Bike-Share War Here in Downtown Mesa???

NO, dear readers, IT'S PREMATURE OVERKILL! These self-propelled two-wheeled machines, funded by privately-owned Chinese VCs [venture capitalists[ are getting free parking on the public sidewalks - or maybe we should call it "foreign direct investment" in our hyper-local "Donut-Hole" where we now see more bikes than people who might use them on the streets of our downtown community where not everyone is affluent enough to own a Smartphone to download the app on these bikes to pay to rent them                         

Now seeing a second and third company dumping on public sidewalks here this time dockless bikes that you can find all around to use and drop off any time and anywhere you like - if you use a Smartphone there's an app you can download to rent the bike. What they don't tell you is that you rent at the same a GPS tracker that can track everything you do and collect your data: that's the money-maker to get "big data" - your data - start-ups can capitalize on in the new Sharing Economy to deliver back dollars to initial funding investors. It's got to be on an a big scale-up quickly, ca-chinging transactions and getting your data. Oro bikes, seen in the image to the right, is offering free rent for February. 

They just need your butt on the seat.

Grid Bike stations in front of City Hall 2016

So how does a privately -held company headquartered in San Mateo, California get the go-ahead to dump their bikes here in Mesa ? It's another example of reacting to a desired demand before it's here . . . it might work in other cities but here in the car-dominated culture of Mesa where it's too damn hot four months in the year? 

Is there really a strong demand for this here in  . . . Mesa? Maybe just "early overkill"

According to Crunchbase, the firm was founded last January, meaning that the quickly-expanding company is just over a year old.

 

It is anything but rare for bikesharing companies to raise oceans of capital in the current technology cycle. Chinese bikesharing companies are the most famous examples of investing largesse, raising billions to fuel their capital-intensive business. 

CEO Toby Sun says LimeBike, now in 46 markets including two European cities, needs to grow even faster than planned. That’s why the company has raised another $70 million as an extension to the October round, bringing its total backing to $132 million.

Sun says the company’s fast pace of growth is merely meeting demand from users and cities. The company has also seen demand from landlords. A number of commercial and residential real estate owners have become interested in bike sharing as a way to make their properties more valuable, says Brad Greiwe, a managing partner at Fifth Wall Ventures, which focuses on real estate. His firm led LimeBike’s latest fundraising.

Further, tenants increasingly expect bike sharing as an amenity, he says, and landlords want to partner to provide hubs and storage areas for bikes.

Why are these bikes getting dumped downtown now in February? It's Spring Training season for a few weeks. The bikes might be rented to get from bus stops or Valley Metro Light Rail station platforms to get to Sloan Park . . .  

LimeBike is a bicycle-sharing company headquartered in San Mateo, California. It operates dockless bicycle-sharing systems in several cities and college campuses across the United States, using a mobile app for reservations. The founders are Brad Bao, Toby Sun who re-tweeted this just hours ago - they just got $70,000,000 more bucks yesterday! 

LimeBike Retweeted

Toby Sun‏ @tobysun 3h3 hours ago

Thrilled to announce $70M series B extension round on Valentine's day and Lunar New Year! Look forward to partnering with leading real estate focused fund Fifth Wall Venture to bring more @limebike family products to more users! https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/15/limebike-pedals-to-70-million-additional-funding/ … via @VentureBeat 

Follow Crunchbase News on Twitter & Facebook_________________________________________________________________________________

LimeBike: How it works - YouTube

▶ 1:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGVl0czHuOY

1. Similar

Feb 14, 2017 - Uploaded by LimeBike

This is how LimeBike works. Simply scan to unlock, ride anywhere, and lock to end the ride. Getting around

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LimeBike's Expansion Shows How Bike-Share Wars Are Escalating ...

https://www.wired.com/story/the-bike-share-wars-heat-up-with-latest-funding/

 

LimeBike raises $70 million as the bike-sharing battle rages on ...

https://techcrunch.com/.../limebike-raises-70-million-as-the-bike-sharing-battle-rages-...

