A 'Mega-Park' Here In Mesa?

Sure if that's what you want to call it . . . Believe it or not it's a big cash-cow business for the owners of properties like this, but let's not spoil the fun reporting the nitty-gritty details why there are so many of these 'parks' here in Mesa.

Monte Vista Village RV Resort named ‘Mega Park of the Year’

Above: Monte Vista Village RV Resort, winner of the 2018 Arizona ARVC Mega Park of the Year Award (PRNewsfoto/Encore RV Resorts)Lifestyle | 4 May | Experience AZ

"The Arizona Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (Arizona ARVC) recently recognized Monte Vista Village RV Resort with the Mega Park of the Year Award at the 2018 Arizona ARVC Annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo. This marks the fifth consecutive occasion that an Encore resort has been honored with the Mega Park of the Year award by Arizona ARVC. . .
The Mega Park of the Year Award, for parks with more than 501 sites, was presented to Brenda Roza, Monte Vista general manager, by Scott Swanson and Jo Anne Mickelson, president and executive director of Arizona ARVC. Monte Vista received the Park of the Year award during the annual Awards Luncheon held on April 26^th. . . " 
READ MORE > here

Mesa Politicians Are "Pieces of Work" > Here's Kelly Townsend

. . . and she's fair fodder for Phoenix New Times reporter Antonia Noori Farzan after an unintended consequence posted by a Republican State representative from here. We are so blessed when the public foibles and follies of who voters elect to hold public office gets the attention of alternative media for either stupid, un-informed or social media comments posted to be inflammatory. Somehow there's a blow-back bringing some wanted or unwanted attention and interest in who they are. Mesa Boring? NOT

Image: Andrew Pielage

Representative Kelly Townsend Wants to Know What a Furry Is

Antonia Noori Farzan | May 4, 2018 | 4:17pm

"State representative Kelly Townsend, a Republican from Mesa with a habit of making inflammatory comments, is getting a real education after she asked what a furry was in a Twitter post on Friday morning. . .

. . . In other words, it's a dangerous thing to ask about in an online forum, especially if you're an extremely conservative state lawmaker. Townsend has now received hundreds of replies to her query, including some truly disturbing GIFs of animated pornography featuring cartoon wolves, which we're not going to link to here.

Why was Townsend curious about furries in the first place, you might wonder? Hilariously, it all comes back to socialism. Townsend, along with other Arizona conservatives, spent much of the past week accusing the leaders of the #RedForEd movement of being socialists who are trying to trick teachers into joining their revolution."
READ MORE > here

 

No, #RedForEd Isn't A Socialist Plot, But It Would Be Awesome If It Were

Phoenix New Times-May 4, 2018

In a recent op-ed in the Arizona Republic, Representative Maria Syms, a Republican from Paradise Valley, warned that the short-lived statewide teacher strike — which ended Thursday — could be the start of a leftist revolution in Arizona. A few days later, Representative Kelly Townsend, a Republican from Mesa, called on ...

Public Safety or Excessive Use-of-Force? Mesa Police Back In The News: One More Officer-Involved Shooting

While the Daniel Shaver killing back in January 2016 has somehow managed to drop off the radar screen while attorneys for the victim's widow-and-children and attorneys for the City of Mesa are negotiating a potential settlement approaching $100-Million dollars, there's a campaign by the Mesa City Council to make Public Safety the linchpin in a campaign can end up on the ballot in this year's General Election asking voters to approve or reject a sales tax increase.

That action item is in front of tonight's 7-member City Council to let voters and taxpayers make the decision if city officials can make the case, using slow 911 response-times to bolster their arguments,  to increase transaction sales taxes ostensibly for public safety when the data clearly says the crime rate is down.
However, in another timely report after a series of claims of use-of-excessive-force by the Mesa Police Department in the past two years, another episode from last month got the headlines over the weekend due to a very-rapid-response:     

Report: Mesa police shot unarmed man after 9-second exchange

Bree Burkitt, The Republic | azcentral.com 

Published 3:53 p.m. MT May 6, 2018 | Updated 4:27 p.m. MT May 6, 2018

"Records obtained by The Arizona Republic on Sunday indicate it took less than 10 seconds for an unarmed man's encounter with Mesa police to turn violent last month. . .

Conflicting statements

Aziz told investigators he had flagged down Brennan's car because he was afraid he was being chased by a group of men from Tucson who were going to kill him, the report said. He said the officer shot him for no reason. . . "

You can read the breaking news report from The Arizona Republic  here 

 

 

 

 

Here In The Old Donut-Hole: More Mormon Transformation > The Intersection of Religion & Finance

Published online just one hour ago, Jim Walsh, another EV Tribune Staff Writer, uses a series of conditional conjunctives to tell a story using an 'extensive renovation' of the LDS Temple that could transform downtown that has the potential of becoming a catalyst, using as the anchor revamping Pioneer Park with over $12 Million-Dollars in massive Mesa taxpayer-funded debt obligations paving the way for LDS profits.

