Hizzoner John Giles + That 'NextMesa' Vision Thing



 "Mesa Mayor John Giles is living proof that seizing a spontaneous opportunity can have a historic impact."
Now really, what's that all overblown hype about? It's just one
more spoon-fed narrative produced for mass consumption as an assignment in an intermediate reporting and writing class.
Another piece of __ (4-letter word)pre-fabricated pulp fiction.

Highlighted in boldface type,  it's the opening declarative sentence written by Casey Flanagan in the following article for a JMC 301 intermediate reporting and writing class at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication @ ASU.

It was picked-up to get included by a media group that uses the word INDEPENDENT in their mastheads for any number of newspapers and online issues that cover different areas in four states - Delaware, Maryland, Florida and Arizona
The non-profit corporation calls itself Newszap , claiming it is dedicated to "community journalism" that is published

for the people

of the people

and by the people

Any reasonable person might ask, given what the Independent Media Group states, why they chose to publish an article by a journalism student @ ASU who chose John Giles as the feature.

It was published July 11, 2019 in Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent owned by Independent Newsmedia Inc. "dedicated to community journalism. Its newspapers and websites in Arizona, Delaware, Florida and Maryland are published for, of and by the people.
Independent's news publications are dedicated to community journalism, with a unique blend of issue-oriented stories, reader submissions and "refrigerator" news and photos." https://www.newszap.com/

Making the rounds in mainstream media news Casey Flanagan's article was also re-published word-for-word in The Rose Law Group Reporter click or tap here

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Mesa mayor’s ‘NextMesa’ vision

acknowledges what is great, areas needing improvement

What was that so-called "spontaneous opportunity"?
If the truth be told, there was nothing spontaneous about it! Former mayor Scott Smith had a higher political calling and lost out to Doug Ducey in a race for governor in 2014. Giles was vice-mayor at the end of one term 1996-2000 as a Mesa City Council member. At that time Giles (13 years before)  himself brought up the word ANXIETY to explain leaving public office in the year 2000. . . .There might have been other reasons that go un-explained.

At any rate, Giles became the chosen successor and choice of the generations-old Mesa political machine as the new front man installed into the mayor's seat by Scott Smith's tail winds that blew him into the highest office inside City Hall as an unelected incumbent for a few months before the next vote - that's usually a shoe-in and a frequent scheme used when politicians want to pass-on-the-power to the selected successor to maintain the status quo.

Out of the public eye for more than 13 years, Giles 'got a calling'. Giles is a guy who craves being in the spotlight all the time for every opportunity he can muster. 
To his credit at his first inauguration he admitted publicly he needs help with new ideas. His time in-office has been 'learning-on-the-job' - not exactly one of the marks of a great leader. Giles is more the mouth-piece and front-man for a long-established network of cohorts who are all closely-connected. And like many elected and salaried city officials, Mayor Giles went to Brigham Young University receiving an undergraduate degree. He got a law degree from ASU and started his own personal injury/accident law firm in private practice by himself until he made his own son-in-law a business partner in Giles & Dickson.
Here are

In his 4-year stint on the Mesa City, these are some of his achievements as a member of the Mesa City Council that are cited in Casey Flanagan's article:

• He  was proud of his work in creating the Mesa Arts Center
• He was proud of his work in creating multiple swimming facilities across town
• He also worked to pass a law to require fluoridation of Mesa’s water supply.   
• While on City Council, Mayor Giles also served as vice-mayor to Mayor Wayne Brown.  He said Mayor Brown had health issues at times, leaving him to gain some mayoral experience himself.  *

*BLOGGER NOTE: Wayne Brown owned Brown & Brown Chevrolet. There were a lot of 'special deals' agreed to with city officials.
It was a scandal-filled time in the city's history that's left a vacant open 10-acre entire block a big eyesore downtown when the old showroom and other Auto Nation buildings were demolished during the summer of 2017. There appeared to be some HazMat removals taken away from the property at that time. The city did regain ownership of a 3-story parking garage on the north of Main Street that is unused.The sales showroom, auto sales-and-service dealer had a presence downtown for 85 years, in an abrupt move to Gilbert.
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Here are some of the highlights from the article:
> "One aspect of the city Mayor Giles is working to improve is education.  He said education is “one of our core values as a city,” but the city “is trending in the wrong direction” in education attainment.   
> Mayor Giles has also worked to revitalize Downtown Mesa. . .He said the process of making Downtown Mesa an attractive place to live is an “overnight sensation that’s decades in the making.”  

> Mayor Giles works with Mesa’s Chamber of Commerce to help the local business community grow.  Sally Harrison, president and CEO of the Chamber, said he provides support by “attending events and meetings, like our TV show Mesa Morning Live, ribbon cuttings and meetings involving education and policy. . . he is fun, knowledgeable and supportive.   
Now, really what else could Sally Jo say when she gets quoted about the mayor?

> Melissa Randazzo, who handles public information for the office of the mayor, said, “it’s considered a part time position being mayor here*, but it’s definitely full-time for him.  There are days when you have council meetings, and that’s when you expect to see them, but he’s here every day, all day.  He has an open-door policy, so he’s really easy to work with.” 
* NO - it's a full-time salaried job at about $75,000 per year.

Melissa Randazzo makes more than the mayor at her job - her salary is about $88,000 per year (and generous benefits)
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Just like Casey Flanagan writes, "It took some reflecting to warm up to the idea of running for mayor, but he eventually decided it would be the perfect job for him. Five years later, Mayor Giles has led his home town to be the 19^th best-run city in the United States, according to statistics from Wallethub

HERE'S WHAT THE REPORTER LEAVES OUT:
#1 Worst Polluted City in the country and that Wallet Hub category includes "Worst for Pollution and Infrastructure.
More frequently than not, Casey Flanagan can join a group of reporters (or 'contributing writers') who all too often appear to somehow slant the news.
Flanagan cherry-picked just one of six key categories - Mesa ranks the next-to-last in the second tier of 20 cities in the Overall City Rank scoring a #19

It ranks the Worst #1 for Pollution and Infrastructure,
 #72 for Financial Stability,
and #59 for Education.
Let's publish that data for the sake of disclosure and transparency IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
In the interest of holding the mayor transparent and accountable or responsible for what he says, there's a few things to grab your attention to keep it fair and balanced: data.