31 August 2019

Can you build main streets in the suburbs?

If you care about cities, this video upload presents a fairly good look at the history and evolution of what we here in America call "Main Street" and the quintessential proverbial 'historic' and 'authentic' downtowns that changed forever when streets and traffic were no longer driven by people who lived and walked downtown.
Car-driven culture moved populations to bedroom-communities in the new suburbs, creating shopping malls, some that were climate-controlled. That evolved to try to re-create what turned out to 'authentic-ish' but were reacted to as fake or un-authentic.
What's happening now is the creation of Life-Style Centers to provide "the experience" . . .
Most of them are privately-owned, whereas older downtown areas that can evolve organically are public spaces.

 

An Intro to Urban Wastewater Systems

Basic information about what we usually don't pay attention to. Here in Mesa, AZ two water treatment plants have recently been financed and completed: Signal Butte WTP and Greenfield WTP
Published on Aug 29, 2019
Views: 52,300+
This video is sponsored by Siemens.
I'm on Patreon! Consider supporting this channel:
https://www.patreon.com/citybeautiful
This video is an appreciation of the wastewater system. I mean, how often do we even think about wastewater?
Produced by Dave Amos in sunny Sacramento, California.
Edited by Eric Schneider in cloudy Cleveland, Ohio.

29 August 2019

John Bercow: Speaker explodes at Boris Johnson for Commons suspension 'o...

The Speaker of the British House of Commons in Parliament EXPLODES in this take-down of Bojo - compare this with the next post from  Jonathan Pie.
Published on Aug 28, 2019
Views: 49,000++
House of Commons Speaker John Bercow has issued a blistering response to Boris Johnson after the UK Prime Minister announced he will suspend Parliament in just two weeks' time.
The Commons Speaker accused the Tory leader of a "constitutional outrage" after he took the audacious move while Mr Bercow was on a family holiday - and didn't tell him.
Mr Bercow added: "Shutting down Parliament would be an offence against the democratic process."
Mr Johnson has dramatically announced a Queen's Speech on October 14 after a month-long break for MPs - cutting short their chance to block no-deal Brexit .
Mr Bercow said in an angry statement: "I have had no contact from the Government, but if the reports that it is seeking to prorogue Parliament are confirmed, this move represents a constitutional outrage.
“However it is dressed up, it is blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop Parliament debating Brexit and performing its duty in shaping a course for the country.
"At this time, one of the most challenging periods in our nation’s history, it is vital that our elected Parliament has its say.
"After all, we live in a parliamentary democracy. Shutting down Parliament would be an offence against the democratic process and the rights of Parliamentarians as the people’s elected representatives. Surely at this early stage in his premiership, the Prime Minister should be seeking to establish rather than undermine his democratic credentials and indeed his commitment to Parliamentary democracy.
“My family and I are away on holiday and I will make no further comment at this stage.”
#Brexit
#JohnBercow
#BorisJohnson

Boris Suspends Democracy

Pie blows-off on BoJo . . .
believe it or not, Jonathan is surprisingly restrained. But just wait and tune in
Published on Aug 28, 2019
Views: 207,000+
No matter which way you voted, our democracy is looking pretty shitty right now.

For tickets to see Jonathan Pie: The FAKE NEWS Tour go to
https://www.jonathanpie.com

Ex-Mesa City Council Member Dave Richins Got A New Gig + A New Mission

He was in The Community Spotlight segment at this month's version of Mesa Morning Live - starting off complaining about the uncomfortable chairs, first adjusting his pants and then showing off his socks.
(Yep, this is supposed to be hilarious and entertaining)
Seriously though, Dave is doing really good things @ United Food Bank to provide real time solutions to Hunger here in Mesa. He's even managed to update the refrigeration capacity and get the place air-conditioned so it's not like being in "a slow-cooker" for the volunteers. He's also managed to partner-up with a prepared-foods charity organization for distribution to feed the hungry.
Please take a look and a listen in this brief give-and-take with Mayor John Giles who likes to grab the spotlight any time he can get it
 