7 hours ago - Bike-sharing turned multi-modal transportation company LimeBike has raised an additional $70 million from its previously announced $50 million Series B round. This brings LimeBike's total funding to $132 million. The funding comes shortly after LimeBike announced its entrance into the e-scooter and ...

 

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LimeBike raises $70 million as the bike-sharing battle rages on

TechCrunch-8 hours ago

Bike-sharing turned multi-modal transportation company LimeBike has raised an additional $70 million from its previously announced $50 million Series B ... owners really want,” Fifth Wall co-founder and Managing Partner Brendan Wallace told TechCrunch about the firm's decision to invest in LimeBike.

LimeBike Adds $70 Million To Bring Its Rental Bikes Right To Your ...
Forbes-8 hours ago

LimeBike pedals to $70 million additional funding
VentureBeat-8 hours ago

LimeBike Secures Additional $70 Million in Series B Extension Round
PR Newswire (press release)-8 hours ago

LimeBike plans to kick into higher gear after real estate fund joins ...
Silicon Valley Business Journal-8 hours ago

 

BIG AGENDA for Mesa City Council Study Session Thu 15 Feb 2018

It's a long session with a lot of starting time taken up by the issue of homelessness that's only increasing here in Mesa no matter what this presentation wants to tell you - still looking for new solutions in the cloud of bureaucratic jargon. The homeless are more visible here in downtown than ever before - it's not hard to see that, 
There are other REALLY BIG ISSUES to know about:
> another proposal  by a private developer on a city-owned parking lot done with a Memorandum of Understanding
> One way or another, city planning officials want to pave the way 'with incentives' with ASU for educational facilities.
PLEASE READ THE AGENDA first - and if you have the time or interest this Study Session is almost three hours long to discuss the agenda items. The City often does the agenda scheduling this way to put an important topic first to wear-out your short attention spans and then present agenda items that have financial consequences for taxpayers.
121 viewers have seen this so far

_________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Name:

City Council Study Session

Agenda status:

Final

Meeting date/time:

2/15/2018 7:30 AM

Minutes status:

Draft

Meeting location:

Council Chambers - Lower Level

Published agenda:

Agenda

Published minutes:

Not available

Meeting video:

Not available

Attachments:

• Meeting Items (7)

7 records Group Clear sorting Clear grouping Group by Type Group by Result Export Export to Excel Export to PDF Export to Word Show: Legislation only Legislation only All agenda items

File # Agenda # Type Title Action Result Action Details 18-0226 1-a Resolution Hear a presentation and discuss the strategies and priorities to reduce homelessness in Mesa, as recommended by a cross-sector ‘coalition’ of service agencies, non-profits, faith-based institutions and City departments.     Not available 18-0225 1-b Presentation Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on the continuation of the alternative expenditure limitation - Home Rule option.     Not available 18-0224 1-c Presentation Hear a presentation and discuss a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with R^3 MESA, LLC, for a mixed-use development of approximately 1.0 acre of City-owned property located near the southeast corner of West Pepper Place and North Robson (the Pepper Place surface parking lot).     Not available 18-0236 1-d Presentation Hear a presentation and discuss a proposed Intergovernmental Agreement with Arizona State University for the development, operation, and maintenance of educational facilities in downtown Mesa.     Not available 18-0223 2 Presentation Information pertaining to the current Job Order Contracting Projects.     Not available 18-0213 3-a Minutes Judicial Advisory Board meeting held on October 2, 2017.     Not available 18-0199 3-b Minutes Historic Preservation Board meetings held on December 5, 2017 and January 2, 2018.     Not avail

CME, 2nd Impact Coming, Dust, Ice | S0 News Feb.15.2018

Coronal Mass Impact - major temperature swings + a Monster-In-The-Middle of No Where + Chaotic random motion

Published on Feb 15, 2018

Views: 4,488

Daily Sun, Earth and Space Science
http://www.Suspicious0bservers.org

AGENDA: Mesa City Council Study Session Thu 15 Feb 2018

Here's keeping you informed on the items scheduled to be presented and discussed at today's session - it's your government at work. If representative democracy is going to work, then you need to actively get involved and informed about what elected officials are doing in your interests that impact or may impact your life. 
Heads Up!
Up today an MOU with R3MESA LLC and an IGA with ASU in downtown Mesa about "Education Facilities" - their development, operation and maintenance.
The first step is knowing what's going on in these public sessions for your input.