Think of taxpayer-money as the pipeline to feed private investments on properties owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of The Latter-day Saints purchased over many years by Property Reserve, Inc., the LDS church's investment wing. Jim Walsh says that much and more to reveal some details how this all works well for a close group of "friends-and-family' descended for six generations now since the mid-1850's for the expansion of The Kingdom of Deseret.

The groups of Latter-day Saints, were sent on a mission from Utah to claim the First Peoples' territory and water rights here in The Salt River Valley. 
Four of "The Pioneer" founder-families are those Mormon pioneers memorialized in Pioneer Park by a bronze statue dedicated in 1987 facing the Temple here on Main Street. In the line of expansion, it was the second temple outside of Salt Lake City, opened in 1927 on an entire 10-acre city block - a location that no doubt benefits from what was a $5.9M figure to over $12M price tag in General Obligation Bond Debt

Walsh gets the details about the LDS investment strategies from the highest authority in The East Valley Partnership, Denny Barney seen in this image to the right, who succeeded another Mormon ex-Gilbert mayor John Lewis who got a calling to go on a mission to Cambodia, continuing the LDS line of succession from Roc Arnett. Readers might also note than the current mayor of Mesa is the 40th in a long line of mostly men with Mormon roots from the city's founding in 1878 to establish The New Zion by buying and holding vast acres of land throughout the entire East Valley for economic development.
(Walsh neglects to mention that The Barney Family owns acres of land in Queen Creek where a family member is the mayor.) 
After years of neglect, ten commercial properties here in The Old Donut-Hole have changed hands in transactions registered to various LLCs and 'Buy-and-Hold" companies.

According to what Jim Walsh writes, Denny Barney and his late father, "a well-respected Gilbert developer", have quietly played a pivotal role in setting the stage for the redevelopment by acting in concert with the LDS Church and acquiring properties west of the Temple, and turning them over to the church. . . "
and "several more mixed-use developments (as noted above) have been proposed downtown to take advantage of light rail. . . " Millions more for LDS profits riding on the back of taxpayer-financed debt obligations!

Massive Mesa Temple plan
could transform downtown

By Jim Walsh Tribune Staff Writer  1 hr ago

 

If this is AN EMOTIONAL THING for more people than the preservationists that are alarmed by these LDS real estate schemes, you can read the Jim Walsh's writing by using the following link >

EV Trib Massive Temple Plan  

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Here's some background from a Symposium held at Brigham Young University during March 1-2, 2018 just last month: 

Financing Faith:
The Intersection of Business and Religion

"In 1958, Leonard J. Arrington published Great Basin Kingdom, a seminal study in Mormon economic history. Arrington followed this work with several other studies pertaining to the economic history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and of the State of Utah. Other scholars have examined in detail financial operations of the church in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, including explorations of the law of consecration (first revealed to Joseph Smith in 1831) and its implementation, enterprises such as the United Firm and the Kirtland Safety Society, and the economic impact of creating new communities throughout the Great Basin.

Picking up where Arrington and others left off, there are new and exciting developments in the study of sex, society, race, and the environment that can enlighten the financial aspects of Mormon history.

The 2018 Church History Symposium will explore the intersection of finance and religion in the LDS Church between 1830 and 1930. In doing so, we hope that scholars will take a fresh look at Mormon history through the vantage point of economics and finance. We hope that this symposium will add to, complicate, or even revise portions of the standard economic history narratives mentioned above, while also exploring other areas of Mormon history through an economic and spiritual lens.
To view the full program scheduled March 1-2, click the following link > https://churchhistory.ce.byu.edu/
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Wayne's World: EV Trib Staff Writer Wayne Schutsky > Is He Slacking Off Reporting Mesa News?

What's the story here, Wayne ?
It took five days to get his story out?
Your MesaZona blogger keeps a close eye on issues in front of the Mesa City Council.
This is a very conservative city and simply put Conservative Republicans don't raise taxes. What explains this??
Two years ago Mesa taxpayers were smart enough to see through a bogus public relations fiasco that was privately-financed by the mayor and his cohorts that blew up in their faces when VOTERS REJECTED A SALES TAX INCREASE > The voted NO on the Yes1Mesa Campaign.
This time around the same crap is getting a new package.

Readers of this blog might have noticed that the entire streaming video of the Mesa City Council Study Session presented the official city story seen by few, where Schutsky writes that Mesa mulls  . . . that might a good choice of action verbs to describe the actions that citizens and the community might get engaged in and activated about if they know the details. 
However, Scutsky's report slacks off short of some salient facts: Crime rates are down.