The scandalous painting that helped create modern art

A moral and intellectual lesson or shock, horror and outrage? In 1863 it was all that
Published on Aug 29, 2019
Views: 43,000++
Western art followed the same rules for centuries. Until Olympia.
Become a Video Lab member!
http://bit.ly/video-lab
For centuries, the art world was controlled by the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. They dictated how art should look and had the power to make or break an artist’s career. Getting into their yearly exhibition, the Paris Salon, was like an express pass to success. But in the late 1800s, artists started to push back against the Academy’s rules, which changed the landscape of the art world forever.
To learn more about Manet’s Olympia, listen to the ArtCurious Podcast’s episode about the painting:
http://www.artcuriouspodcast.com/artc...
Or read Charles Bernheimer’s “Manet's Olympia: The Figuration of Scandal”:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1773024
And if you want to learn more about Manet, the Impressionists, or just brush up on your art historical terms, check out The Oxford Companion to Western Art:
https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/...
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out
http://www.vox.com.

U.S. 2Q GDP Grew at 2% Pace, Revised Down From 2.1%

Just the data please
Published on Aug 29, 2019
Views: 102 at time of upload to this blog
Aug.29 -- NYU Stern Professor of Economics and 2018 Nobel Laureate in Economics Paul Romer and Liz Young, director of market strategy at BNY Mellon Investment Management, examine revised second-quarter U.S. economic growth. They speak on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Americas."

Phoenix Tops Las Vegas For Gambling/Speculation In Real Estate & Housing Markets

That's the news late yesterday from Robert Shiller - great name, huh? - in the Case-Shiller June Report.
Boom-and-Bust here we go again!
Turns out that the Phoenix market is somehow inflating almost 2x greater than what is "normal".
It's very normal for rampant real estate speculation here in The East Valley.
"Latest data revealed that house price inflation is continuing to moderate . The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller house price index for 20 metro areas rose 2.1% from a year ago in June , marking the smallest rise since August 2012, after a 2.4% rise in May. This along with lower borrowing costs could provide some support to the housing market. . . "
Robert Shiller, Nobel Laureate Economist And Co-Creator Of Case-Shiller Index, Speaks About Slowing Phoenix Home Price Appreciation
Published: Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - 4:29pm
Updated: Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - 10:21pm
"Phoenix is now the top city in the country for increases in annual home prices, replacing Las Vegas.
That’s according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index update released Tuesday. Co-creator Robert J. Shiller talked about the slow rate of home price appreciation and why Phoenix is not slowing down — yet.
Across the U.S., home prices are still increasing but at a slower rate than a year ago. The just-released Case-Shiller June report shows prices rising at a rate of 2.1% compared with 6.3% a year ago. Nobel Prize winning economist Shiller talks about it. . ."
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RELATED CONTENT From Zillow:
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Some excerpts from KJZZ:
HEATHER VAN BLOKLAND: For Phoenix, if Phoenix tops Las Vegas now for home price gains, that means while most of the country is slowing in sales and Phoenix is not. So, what does that mean economically? Does it mean homes here are more desirable or worth more? Or there’s just not enough homes for sale to meet the demand from, say, inbound migration?
SHILLER: Well, we have been in boom years in the housing market, increasingly since 2012. Part of the reason for the boom is a sluggish supply response, when home prices go up, builders have an incentive to build more, they can make more money seller a higher priced home. In some cities, they’re boxed in. I don’t think of Phoenix as boxed in. The big part of it is speculative. It’s people hearing about prices going up and bidding prices up so that they’re kind of too high and then the enthusiasm starts to wane and then they come down. It’s not necessarily a disaster but they come down somewhat.
VAN BLOKLAND: Then, let’s go back to Phoenix for a second which is at the top of the list for home price gains. Talk to me about the average consumer or buyer who is listening to that report. Is that good news or bad news to be at the top of this list at a time that’s rumored, at least rumored to be a pre-recessionary period? In other words, if I’m the average household, do I want to be the city with huge gains or would I prefer to be in a “steady as she goes” city right now?”
. . .
VAN BLOKLAND: From a pricing point of view and a value point of view, what’s next for Phoenix and other growing metro markets?
SHILLER: Well, I think one thing that I would add that I haven’t said is that housing over the long run has not made as good of an investment as the stock market. The housing market, I did data from 1890 to 1990. That’s 100 years. And the housing market over the whole United States was increasing something like less than 1% in real inflation corrected terms and the stock market did spectacularly better than that. So, why is that? Well, housing is something like automobiles. It wears out. Often they get torn down eventually. They’re out of style. They have defects. They don’t last forever. So, why would one think that housing is such a good investment compared to companies that are trying to advance their investors’ interests? . . .
Audio icon Download mp3 (18.46 MB)
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RELATED CONTENT:
ETFs to Buy as Americans' Confidence Nears 19-Year High
Go here to see more > Nasdaq

