I spent 4 months in 2010 working in Phoenix. It is a very modern city with everything from Museums to Markets just like the north. The traffic system works well and housing is pretty darn cheap compared to the north. You ride your motorcycle 9 months a year, a plus over the north. 3 months you cant ride because the chrome will melt off to a puddle under the bike and your brain will boil in 11 seconds.
The cons are illegal immigration and the disruption in the schools as mentioned above. For that teaching to the lower 1/3 to ensure everybody learns something pulls the ranking for the schools to 23rd in the nation.
After a while you get tired of brown. Yards generally don't grow without huge investments in watering so most have rock yards or desertscaped yards. Saguaro Cactus are cute when you first get there and at least they are green to help the palm trees provide some decoration.
Air conditioning 7 months a year running on high gets major pricey and folks go through those 5 ton rooftop Heat pumps on a regular basis. But you won't spend money heating the house.
If I had a job I really wanted, I would surely move there. Not being into ice and snow coming from Philadelphia, if I were you I would not just go there, I would run there. I hate ice and snow. As Dwight said, in an hour you go up in elevation a few thousand feet and down in temperature by 20 degrees.
Oh! If you like the west coast you are only a day drive away.