Beyond that the City of Mesa faces staggering unfunded liabilities, including massive claims and lawsuits against the city from actions by the Police Department and claims of flood damages by a neighborhood group to the tune of about $150-Million bucks or more.  
Schutsky's writing just barely begins to scratch the surface stating the proposed sales tax boost is 'for safety'. BULLSHIT: Likewise he never mentions one other item to 'mull over' : Item 7 on the May 7th Mesa City Council Meeting. (see below)

Two years ago the "trick-the-taxpayers" campaign was a privately-financed fiasco that turned into a major screw-up using the cloak of Public Safety to cover up Pie-In-The-Sky schemes concocted by a closely-held undisclosed cohort of Crony Capitalists here in downtown to fill their own pockets. This time around the same crap is getting a new package -  it's the story that Mesa Mayor wants to get told his way.

There are matters that can impact you in a number of ways in the districts where you live and city-wide. Just one item is getting a lot of attention from mainstream media over talk about a hike in sales taxes, that the City Council says is not in any way related to another bogus scheme to somehow finance a presence of ASU downtown in new construction proposals. It's a mixed bag of accounting tricks buried in memoranda, inter-governmental agreements, and the usual cast of characters of city officials and certain developers who are hedging their bets pending convincing taxpayers to foot-the-bill - as well as hikes called 'modifications' in consumption fees/taxes and charges for any utility you use. 
rates/fees/charges Do you think any of these will get reduced?
10 items that deal with modifications and/or proposed terms Items 7-a > 7-j

• electric utility services in D1 + D4
• natural gas utility service Citywide
• water utility services Citywide
• wastewater utility services  
• solid waste utility services    

Mesa mulls sales tax boost for safety
BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Tribune Staff Writer 01 May2018 

Updated May 1, 2018

"Mesa is considering a sales tax increase to hire additional officers, firefighters and civilian support staff. The proposed 0.25 percent increase, from 1.75 percent to 2 percent, received unanimous support at a City Council study session last Thursday. . . The council will vote May 7 on whether to put the issue before voters in the November election..."

< Just one message for Wayne Schutsky

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Please note there are no alternative views in Wayne Schutsky's writing - none.

He just regurgitates everything made in presentations by every city employee. . . the city council and the mayor have their agenda, NO MATTER WHAT STORY THEY TRY TO INVENT. 

"We do have some unmet needs as a result of the growth,” he added.

“To me, the need for this is very apparent, and I not only am in favor of it but plan on doing everything I can to assist the campaign to help tell the story to make this happen.”
- Jivin' John Giles (quoted in Schutsky's write-up)

Link > http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/mesa-mulls-sales-tax-boost-for-safety/article_fd01720e-4d4e-11e8-8686-4b8486f6a242.html



Way to go, Wayne!

Arizona is #1 Worst State Where Dirty Money Infests Elections

Arizona is #1 Worst State Where Dirty Money Infests Elections

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Larry Bodine 

There is more dark money polluting the election process in Arizona than any other state in the US, according to the proponents of the Outlaw Dirty Money campaign.”

"Arizona is the worst state for elected officials owing their office to dirty money,” says former Attorney General Terry Goddard.
“There is more dirty money spent in Arizona than in California. I can’t tell you who’s behind the dirty money because they won’t tell us and our laws don’t require it.”
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Click to join the Outlaw Dirty Money campaign.
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Goddard spoke at a forum organized by The Arizona Ground Game civic group.
He and many progressive organizations are advocating an amendment to the state constitution that will require anyone that spends more than $10,000 on an election to disclose the original source of the money.
Corporations like the APS utility, super-rich donors like the Koch Brothers and dangerous groups like the NRA have teamed up to spend millions in Arizona, secretly funding Republican legislators who obediently pass anti-student, anti-consumer and anti-gun safety laws.

A notorious dark money stooge is Gov. Doug Ducey, who has attended Koch brothers summit meetings since 2011 and has secretly taken millions in dark money. Ducey has raised $500,000 for his re-election campaign since the beginning of the year, leaving him with more than $3 million on hand to spend on getting re-elected. That is 10 times more money than anyone else in the race.

“The people of Arizona have the right to know all the contributors who influenced our elections, ” Goddard says. “But our legislature has tried to make the state a safe zone for people who want to hide what they’re doing.”
Volunteers are circulating petitions in support of the Dirty Money Amendment. Today the campaign has 75,000 signatures and is working to collect 225,000 by July 5. “That’s actually pretty good, we have 2 months to go,” Goddard says. Click for information about helping to circulate Outlaw Dirty Money petitions.




How dirty money works > Find out right here: Blog For Arizona

Following the Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010, corporations have been infesting Arizona will millions in secret donations.
The corporations include Freeport McMoran, the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona and Basha’s grocery stores.

Businesses behind dirty money.

They funnel money to front organizations like 
ALEC
The Heritage Foundation
Cato Institute
FreedomWorks
Focus on the Family
the National Right To Work Foundation
Family Research Council
the Center for Arizona Policy
the Arizona Chamber of Commerce
the Goldwater Institute.
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“People are fed up,” Goddard says.
“They’re saying we’ve got to end this.”

Terry Goddard of the Outlaw Dirty Money campaign.

 

 

 

 

 

New Rule: Dear Roseanne | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

Just to lighten-up...Hmmm