Department of Defense Contracts Valued at $7 Million or Above

AIR FORCE
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $500,000,000, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity single award contract for Qatar Emiri Air Force (QAEF) F-15QA aircrew and maintenance training.  This contract will provide F-15QA aircrew and maintenance training to support the QEAF.  Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and moving to Qatar in 2021 and is expected to be completed August 2026.  This is a sole-source requirement as the Boeing Co. has been country-designated as the sole-source provider for the F-15QA program, including F-15QA specific training, under the QEAF Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case QA-D-TAH.  FMS funds in the amount of $262,147,569 are being obligated at the time of award.  The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency/338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3002-19-D-A007).
Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a $47,959,610 delivery order (FA8504-19-F-0018) to previously awarded contract FA8504-17-D-0002 for C-130J propulsion long-term sustainment.  This order provides funding for Option II.  The total cumulative face value of the contract is $47,959,610.  Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and other various locations supporting C-130J propulsion long-term sustainment and is expected to be completed when the last engines are delivered.  Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $47,959,610 are being obligated at the time of award.  The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.


ARMY
The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $33,581,477 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for non-recurring engineering design activities for integrating the Improved Turbine Engine into the AH-64E Apache helicopter.  Bids were solicited via the internet with one received.  Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2022.  
Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $10,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award.  U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-C-0054).

NAVY
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $349,014,465 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Phase 2 of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk Rapid Deployment Capability for completion of the Phase 1 design and integration efforts as well as test and evaluation.  Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (69.3%); Dallas, Texas (6.6%); Boulder, Colorado (5.8%); Walled Lake, Michigan (3.9%); Englewood, Colorado (2.7%); Bristol, Pennsylvania (2.5%); North Logan, Utah (1.9%); Suwanee, Georgia (0.6%); and various locations within the U.S. (6.7%), and is expected to be completed in February 2023.  Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $44,577,180 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0079).

FLIR Surveillance Inc., Wilsonville, Oregon, was awarded a $92,875,276 firm-fixed-price contract for repair and refurbishment and logistics support.  One bid was solicited with one bid received.  Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2024.  U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W909MY-19-D-0016).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Noble Supply and Logistics,* Rockland, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price bridge contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 15-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is the Southeast Region Zone 2 of the U.S., with a Nov. 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contract activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-19-D-0010).
> Latina Boulevard Produce LLC,* Cheektowaga, New York, has been awarded a maximum $49,353,705 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fresh fruits and vegetables. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a 54-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Feb. 27, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force and Department of Agriculture schools and reservations. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-19-D-P346).
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $27,000,000 undefinitized contractual action delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-0LB9) against a five-year base contract (SPRPA1-14-D-002U) with one five-year option period for E-6B repair. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Oklahoma, with a March 1, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Other contracts can be viewed click here
Viewing 1 - 20 of 807
Jobs in Arizona requiring security clearance

