Light Rail Is Coming, Lets Get On Board Downtown Mesa

The writing is on the wall and it is time for those in the community to get on board or get out of the way before they get run over and squashed. Legitimate arguments can be made against the system and when I ran for a seat on the council I opposed the expansion of the system on the grounds of cost without further consideration of other forms of mas transit.

While there are businesses and people who don't like the idea of light rail going down Main Street and the area being torn up again, the fact of the matter is, it is coming like it or not. Now the question for those opposed to the planed expansion is whither or not they will come on board and make the system the best it can be.

Sometimes City & Citizens Don't See Things the Same Way,

Sometime the City of Mesa and it's citizens don't see things the same way. I've had my share of miss understandings and disagreements with the city. As a property manager at JMT Management, I've had my share of problems because of tenants and their refusal to abide by city codes.

Sometimes government employees get over zealous as in this store posted on The Blaze about March Madness: Nanny State Runs Amok .....

I hope the City of Mesa would never pull a stunt like this, tell it's citizens one thing and then do another.

Share with us. Has the City of Mesa ever done this to you, that is tell you one thing and then do another.

Is This What Civility Looks Like In The Immigration Debate?

This didn't happen here in Mesa, but it goes to show how uncivil the immigration debate has become.

Wow, Mesa Is On The Move, With Solar

If you haven't heard it by now, the City of Mesa landed a huge win in the announcement of First Solar building a manufacturing plant in the city of Mesa on the old General Motors proving ground.

First Solar is buying 135 acres and has an option on another 100 acres. The job will pay on average $48,000 according for Mesa's economic developement director Bill Jabjiniak. At capacity the facility could employ up to 4,000 people.

The construction project will provide an immediate boast of about 400 jobs as the project gets under construction. This project along with the construction of Cubs new stadium and training facilities will help to boast our economic development.

I'm in agreement with Mayor Smith, economic policies and business tax incentives are great for attracting these kinds of big project, in the long-term what is going to keep these projects coming is an educated work force and educational institution.

Way to go City of Mesa, and those involved. The possibilities are unlimited when we look forward and don't rely upon the past for our future.

Mesa's Downtown, What Is Missing

What Is Missing In Mesa's Downtown

A little over a year ago when I opened a new business in downtown Mesa, I made the choice to get involved, find out what was going and how I could help. I was invited to attend a merchants meeting and participate, which I did.

At that time a few of the merchants sat on the Downtown Mesa Association board (DMA). About that same time I also got a questioner from the DMA, shoved under the door of my office. The questioner asked how, I thought the association was doing with the downtown area. My first thought was for who? It certainly wasn't an organization for the merchants and it certainly wasn't an organization interested in bring new business to the downtown, but was more resolved and interested in keeping the status quote.

My interpretation, right or wrong, was that the DMA was created by the City of Mesa to put forth the ideas of city staff and property owners but not the merchants. The $1 million operations budget of the organization is funded by the city of Mesa with about $300,000 of it coming from a property tax paid by the merchants who rent in the downtown area and the one or two property owners who do business from their buildings

The Complaints DMA & City of Mesa

As I began to be involved with the merchants, some of following complaints about the DMA and the City of Mesa began to surface. (The DMA is a child of the City of Mesa)

Who Really Pays When Legislation Is Passed?

Who Really Pays, Not the State, Not the City, But Me and You!

The the state legislature is looking to cut cost in order to balance the state budget as they are required by the Arizona Constitution. One way they are doing this is by passing along cost to the local governments and cities, in this case that means the City of Mesa.

Arizona's state legislature over the years has done a piss poor job of managing the revenues and have spent money they didn't have figuring that revenue would increase year after year. In addition to bad management, the citizen initiatives process has done damage to the budgeting process by taking out of the hands of the legislature the power to appropriate funds where they are needed.

Who Is Staying In Mesa's Hotels & Motels? Me, You or Shady Joe

Crime In Mesa Hotels and Motels?

In 2009 Mesa's police department did a review of crime statistic of 49 short-term stay hotels and motels and according to the study determined that 65% of the 2970 calls for service came from 10 locations. So Monday night the council introduced an ordinance to require guest to prove who they are and requiring the hotels and motels to keep the information for 30 days. Guest will also be required to give their age, so much for little old grandma now being able to say that she is 25 when she really is 75.

Concerns With New Ordinance

1. The figures used are from 2009. I would like to know have those statistics been updated since then?

Mesa, Illegal Immigration & Russell Pearce

Mesa's Political Controversy on Illegal Immigration

One of Mesa Arizona's most noteworthy and controversal politician is Russell Pearce, a stanch supporter of protecting our freedoms through the enforcement of our laws. Senator Pearce has a no holds approach when it comes to illegal immigration, if you're in this country illegally then you need to go home and come back the right way, which is to follow the laws. I would say, a lot of people love him, some people like him and others hate him. No matter which side of the table you are on, you know where you stand with Russell Pearce on illegal immigration, this is more than can be said for some of the other politicians in Mesa.

Senate Bill 1070