Opportunity Zones: State and Local Policies to Prevent Displacement and ...

TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH

Published on May 31, 2018

Recorded live on May 30, 2018
Part 1 of the webinar (1:00 - 2:00 pm ET) discusses anti-displacement policies that help ensure existing residents and businesses can benefit from, and participate in, the growth and economic development that occurs in a community, particularly for communities at risk of gentrification.
Part 2 of the webinar (2:00 - 3:00 pm ET) looks at policies that can be pursued at the state and local level to attract investments to specific communities or projects through the creative use of incentives.
Speakers:

• Flora Arabo, National Director for State and Local Policy, Enterprise Community Partners
• Victoria Brown, Director, Enterprise Advisors
• Rachel Reilly, Director, Enterprise Community Loan Fund

Skyscrapers of the Future Will Be Engineered to Copy Nature

I LIKE THIS :)) BioDiversity
integrating with Nature

^HEADS UP^ Agenda for Today's Mesa City Council Study Session The 31 May 2018

This is NOT just another 'Study Session' - the agenda was made public less than 48 hours ago. Ready for more debt?
Members of the public may find that too short notice to take the time or to understand what the details are all about - all too frequently that's the case when the City Council tries to reduce any opportunities for public oversight to keep government here in Mesa open, transparent and accountable.

These two items alone involve millions of dollars and increasing the public debt that is financed by taxpayers sooner or later.
Two items out of six stand out PAY ATTENTION PLEASE
1. A long-term lease with the Arizona Board of Regents** and related budget
2. General Obligation Bond Projects including transportation, public safety, parks and cultural projects
Mesa Plays for the 2018 election ???
You can find and access all this information right here by hitting the following link >
Council. Board & Committee Research Center/ Legistar
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> 2-b (See link below) and > 2-d (See link below) 

> 2-b (See link below) A long-term lease with the Arizona Board of Regents** and related budget for the multi-story building to be leased for the downtown Arizona State University project > 2-d (See link below)  General Obligation Bond Projects including transportation, public safety, parks and cultural projects, and Mesa Plays for the 2018 election. ________________________________________________________________________ ** Readers of this blog might like to note that the Arizona Board of Regents has been the subject of scrutiny by some investigative reporters and other state and national media over both the members composition and their actions.  Just one is the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.  azcir.org

________________________________________________________________________ Item 2-b

File #:

18-0651

Type:

Presentation

Status:

Agenda Ready

In control:

City Council Study Session

On agenda:

5/31/2018

Title:

Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on a long-term lease with the Arizona Board of Regents and related budget for the multi-story building to be leased for the downtown Arizona State University project.

Attachments:

1. Presentation

________________________________________________________________________

Item 2-d

File #:

18-0588

Type:

Presentation

Status:

Agenda Ready

In control:

City Council Study Session

On agenda:

5/31/2018

Title:

Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on general obligation bond projects including transportation, public safety, parks and cultural projects, and Mesa Plays for the 2018 election.

Attachments:

1. Presentation

________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Name:

City Council Study Session

Agenda status:

Final

Meeting date/time:

5/31/2018 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 (6)

All agenda items

File # Agenda # Type Title Action Result Action Details 18-0653 2-a Presentation Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on garage size standards for single residence garages.     Not available 18-0651 2-b Presentation Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on a long-term lease with the Arizona Board of Regents and related budget for the multi-story building to be leased for the downtown Arizona State University project.     Not available 18-0638 2-c Presentation Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on a comprehensive update of Mesa’s i.d.e.a. Museum master site plan, which includes phased concepts for optimizing existing spaces and program, and space improvements.     Not available 18-0588 2-d Presentation Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on general obligation bond projects including transportation, public safety, parks and cultural projects, and Mesa Plays for the 2018 election.     Not available 18-0694 3-a Minutes Human Relations Advisory Board meeting held on April 25, 2018.     Not available 18-0695 3-b Minutes Museum and Cultural Advisory Board meeting held on January 25, 2018.     Not available

________________________________________________________________________

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Something's In The Water Here In Mesa: How Do We Know?

Why is the city publishing last year's report in 2018?

Mesa water quality report now available

May 22, 2018 at 3:45 pm
The new report reflects testing performed in 2017 and highlights water quality, sources, treatment, testing and monitoring for the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule.