From Forbes: Places To Retire 2019 > Follow Your Passions

At a certain stage in life commonly called "Retirement" in the American lexicon that's usually after you've been "working" all your life - whatever your age - you might select not to stay-in-place for one reason or another.
Your MesaZona blogger really has no idea exactly what the word retirement means other than buying a set of four new rubber tires for a car.
For others it's fraught with making a choice: finding a new place to move to and to start a new life of what's called "leisure."
On August 27th Forbes published a new list to follow your PASSIONS in retirement - if that includes playing golf, then this list is for you.  There are seven passions in it with no mental link to The Seven Deadly Sins, intended or otherwise
https://www.forbes.com/sites/williampbarrett/2019/08/27       
Great Places To Follow Your Passions
In Retirement In 2019 
by contributing writer William P. Barrett, who states he covers personal finance, taxes, retirement, nonprofits & scandals
"Want to be happy in retirement? Then cultivate relationships and spend more money on leisure activities—at least that’s what new academic research (as well as common sense) suggests.
To help you with the leisure part, Forbes presents its 2019 list of 25 great places to pursue seven retirement passions:
(1) arts
(2) fine dining
(3) lifelong learning
(4) volunteering
(5) outdoor activities on water
(6) outdoor activities on land
(7) golf  (in its own category)
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Most are recommended for multiple passions and two—Seattle and Austin, Texasexcel in all seven categories. Our picks are spread across 21 states in all four continental time zones.
 
While our flagship Best Places To Retire list highlights locations that offer the best retirement value for the buck, our passions list doesn’t disqualify places simply because they’ve got high costs or taxes.

Athens, Georgia, our most affordable passions pick, has a median home price of just $178,000, while San Francisco, our most expensive, has a median home price of $1.36 million.
Although high costs (or high taxes) won’t keep a city from making this new list, we do take into account such practical quality of life factors as air quality, crime, doctor availability and how walkable and bikeable a city is.
You can read more about our selection method here.
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The only location here in Arizona
CHANDLER
Great for volunteering, outdoor land activities and golf
POPULATION: 235,000
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $317,000
This Phoenix suburb, named for Arizona’s first veterinary surgeon, offers myriad outdoor activities, including 185 golf courses in the region. There’s a low serious crime rate, a good economy and a high rate of volunteering. With an elevation of 1,200 feet, the city is very bikeable, although not all that walkable. There is no state income tax on Social Security earnings and no state estate/inheritance. The sate income tax rate tops out at just 4.54% on a married couple’s taxable income above $317,900.
On the downside, the number of doctors per capita is below the national average and the air quality is poor. Cost of living is 23% above the national average.
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Other cities small and large that make the Follow Your Passions list include New York City, both Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Salt Lake City, and others.
For a comparison with Mesa [500,000+ population] there's Boston, quite different.
 
BOSTON
Great for arts, fine dining, lifelong learning, volunteering and outdoor water and land activities
POPULATION: 685,000
MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $604,000
This buzzy historic coastal state capital city of 685,000 offers a wealth of cultural. and educational activities. Not too surprising, considering there are more than 50 area colleges. Boston has good air quality, abundant doctors per capita, and a good economy. At an elevation of 140 feet, the city, named for an English town, is both highly walkable and bikeable. The top state income tax rate is only 5% and there’s no state income tax on Social Security earnings.
On the negative side, there’s a state estate tax and a higher than average serious crime rate. But the big downside is the cost of living: 82% above the national average.
 

            

27 August 2019

Yesterday's News: Regular Mesa City Council Meeting Mon 26 Aug 2019

Believe it or not, silver-throated Kevin Christopher (the City's Public Information Officer) gets an early call to read out-loud what's left on the Consent Agenda.
He starts at 03:19 and goes on to rattle-off about thirty items, finishing his fast-read at 09:28.
The mayor notes that three blue comment cards have been submitted . . .
NOW THE MEETING GETS INTERESTING >
Take a look and listen
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Published on Aug 26, 2019
14 views
Running Time: 31:16

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Mesa Council Study Session Mon 26 Aug 2019

Note that 3 items are asked to be removed from the Consent Agenda. No other questions or comments from the other 6 Mesa City Council members.
Typical Blah-Blah-Blah "New" City Neighborhood Leadership Project - reading from a script
Published on Aug 26, 2019 
Views: 10 at time of upload to this blog today
Running time: 36:47

Look of lust: Melania Trump goes viral over photo with Canadian PM

Kiss & Tell. Ooo La-la

Landmark Ruling: Mormon Discrimination Matters > Arizona Town Liable For Religious Discrimination

