Sunday, June 02, 2019

New Water Quality Report For Last Year Released > What Don't They Tell You?

Here we go - Drink Up! The report from last year. Murky details
An announcement from The City of Mesa News Room
Here's an excerpt:
"The City invests millions of dollars in water infrastructure each year and has highly skilled water professionals who work diligently each day so you can be confident about your drinking water and the infrastructure that delivers it," City Manager Chris Brady said.
"We are committed to delivering high quality water at the lowest possible cost by continuously looking for efficiencies and improving operations."
Note the words above

Millions - O Yeah!
How much do your tax dollars pay for both waster and wastewater treatment?
What do you get billed for every month??
Residential: _____
Commercial/Industrial: _____

< BUDGET PIE CHART FISCAL YEAR 2018/19
Wastewater Treatment: $52.3 Millions 46%
Water Treatment: 26.7 Millions 13%
More than any other category:
Parks
Public Safety
Transportation/Streets
Electric
Gas
Solid Waste
______________________________________________________________________
Mesa water quality report highlights quality, reliability, value and service
May 30, 2019 at 10:30 am
How well do you know your H2O? Learn about the quality of your Mesa drinking water by reading the new City of Mesa Water Quality Consumer Confidence report at www.mesaaz.gov/ccr.
"Mesa's water is clean, safe, reliable and meets over 100 state and federal drinking water standards," Water Resources Department Director Jake West said. "Our Water Resources Department provides valuable services that protect public health and the environment, bolster the local economy, and are an integral part of the vibrant lifestyle enjoyed in Mesa."
The report reflects data collected in 2018 and provides important information about water quality, sources, treatment, testing and monitoring. . . .

REMINDER: June 11 2019 is Deadline To Submit Public Comments

Public comment period for Annual Action Plan started on 14 May 2019.
All comments submitted become a part of the public record.
What DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PROPOSED ACTION PLAN FOR FY2019/2020?A public comment period is underway through Tuesday, June 11 for the City of Mesa's proposed Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Annual Action Plan.

> The plan includes specific activities recommended for funding under the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs.
> It also includes the City's Human Services programs which receive money from the General Fund and contributions from the ABC: A Better Community program.
The funds are used for housing and community development activities that benefit low and moderate-income residents and assist in the prevention or elimination of slum and blighting influences.
The City will receive the following allocations from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for FY 19/20: 
  • CDBG $3,729,487 (public service and non-public service)
  • HOME $2,056,261 (includes $700,000 in prior year funds)
  • ESG $ 308,423 
Human Services programming is expected to remain stable at $720,000.
This is the same amount allocated in the previous fiscal year. 
_________________________________________________________________________________
BLOGGER NOTE:
The PROPOSED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR FY2019/2020 is 53 pages long
Executive Summary 
AP-05 Executive Summary - 24 CFR 91.200(c), 91.220(b)
1. Introduction
The City of Mesa’s 2019/20 Annual Action Plan is a comprehensive document promoting a coordinated approach to housing and community needs, and fostering the coordination of all programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It details the activities and projects in which HUD dollars, as well as other federal, State and local funding dollars, will be allocated. This Plan outlines the priorities by which the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Program, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program funds will be invested over the 2019/20 fiscal year. This is the fifth Annual Action Plan detailing specific activities to be carried out in order to meet the 2015-2019 Five Year Consolidated Plan's priorities and goals. 

2. Summarize the objectives and outcomes identified in the Plan 
This could be a restatement of items or a table listed elsewhere in the plan or a reference to another location. It may also contain any essential items from the housing and homeless needs assessment, the housing market analysis or the strategic plan.

The Strategic Plan outlines the following priority needs based on the Needs Assessment and Market Analysis which includes:
• Invest in Economic Growth and Workforce Development
• Provide financial support, training, and technical assistance to owners and/or developers of microenterprises.
• Create and secure financial resources to seed a revolving small business loan fund, targeted to business owners along the light rail corridor.
• Undertake commercial revitalization in target areas through the construction and/or rehabilitation of commercial structures and through façade improvement programs.
• Provide job skills training opportunities to better prepare the City’s workforce for employment. 
• Prioritize funding for economic development projects based on proximity to transit access points.
• Increase and Maintain Affordable Housing Stock

Annual Action Plan 2019 2
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)

• Provide funding for the development of new and/or rehabilitated rental units affordable to households at or below 60% AMI, with specific targets for the 0-30%, 31-50%, 51-60%, and 6180% AMI categories.
• Fund construction of new affordable ownership units for sale to low- and moderate-income buyers. • Develop and implement a rating tool to be used when evaluating proposed affordable housing developments that scores and weighs criteria such as proximity to public transportation access points, proximity to job centers, and other opportunity factors.
• Consider other opportunities such as Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) that provide rental subsidies to low-income households to make existing units affordable.
• Develop an incentive program that encourages private-sector developers to include affordable units in their projects and advocate for the adoption of the program by City government.
• Extend the useful life of existing affordable housing through weatherization, emergency repair, and rehabilitation.
• Provide down payment assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income homebuyers. 