"Mesa's water is safe, clean, reliable and meets all state and federal drinking water standards," Water Resources Department Director Jake West said. "The City invests millions of dollars in water infrastructure each year and has inspectors, analysts, technicians, engineers and water treatment specialists who work diligently so you can be confident about your drinking water." 
Link > http://www.mesanow.org/news/public/article/2099

Blogger Note: Oh yes, the city does spend millions and millions every budget year on both water treatment and  wastewater treatment as you can see in Budget Pie Chart above.
What last year's Water Quality Confidence Report doesn't say is that the city only measures what's required by current EPA regulations - there are a lot of other organic and inorganic compounds that are not collected or monitored or reported on.
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The new Consumer Confidence Report is available online in

• English at www.mesaaz.gov/ccr 
• Spanish at www.mesaaz.gov/ccrespanol.

For hard copies or questions about water quality, please contact (480) 644-6461 or water.quality@mesaaz.gov.
Contact: Kathy Macdonald, Water Resources, (480) 644-4364, kathy.macdonald@mesaaz.gov

Here in Mesa The Mormon Temple Rededicatory Prayer 1975

Back then the Church Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints never admitted they have a For-Profit arm . . . now we know they do in the plans that have 'revealed' for the Massive Mormon Temple Make-Over of Downtown Mesa. Thank you, Lord!
(and thank you to Denny Barney, Rock Arnett and the two local reporters who told the story)

 

Explaining Increases & Hikes in Fees, Taxes & Charges > Hello! It's HOME RULE

Not only do we get some 'creative accounting' presentations made by Candace Cannistraro, head of the Mesa Office of Management & Budget, in public testimony in front of the City Council in a flurry on next year's proposed fiscal budget, but missing on the list of to-do's are two items at the bottom: Required Public Hearing on Renewing Home Rule. Other cities are getting smarter realizing that Home Rule is like writing blank checks. . . Here in Mesa there are 2 required Public Hearings on Home Rule next week.
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TENTATIVE Schedule of Public Meetings (Subject to Revision)

 

Public Hearing on Home Rule Election	June 4, 2018
Public Hearing on Expenditures and Tax Levy, Final Budget Adoption	June 4, 2018
Second Public Hearing on Home Rule, Home Rule Election Adoption	June 18 2018

 

That has to be done every four years whether you know it or not, or whether City Manager Chris Brady, the Chief Executive Officer (hired and not elected) here in Mesa since 2006 can present reliable and accurate economic  data to control the public narrative to convince members of the City Council and the general public that hikes in utilities usage/consumption fees and charges and increases in sales taxes are justified to support increasing the public debt for unsolicited private developer schemes for their own wealth creation in the guise of taxpayer financing for an ASU expansion into downtown.
More questions need to be asked.
_________________________________________________________________________
So far there's been at least one member of the Mesa City Council, Jeremy Whittaker, doing just that - and getting some mean-spirited reactions at study sessions and regular meetings. On principle he published the following on his website - why he opposes the plan

$120 million handout to ASU by Mesa Mayor is just wrong

"There’s a ton of misinformation going around regarding the new downtown ASU project that I wanted to take the time to address. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on this issue but not to their own facts. . . "
Link > http://www.jeremywhittaker.com 
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What is Home Rule? 

_________________________________________________________________________ 

Here's are some snippets from what Gary Nelson that can fill you in more on the initial adoption of Home Rule here in Mesa back in June 2014:

Mesa voters face key 'home-rule' budget decision

Gary Nelson, The Republic | azcentral.com June 5, 2014

". . . Home rule is shorthand for a provision that, in essence, allows Mesa to spend the money it collects from taxes and other sources. It allows the council, rather than a 35-year-old state spending formula, to decide what's best for Mesa residents while still maintaining a balanced budget, as required by state law.

The vote is necessary because, in 1980, Arizona voters amended the state Constitution to keep cities' spending in check.

The formula allows budgets to rise along with population growth and inflation. But in Mesa's case, past councils have said the limits were too low and have asked voters for permission to exceed them. The home-rule provision must be renewed every four years.

The voters have always agreed, although the first such election, in 1982, drew only a 54 percent "yes" vote.

Approval in 1986 came by about a 2-1 ratio.

In 1990, Mesa was set to ask for home rule again. But the city manager at the time, Charles Luster, said the city could live within the state spending limits for years to come, and the council pulled the item off the ballot.

Then, in 1998, Mesa voters approved a half-cent "Quality of Life" sales tax to pay for an extensive civic wish list.