Latter-Day Government in at least one municipality here in Arizona got over-ruled yesterday by a higher authority - the United States 9th Circuit Court, established in 1891.
The government offered testimony to argue that the church ran the government and the government was part of the church.
In its appeal, Colorado City argued that the government could not be found guilty absent a showing that the town was liable for the actions of its officers and agents. That was denied.
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“The plain text of (the law) shows that any government agent who engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of their constitutional rights violates (the law),” . . . it was clear that Congress, in enacting the law, intended for local governments to be held liable when their employees act in unconstitutional ways."
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BLOGGER NOTE: The court clearly found that the city's government [and government agents] engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct  of discrimination based on religion.
Let's give that a name: Latter-Day Government
In essence, the 9th Circuit Court said that the governments functioned as an arm of the church and used municipal resources to advance church interests.
> City leaders who didn't follow order were 'excommunicated'.
> The church determined who would be mayor and council members
> The church ran the government and the government was part of the church.
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Please note there is a download link on this site to view the entire 22-page Opinion
Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment for the United States in an action under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
The Act prohibits any governmental authority from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers or government agents that deprives persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States.
The United States filed suit against defendants, alleging that defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of violating the constitutional rights of residents who were not members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints .
The panel held that the district court correctly interpreted the Act, 34 U.S.C. 12601, when it concluded that the statute does not require an official municipal policy of violating constitutional rights in order for the United States to prevail; defendants' arguments about the district court's factual findings, even if correct, did not entitle it to relief because the district court's judgment was supported on other grounds; and the district court did not err in admitting several statements that defendants challenged as hearsay.

BLOGGER NOTE: There also was a separate $1.6 million settlement between Colorado City and neighboring Hildale, Utah. The Utah community chose not to appeal the trial court decision, leaving only Colorado City.
_________________________________________________________________________17-16472 USA v. Town of Colorado City
Published on Apr 18, 2019
Appeal from a judgment and injunction in favor of the United States, entered following a jury trial, in an action brought against Utah and Arizona rural municipalities alleging religious discrimination and Fourth Amendment violations.
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Here's Arizona Capitol Times reporter Howie Fischer, with a few extracts. Readers can view the entire article using this link > https://azcapitoltimes.com/news

"A federal appeals court has upheld the conclusion of a judge and jury that officials of Colorado City unconstitutionally used their power to discriminate against those who were not members of a certain religious sect.
In a unanimous ruling Monday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said there was “overwhelming evidence” that the community along the Arizona-Utah border deprived residents who were not members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints of their constitutional rights. This ranged from the passive, like refusing to grant them the same legal protections and even water services, to the overt like the use of the police department to harass non-church members.
. . . According to the lawsuit, both Colorado City and Hildale and the towns’ agencies engaged in a pattern of discrimination against those who were not members of the church. In essence, they said that the governments functioned as an arm of the church and used municipal resources to advance church interests.

During the trial, the government offered testimony to argue that the church ran the government and the government was part of the church. . .


“The plain text of (the law) shows that any government agent who engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of their constitutional rights violates (the law),” he wrote.
Smith said it was clear that Congress, in enacting the law, intended for local governments to be held liable when their employees act in unconstitutional ways. . .
“That evidence included testimony that officials from the towns attended meetings in which FLDS leaders instructed them on how to handle legal issues in a way that advanced the church’s interests,” Smith wrote.
He also said that Jeffs excommunicated town leaders who did not follow his orders, that the church determined who would be mayor and council members, and that members of the marshal’s office helped Jeffs evade capture by the FBI.
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Arizona Town Liable for Religious Discrimination, 9th Circuit Says
Brian Flood Reporter
Posted Aug. 26, 2019, 9:29 AM
https://news.bloomberglaw.com
The Town of Colorado City, Ariz., is liable for violating the constitutional rights of residents who weren’t members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Ninth Circuit ruled Aug. 26.
The U.S. brought a civil action against Colorado City, Hildale City, and their municipal utility providers, alleging they demonstrated a pattern of discrimination against non-FLDS residents. The city governments were accused by the U.S. of essentially acting as arms of the church and using municipal resources to advance church interests. The church allegedly picked the towns’ leaders and marshals and instructed them on how to do...
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26 August 2019

The Donald is Already Trying to Stack-The-Deck at The Federal Election Commission