3. Evaluation of past performance 
This is an evaluation of past performance that helped lead the grantee to choose its goals or projects.
Each year, the City of Mesa reports its progress in meeting the five-year and annual goals in the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER).
The CAPER is submitted to HUD within 90 days after the start of the new program year.
Copies of the CAPER are available for review at the City of Mesa Housing and Community Development Division.    EVER LOOK AT IT?

4. Summary of Citizen Participation Process and consultation process 
Summary from citizen participation section of plan.
The City conducted significant consultations with citizens, municipal officials, non-profit agencies, public housing agencies, governmental agencies, and the Continuum of Care in preparing this Plan. The City held various public meetings prior to the development of the Plan, and additional public meetings to review the draft proposals and priorities.
These meetings are summarized in the Citizen Participation Section. 
Public comments on the draft Annual Action Plan were received over a 30-day Public Comment Period which commenced on May 13, 2019 and ended on June 11, 2019. 

5. Summary of public comments

 Annual Action Plan 2019 3
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)

This could be a brief narrative summary or reference an attached document from the Citizen Participation section of the Con Plan.
Comments received during the public meetings prior and during the preparation of the Plan and related priorities are summarized in the Citizen Participation Section of this Plan. 

6. Summary of comments or views not accepted and the reasons for not accepting them
All public comments are taken into consideration in preparing the Annual Action Plan.

The City has reviewed all comments for common and recurring themes to help establish priorities and goals.

7. Summary
This Annual Action Plan addresses the priorities and needs identified in the Consolidated Plan.
These priorities are the community’s affordable housing, community development, and economic development needs with a comprehensive and coordinated strategy for implementation of programs. The City will utilize CDBG, HOME and ESG program funds to leverage other public and private investments to address the City’s priority goals. 
A printed copy of the plan, listing all projects proposed for funding, is available at the Housing and Community Development Division, 20 E. Main St., Suite 250, in Mesa.
An electronic copy is available at https://www.mesaaz.gov/home/showdocument?id=33830
Written comments are welcome and should be submitted to CommunityRevitalization@mesaaz.gov.
All written comments received by June 11 at 6 p.m. will be considered. 
You can also provide feedback about the Annual Action Plan during two public hearings Thursday, May30 at10 a.m. at Red Mountain Multigenerational Center, 7550 E. Adobe and Monday, June 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Mesa City Plaza, 20 E. Main St., Room 170. 
The Annual Action Plan is scheduled to go to City Council June 17. Once approved, it will be submitted to HUD by June 30.
_________________________________________________________________________
Housing and Community Development
Contact: Kevin Christopher
Tel. 480-644-4699
kevin.christopher@mesaaz.gov

The Limits of our Knowledge

Good-to-know HUH?
Published on May 31, 2019
Views: 20,998
There is much in the universe we will never know, and it is equally certain that we will never know all that we do not know.
A lecture by Joseph Silk, Gresham Professor of Astronomy 22 May 2019
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-an...

There is much in the universe we will never know, and it is equally certain that we will never know all that we do not know. This dilemma has not stopped cosmologists, philosophers and even theologians from exploring and going beyond the limits of space and time.

Website:
http://www.gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/GreshamCollege
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreshamCollege
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greshamcoll...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greshamcoll...

How The Mooch Got His MoJo Back (HBO)

Fired from Trump World...
It's just "politics" for four guys. In America guys like Scaramucci "The Mooch" always find a way back > Skybridge.  
RELAX, who's gonna remember Donald Trump???
the real power is not on-stage - it's all those Hedge Fund managers. 
Published on May 10, 2019
Views: 62,055
This week, the Sin City calendar included the 10th Annual Skybridge Alternatives Conference, known as SALT.

It's your standard rich-meet-powerful confab, the kind of thing you'd find in Davos or Aspen. With one notable exception: this one is run by Anthony Scaramucci.
Skybridge is The Mooch's investment company. At its height, say in 2017, SALT was pretty mega: former heads of state and a-list entertainers appeared on stage. But then Scaramucci's fortunes changed in July 2017 when he took a job as President Trump's White House Communications Director. That resulted in one of the all-time great Washington faceplants. Eleven days into the job, Scaramucci was fired, and his brand was beclowned.
The Mooch was alone. There was no SALT conference in 2018.
But a year is a long time, and the finance world has once again opened its arms to Scaramucci. SALT 2019 lacked some of the star power of previous years, but the Mooch did get some heavy-hitters: former White House chief of staff John Kelly was the keynote guest. Other panels included Chris Christie and Jeff Sessions.
Some Democrats showed up, too — former Obama advisers Valerie Jarrett and Susan Rice were here. Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard stopped by, too.
At the center of it all was a man who many people in politics left for dead. But at SALT at least, The Mooch is very much alive.
"My issues with the president are not what he's doing. He's got some very very good policies actually working for average people," Scaramucci told VICE News. "My issue with the president is how he's doing it. It's not what he's doing."​​