Without home rule, Mesa could not have spent that money. So the question went back on the ballot in 2000. It won strong approval then, and again in 2004, 2008 and in a 2010 vote that resulted from a state-mandated change in Mesa's election schedule. . .

"Home rule is the local control of our budget," Cannistraro said.

" . . .Although there are other ways of overriding the state-imposed limits, she said,

"Mesa chooses to do the home rule because it gives the City Council the most flexibility and control over the budget locally."

The council is required to have two public hearings on home rule. The first was June 2. The second will be during its June 16 meeting, which begins at 5:45 p.m. in council chambers at 57 E. First St.

After that hearing, the council will decide whether to put home rule on the Nov. 4 ballot. . ."

Link > AZ Central Home Rule Budget Decision

________________________________________________________________ 

Blogger Note: Remember this was four years ago - 2018 it's time for 2 required hearings.

__________________________________________________________________________

 

Official site > http://www.mesaaz.gov/city-hall/office-of-management-budget 

Back-To-The-Future > Site 17 Here in 'The Old Donut-Hole'

In the time-span of last week 'this vast scar of empty real estate' - 25 acres more or less - better known as Site 17, has somehow managed to pop-up again: not once, but at least twice.
Last year it was a public relations push in the city's Imagine Mesa project, with the results handled by a third-party group Neighborlands.
There was also a couple of public outreach get-togethers where a boisterous group from West Mesa held sway.
  

(1) RAILMesa featured Site 17 in a 'Meet The Developer' segment in a meeting on Wednesday, May 23rd.
Your MesaZona blogger has taken a break from going in-person to these meetings.
Now the city is trying to leverage the value of the long-vacant site as an offset in another real estate redevelopment scheme!

(2) What about all this additional promised revenue?
Below is a dirt field known as “site 17”. Proponents will have you believe future assumed revenues from projects like this are going to pay for ASU. To make these connections is purely speculative at best . . .
http://www.jeremywhittaker.com

it's time to re-visit a post from November 18, 2016
Here We Go Again With That "Downtown Vision Thing" 

Who wants to go here to take Mesa to the next level?
 Is this what works for Mayor John Giles or is there another direction?
At tonight's Mesa City Council Study Session for Monday, Nov 21, 2016,one item stands out on the Final Agenda, but first some background farther on to put things into perspective . . . from 1992, then flash forward to this Monday, November 21, 2016 where Director of Downtown Transformation, Jeff McVay, will be making a presentation of the results of months of online surveys and community meetings to a study session of the Mesa City Council. Real estate developers' perspectives are included also.

Years ago the City of Mesa demolition crew  bulldozed the site, with reporter Gary Nelson calling the 30 acres " a vast scar of empty real estate" in an article from 3 years ago. With the recent rejection by voters saying NO to a sales tax hike for another bogus downtown redevelopment plan, who knows if  and when another Pie-In-The-Sky plan will fly?
Looks like the time is now.

. . . It goes without saying that City officials are still debating what to do with 30 acres of land that sit vacant thanks to a failed redevelopment project that began in 1992.

.[1]  Known to the City as “Redevelopment Site 17,” the tract once contained 63 homes that the City condemned and purchased at a cost of $6 million.  A group of Canadian developers planned to build Mesa Verde, an entertainment village featuring a time-share resort, water park and ice-skating rink.
After the City had already seized the homes, financing for the project fell through.[2]  Now, 16 years later, the City is still considering possible redevelopment plans for the area.[3] . . . what's the current thinking and planning that's been put into an attempt to gather data from online surveys and two community meetings involving 1,873 people?
Results are available in a link to a  .pdf download to another Power Point presentation that you, dear readers, can access to view, show up in-person on Monday evening, for at the appointed time live-streaming on Mesa Channel 11.

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^[1] Hunter Interests Reports, “Analysis and Recommendations for Development of Sites Pursuant to the Town Center Action Plan,” Hunter Interests Inc., Sept. 12, 2002.

^[2] Paul Green, “Eminent Domain: Mesa Flexes a Tyrannous Muscle,” East Valley Tribune, Sept. 2, 2001; Robert Robb, “Count on City-Driven Project to Fail,” The Arizona Republic, Sept. 21, 2001.

^[3] Patrick Murphy (Town Center Development Specialist, City of Mesa, Town Center Development Office), Telephone Interview with Justin Gelfand, Institute for Justice, May 22, 2006.
Source: Castle Coalition.org