Our mission is to protect democracy and inspire change using investigative reporting that exposes betrayals of the public trust by powerful interests.
CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY
Published — August 26, 2019
Link > https://publicintegrity.org/ 
Federal Election Commission to effectively shut down.
Now what??
"Federal Election Commission Vice Chairman Matthew Petersen announced his resignation today. 
Dave Levinthal                              Federal Politics Editor and Senior Reporter
Petersen’s resignation, first reported by the Washington Examiner, will throw the FEC into turmoil for weeks — and perhaps months — as the nation enters the teeth of 2020 presidential and congressional elections
For now, the FEC can’t conduct meetings.It can’t slap political scofflaws with fines.
It can’t make rules.It can’t conduct audits and approve them.
It can’t vote on the outcome of investigations.
And while staff will continue to post campaign finance reports and attend to day-to-day functions, the commission itself can’t offer official advice to politicians and political committees who seek it
    No more than three FEC commissioners may identify with any one political party. And the president of the United States alone has the power to nominate commissioners to the six-member FEC.
    Trump has so far made a single nomination: Trey Trainor, a Trump-supporting Texas attorney and Republican. Trump
    first nominated Trainor to the FEC in September 2017. . . Since then, Trump has twice renominated Trainor after the U.S. Senate failed to grant Trainor a confirmation hearing.
The U.S. Senate has yet to take action on Trainor’s nomination. He would fill the seat Petersen says he’ll vacate Aug. 31.
The U.S. Senate has long observed a tradition in which the president nominates FEC commissioners in pairs — one Republican, one Democrat, one reason Trainor’s nomination may have stalled.
The White House has repeatedly declined to answer questions about the FEC, which for years has been marked by
internal discord and deadlocks.
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While FEC commissioners often toil in relative anonymity, a few achieve high profiles:
> Former Republican FEC Chairman Trevor Potter, for example, served as Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign general counsel — then made regular appearances earlier this with comedian Steven Colbert, who had a long-running gag about super PACs and secret political money.
> Another former FEC chairman, Don McGahn, became Trump’s 2016 campaign general counsel. After Trump won the election, McGahn — long an advocate of a weak FEC and campaign finance deregulation, in general — served until late 2018 as Trump’s White
House counsel.
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RELATED CONTENT: If Petersen's resignation follows that pattern, it's likely that he will get a calling from someone running for office from Utah
Twitter, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, File
BYU grad’s resignation leaves FEC shorthanded
By Dennis Romboy, KSL | Posted - Aug 26th, 2019 @ 9:02pm
https://www.ksl.com/article/46626261
" SALT LAKE CITY — A BYU graduate who has served on the Federal Election Commission for more than a decade announced his resignation Monday, leaving the panel without enough members to make decisions.
Matthew S. Petersen, the commission’s vice chairman, will step down at the end of the month. . .
> Petersen joined the FEC in 2008 and served as its chairman in 2010 and 2016. He worked as the Republican chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration before his appointment to the commission. He earned a degree in philosophy from BYU in 1996 and a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1999
> Petersen’s departure leaves the FEC with three commissioners: Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat; Caroline Hunter, a Republican; and Steven Walther, an independent. President Donald Trump nominated Republican attorney Trey Trainor in 2017 to fill an opening, but the Senate has yet to vote on his nomination.
>
The commission requires four members to make decisions. FEC guidelines also say that no more than three commissioners can be of the same political party.
Peterson’s fellow commissioners say he brought collegiality and a steady, even-handed and positive approach to FEC deliberations as well as a sense of humor."
 
  

25 August 2019

New Phrase in Mesa's Urban Vocabulary: "Navigating The Nuances of City Government"

We can thank the new District 4 Mesa City Council member Jennifer Duff for that

Step lively and avoid "falling through the cracks"

Now really, what's left to say about that??