Although very few residents and citizens take advantage of it, people who live here are provided an opportunity to address the Council on any issue under an agenda item titled "Items from Citizens Present."
The Mesa City Council believes that its people, not leaders, are what makes a City great and actively works to encourage citizen participation in the decision-making process. Whether it is through neighborhood meetings, advisory boards and committees, telephone calls and letters, or email, the Mesa City Council sets policies based on the input and needs of its citizens - that's YOU and YOU and YOU and YOU + YOU
PLEASE NOTE: During meetings, citizens may address the council on items pertaining to the agenda
For more information go here

If you don't already know, find out who represents you in your district - it's their job to listen to what you have to say, to respond to your opinions and feedback and to represent your interestsHere's a link to find out more about the members of the Mesa City - the mayor and six district members elected by you:
http://www.mesaaz.gov/city-hall/mayor-council
PLEASE NOTE: During meetings, citizens may address the council on items pertaining to the agenda
For more information go here 
There are several items of consequence at this morning's study session scheduled for 1.5 hours starting at 07:30 in the morning in the Lower Council Chambers on First Street:
Here's a link to the meeting details that are provided on this page:
Council, Board and Committee Research Center

Item 1-a Resolution to hear and discuss the priorities and strategies to reduce homelessness in Mesa, as recommended by what they call "a cross-sector coalition" of service agencies, non-profits, faith-based institutions and City Departments.
According to a report, the annual Point-In-Time count of the homeless population here in Maricopa Council took place last week by a group of volunteers who are trained and look for the homeless out in public during a few hours on just one day.

Item 1-b is a presentation to hear, discuss, and provide direction on the continuation of the alternative expenditure limitation -
Home Rule Option.
What's that? . . . sorry, don't have a clue at all!
Do you?

Item 1-c is a presentation to hear and discuss a proposed MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with R3MESA LLC -- Who's that? - for a mixed-use development on one acre of City-owned property near the SEC of West Pepper Place and N Robson, The Pepper Place Surface Parking Lot.

Item 1-d is a presentation to hear and discuss a proposed IGA - an Intergovernmental Agreement with ASU in downtown Mesa about "Education Facilities" - their development, operation and maintenance.






________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Name:

City Council Study Session

Agenda status:

Final

Meeting date/time:

2/15/2018 7:30 AM

Minutes status:

Draft

Meeting location:

Council Chambers - Lower Level

Published agenda:

Agenda

Published minutes:

Not available

Meeting video:

Not available

Attachments:

• Meeting Items (7)

7 records Group Clear sorting Clear grouping Group by Type Group by Result Export Export to Excel Export to PDF Export to Word Show: Legislation only Legislation only All agenda items

File # Agenda # Type Title Action Result Action Details 18-0226 1-a Resolution Hear a presentation and discuss the strategies and priorities to reduce homelessness in Mesa, as recommended by a cross-sector ‘coalition’ of service agencies, non-profits, faith-based institutions and City departments.     Not available 18-0225 1-b Presentation Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on the continuation of the alternative expenditure limitation - Home Rule option.     Not available 18-0224 1-c Presentation Hear a presentation and discuss a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with R^3 MESA, LLC, for a mixed-use development of approximately 1.0 acre of City-owned property located near the southeast corner of West Pepper Place and North Robson (the Pepper Place surface parking lot).     Not available 18-0236 1-d Presentation Hear a presentation and discuss a proposed Intergovernmental Agreement with Arizona State University for the development, operation, and maintenance of educational facilities in downtown Mesa.     Not available 18-0223 2 Presentation Information pertaining to the current Job Order Contracting Projects.     Not available 18-0213 3-a Minutes Judicial Advisory Board meeting held on October 2, 2017.     Not available 18-0199 3-b Minutes Historic Preservation Board meetings held on December 5, 2017 and January 2, 2018.     Not available

Mesa Has Big League Dreams: Let's Play Ball > The Cubbies Are Back For Cactus League Spring Training!

