the 2008 Arizona Manufacturers Directory, a compilation of state industry published annually by Manufacturers’ News Inc. of Evanston, Ill.

The directory said Arizona lost 1,670 industrial jobs from March 2007 to March 2008. That was a smaller loss than the 1.1 percent drop MNI reported for Arizona during the prior one-year period and less than the 2 percent industrial job decline posted by the U.S. as a whole during the past year.

 “Arizona’s stronghold in the aviation and defense industries have offset some of the losses felt by sectors more vulnerable to outsourcing such as electronics and industrial machinery,” said Thomas Dubin, president of MNI.

Arizona is home to 6.004 manufacturers employing 240,227 workers, the report said. Arizona ranks 28^th in the nation in number of manufacturers and 26^th in jobs.

In the East Valley, Tempe ranks third in the state behind Phoenix and Tucson with 21,919 industrial workers, up 2.2 percent in the past year. Chandler accounts for 20,318 jobs, down 9.1 percent after job cuts at Intel.

Arizona’s major manufacturing categories are transportation equipment, electronics and fabricated metal products.

An increase in violence at  Arizona and Mexico border cities triggered a travel alert from the Arizona Department of State recently,  but the agency added that tourists generally are not the targets of crime. Nevertheless, AAA Arizona issued a list of precautions for travellers heading South of the Border, including:

U.S. Citizens 19 years or older are required to present a government-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship and those under 18 must show proof of citizenship. Air travellers must have passports upon their return to the U.S.

If travelling by vehicle, buy Mexico auto insurance; leave expensive-looking jewelry and other valuables home; leave your itinerary and phone numbers with a friend or family member at home; register with the State Department so you may be contacted in case of a family emergency in the U.S.; think about buying travel insurance. For more information, visit www.AAAAZ.com.

Drug makers like Scottsdale-based Medicis’ products so much they want to make their own versions.

Once again Medicis is faced with what it considers possible patent infringement against one of its star performers.

The local company filed notice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today, stating that it just learned Perrigo Israel Pharmaceuticals filed a new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a generic version of Vanos, a popular dermatitis treatment.

Medicis claims Vanos is patent-protected until 2021. Perrigo’s certification letter alleges Medicis’ patent is invalid.

The Scottdale company is already fighting to keep a competitor from making a generic version of acne treatment Solodyn, another of its core products.

In February, Medicis CEO Jonah Shacknai said he’s pulling no punches in defense of Solodyn.
The company is in litigation, been “very vocal with the FDA,” filed documents with the office of generic drugs, and continued to research “other possible generations of Solodyn,” Shacknai said at the time.

In Thursday’s SEC filing, Medicis said it’s weighing options regarding the assault on Vanos.

The filing reads,”Medicis has forty-five days to commence a patent infringement lawsuit against Perrigo that would automatically stay, or bar, the FDA from approving Perrigo’s ANDA for 30 months or until a district court decision that the asserted patent is invalid, unenforceable or not infringed, whichever may occur earlier. Medicis is evaluating the details of Perrigo’s certification letter and considering its options.”