Last Week's Defeasance Details To Redeem All or A Portion of The City of Mesa's Excise Tax Revenue Obligations

HERE'S ITEM 6-i that John  Giles wanted to get to so fast:
19-0865 Authorizing the defeasance and redemption of all or a portion of the City's Excise Tax Revenue Obligations, Series 2013 and, to accomplish the defeasance,
> authorizing 2 things: (i) the transfer of certain City funds in an amount not to exceed $55,000,000 to an irrevocable trust account, and (ii) the City entering into an escrow trust agreement. (Citywide)
The opening image you see featured in this post says something quite different. It's one of those photo opps engineered by City Manager Chris Brady, who assembled a supporting cast of 15 - including the city's financial advisor, at center left. Some members of the 2012 Mesa City Council have also got a calling to be there for the tentative redemption.
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City Council Report  
Date:  August 19, 2019
To:  City Council
Through: Michael Kennington, Deputy City Manager/Chief Financial Officer 
From:  Ryan Wimmer, Treasurer   
Subject: Defeasance of Series 2013 Excise Tax Revenue Obligations  

Purpose 
The purpose of this item is to defease (pre-pay) excise tax revenue obligations issued by the City in 2013.  The defeasance would result in substantial interest cost savings and remove the debt from the City’s financial statements. 
The following City debt would be defeased:  
Excise Tax Revenue Obligation, Series 2013
Principal Amount Outstanding: $49,025,000  
Background 
In April 2013, the City issued $94 million of excise tax revenue obligations (“obligations”) to finance the construction and renovation of spring training baseball stadium facilities.  When issuance of the obligations was authorized in 2013, revenue from the sale of Pinal County land owned by the City for its now-obsolete water rights was identified as the intended funding source to repay the obligations.   
The purchase agreement for the sale of the City-owned farm lands in Pinal County was set up in three phases with initial closing in December of 2013.
The obligations were structured such that only interest payments were due until 2028, with principal repayment due over the five years from 2028 to 2032, in order to give the City time to sell the land. 
> Roughly half of the obligations ($45 million) were callable (eligible to be paid off early) in July 2017 and were redeemed shortly thereafter utilizing proceeds from the sale of a portion of Pinal County land.   
> In June 2019, the City received proceeds from the final sale of Pinal County land.
The land sale revenue is the proposed source of funding to defease the remaining obligations. 
Results
The purchase agreement and master lease approved in 2012 resulted in the receipt of the following proceeds:
• Sale Proceeds $109 M
• Lease Revenue $25 M
If defeasance approved by Council, the total payments associated with the 2013 excise tax revenue bond would be as follows:
• Principal $94 M
• Interest Cost $30 M
The remaining $49 million of principal is callable in July 2022.    
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Estimated Timeline for Defeasance Transaction
August 19 Council considers authorization of defeasance > August 21 Competitive bids for securities are received and final numbers for verification are submitted
September 5 City closes defeasance transaction
 
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Discussion 
The obligations would be defeased by purchasing interest-bearing U.S. government securities and placing them in escrow in an irrevocable trust. 
The securities would be structured to mature at exactly the dates and amounts needed to pay interest due and to redeem the obligations when they become callable on July 1, 2022.   
Since the remainder of the debt service on the obligations would be funded in an irrevocable trust, the defeasance would allow the debt to be removed from the City’s financial statements.   

Fiscal Impact 
The defeasance transaction would save the City $22.2 million in nominal interest costs.  Pre-funding the payments on the obligations would have a negligible financial impact to the City.  However, the early redemption (call) of the obligations in 2022 would allow the City to save ten years of interest payments that would otherwise be due in years 2023 to 2032.    
Alternatives 
The Council could choose not to move forward with the defeasance.  In that case, the City would invest the Pinal County land sale revenue along with other City funds and pay the debt service on the obligations when due or callable.  The financial impact would be negligible if the City were still to redeem the bonds when callable in July 2022.  However, the City would continue to carry the obligations as debt on the City’s financial statements.    
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HERE ARE THE ATTACHMENTS
File #: 19-0865   
Type: Resolution Status: Agenda Ready
In control: City Council
On agenda: 8/19/2019
Title: Authorizing the defeasance and redemption of all or a portion of the City's Excise Tax Revenue Obligations, Series 2013 and, to accomplish the defeasance, authorizing (i) the transfer of certain City funds in an amount not to exceed $55,000,000 to an irrevocable trust account, and (ii) the City entering into an escrow trust agreement. (Citywide)
Attachments: 1. Presentation, 2. Council Report, 3. Resolution, 4. Escrow Trust Agreement 

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