Yep, folks, it's that wonderful time-of-year to enjoy minor league baseball season - for just a few weeks -in a $200M-taxpayer-financed sports stadium called Sloan Park built for billionaire Chicago Cub$ conservative Republican franchise owner The Ricketts Family.
Sloan Park is the biggest of all the 10 Cactus League stadiums holding 15,000 seats to deliver so much sales-and-use tax revenues into the city coffers it's called "Christmas in The Spring". It's a done deal so get over it for now.
Keep in mind, though, this is an election year and time for the City of Mesa to work on WHAT TO ASK TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR NEXT. . worry about that later but keep in the mind that the City of Mesa has just raised online single-payment transaction charges for processing bill payments - 2.4% to get about $1.2M of your money.
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Credit card service fee to be collected soon for certain City of Mesa services
February 12, 2018 at 10:23 am
Beginning March 12, a service fee of 2.37 percent will be collected by a third party from City of Mesa customers paying with a credit card or debit card for certain City services. Those services include utility bills, Development Services fees such as building permits and fees collected at Falcon Field Airport. The fee will be assessed on the total amount charged to the customers' credit card or debit card. The City of Mesa does not receive any part of the service fee.
READ MORE > http://www.mesanow.org/news _________________________________________________________________________________
Per capita debt obligation for every person living here is already about $3,700 per person, so keep your heads up when the city makes the pitch for more of your money in November.
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Public financing of sports stadium [or sports complexes] has perhaps become a non-issue here hyper-locally but at the state level it's getting batted-around the infield of politics:
Looks like some people - A national chorus of groups skeptical of public money going to professional sports teams - are up against some strong resistance in a bill in play at The Arizona State House. 
Business groups come out against stadium, arena bill
By Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Biz Journal yesterday

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news

Jeremy Rifkin: The Third Industrial Revolution: A Radical New Sharing Economy

Published on Feb 13, 2018

Views: 13,020

The global economy is in crisis. The exponential exhaustion of natural resources, declining productivity, slow growth, rising unemployment, and steep inequality, forces us to rethink our economic models. Where do we go from here? In this feature-length documentary, social and economic theorist Jeremy Rifkin lays out a road map to usher in a new economic system.
A Third Industrial Revolution is unfolding with the convergence of three pivotal technologies: an ultra-fast 5G communication internet, a renewable energy internet, and a driverless mobility internet, all connected to the Internet of Things embedded across society and the environment.
This 21st century smart digital infrastructure is giving rise to a radical new sharing economy that is transforming the way we manage, power and move economic life. But with climate change now ravaging the planet, it needs to happen fast. Change of this magnitude requires political will and a profound ideological shift.
To learn more visit: http://www.thethirdindustrialrevoluti...http://impact.vice.com/thethirdindust...

Earth’s Magnetic Flip | Timeline, Severity, Princeton

Are U prepared?

Published on Feb 13, 2018

Views: 5,464

Please subscribe to PragerU on YouTube!
Here is the full video used herein: https://youtu.be/qZN2jt2cCU4

Have you seen the other episodes in this series?
Earth’s Magnetic Flip | Severe Weather Events: https://youtu.be/rgE7rW7x-VU
Earth’s Magnetic Flip | Earthquakes & Volcanoes: https://youtu.be/frOXldbCcFA
Earth’s Magnetic Flip | Grand Solar Minimum: https://youtu.be/dQyjxTi6Jpw

http://www.MagneticReversal.org