Subscribe to VICE News here:
http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News

Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com
Follow VICE News here:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/vicenews
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews
Tumblr: http://vicenews.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews
More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo

Saturday, June 01, 2019

You Give Me Fever: Un-Seating Trump & Getting On-Board

There is at least one ticket to lift-off the dark shadows over The White House and all the tabloid trash brought to the table in the "Game of Trump". That could be over and disrupted soon is we can just get over the high crime committed that diminish and tarnish the highest elected office in the land of the free and the home brave: IMPEACHMENT.
It's an emotionally-tinged subject.
Trump is no stranger to high drama. He creates it and divides the country, recently throttling up more rancorous rhetoric claiming independent appointed Robert Mueller is waging "a personal attack" against him as a never-trumper. . .
All Hail To The Chief!
It's real clear politics aimed at confusion and distraction ...
Let's leave that there for now.
Name-calling gets all of us nowhere after more than two years.
Like they say, "Let's move on"
Hmmm ... Just imagine someway and somehow both Trump and Pence happen to resign from office. What might happen then? The Speaker of The House, Nancy Pelosi, would become The President. The first woman to be President of The United States!
Never say never.

The Case for Impeachment
Book by Allan Lichtman
The Case for Impeachment is a non-fiction book by American University Distinguished Professor of History Allan Lichtman arguing for the impeachment of Donald Trump. He predicted to The Washington Post that after ascending to the presidency, Trump would later be impeached from office.
It was published on April 18, 2017, by Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.


Why All The Arguments Against Impeachment Are B.S.
Published on May 31, 2019
Views: 8,616
It'll divide the country, energize Trump's base — and anyway, he'll never be convicted in the Senate!
Mehdi Hasan rebuts the arguments against impeachment.
Subscribe to our channel:
https://interc.pt/subscribe 



Pouring Some SALT on Opportunity Zones: New "Anti-Abuse" Regulations + Guidelines

OZones are the subject of many posts on this blog. Opportunities for some, but the biggest winners might be the legions of tax attorneys who get well paid to deal with all the COMPLEXITIES. The IRS and The U.S. Treasury issued new regulations on April 17th - "the 2nd tranche"that were re-published in excerpts here last week for your information.
There are penalties that will be imposed for what are mostly "self-reporting" and there's a new DEADLINE of June 29,2019 for access to funds QOFs that might be lost in the 180-Day Investment Window. Specifically 5 new regulations.
There are "bad actors" and "good actors"

Why is this new Caliber video getting uploaded and posted today here, after two years of knowing about the Caliber Wealth Creation funds?
CEO Chris Loeffler is stating that his company can GUARANTEE doubling or tripling investments "if they do it right".
He claims $500M + $500M in development now
Published on May 31, 2019
Views: 6
Watch Caliber CEO and Co-Founder, Chris Loeffler and Snell & Wilmer Partner, Marc Schultz, discuss Opportunity Zones at the 2019 SALT Conference

BIG YAM > Arizona Reg A+ Stories: Caliber Wealth

Private Equity Real Estate Funds and how-to-raise capital. Right timing and right plan + initial mistakes
Published on Jun 1, 2018
Views: 38
Duration: 23:50
Chris Loeffler, CEO & co-founder of Arizona-based real estate private equity investment company Caliber Wealth, discusses his company’s track record of raising investment from accredited investors and why Regulation A+ makes sense for them.
On Feb. 21, 2018, BIG YAM, The Parsons Agency hosted Arizona’s inaugural Regulation A+ conference. The event, titled “Smart Funding Summit: Raise Capital and Keep Control with Reg A+,” was the first of its kind for the state. It featured presentations by leaders from a variety of industries, including a keynote from innovative tech champion Congressman David Schweikert.
The Summit aimed to promote the significance and growth of these capital raises for the benefit of Arizona companies and its investment community. Regulation A+ capital raises are often referred to as “mini IPOs,” allowing private companies to offer and sell up to $50 million in securities in a 12-month period, subject to eligibility, disclosure and reporting requirements. This capital can be gathered from unaccredited investors independently or in parallel with an accredited raise (Regulation D Rule 506(c)), and listed to an exchange.
For more information on marketing a Regulation A+ campaign, please contact BIG YAM via email sales@bigyam.com.

Cartoon Carousel The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics | By POLITICO STAFF 01/23/2026 05:00 AM EST

Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the fo...