Inside Mesa

What a collection - some 80,000 pieces that represent so many historical aspects of Mesa. Don’t you want to preserve what is in this wonder place - The Mesa Historical Museum?I was introduced to Lisa Anderson, Director, Mesa Historical Museum at the last budget meeting. With the new budget cuts it’s future could be uncertain. I learned that last time it rained the basement was flooded putting many pieces in danger of being ruined. A local business finally responded and helped clear out the water!This is one of those special parts of Mesa that needs to be preserved - but how? Hopefully, someone or something will come to pass to help keep in place this rich collection of Mesa’s heritage and it’s ability to "stay in business"!

Today at 4:00 pm we had the opportunity to stop in and thank Councilmember Thom for her service and dedicated efforts in Mesa’s District 6.Janie Thom was the first councilmember in Mesa’s District 6. That took a lot of courage to step up to serve a vast southeast side of Mesa that has seen unprecedented spurts of growth and along with it, many accomplishments. Mayor Hawker noted at least a 24,000 increase in population since June 2002 when Councilmember Thom took office; her term ends June 5, 2006. The Mayor presented Thom with an engraved plaque that listed the many efforts she has successfully been involved in.Others that gave Councilmember Thom parting gifts with special meaning and gratitude for her support was from Dave Plumb, Utilities Department, Judge Tafoya, Mesa Court System, Interim Police Chief Gregory Fowler, and Harry Beck, Fire Chief. It was a grand celebration and well deserved.Janie, thanks again for serving Mesa and it’s residents the past 4 years.

Well, here we are - right where the city council and city manager said we would be without a stable revenue stream. Councilmember Kyle Jones was right about "a perception problem". Vice Mayor Walters view that the recent vote shows the voters don’t trust their government seems evident.The Tribune’s editorial page today features an opinion by Nelson Cassaro of Mesa. I don’t understand his surprise to the city selling bonds to add new streets. It seems obvious to me that the bonds are due to the consequences of the vote, no property tax. Prior to May 16 when Mesa residents had the opportunity to pass a primary property tax, the city manager held public meetings along with councilmembers to discuss budget issues. The city budget and needs were thoroughly covered to demonstrate that Mesa has a need for a stable revenue source.A portion of the sales tax that was approved will be used for street repair and maintenance. This is inevitable and an ongoing expense for any city. As our population grows we must also meet the demands it brings. It seems only logical that new streets are needed to accommodate our rapidly expanding city.When the majority of voters decided not to pass the property tax, they also made the decision expenses that need to be met will happen by other means - in this case bonds. Mr. Cassaro’s view although well intended, may be the result of not attending the budget hearings. He says, "Their (city council) recent action to sell more bonds with no clear revenue stream shows utter disregard for the results of the May 16 general election". I don’t believe the bonds are disregarding the results of the May 16 ballot, it is because of the results - no property tax - that bonds are being sold. Citizens of Mesa were told clearly and multiple times that without a property tax - a stable revenue source, other means would have to be used in order to keep pace with Mesa’s growth, providing the necessary elements — bonds or a secondary property tax. Mr. Cassaro states that the council "just don’t get it"; perhaps it’s that some of our citizens don’t get it".

On Memorial Day, below the fold on the front page there was a story written by Tribune reporter Brian Powell titled "Mesa City Hall in racial rift."Debbie Driscol, a 10-year employee working as a neighborhood outreach coordinator quit under a cloud of racial discrimination. No, this isn’t a case where a "white" person has discriminated against a person of color. This is a case where because she was white she was the victim of discrimination. It appears that Lisha Garcia; Mesa’s Neighborhood Service Director has recently been thrust into the limelight because of her perceived politicization of her post. Among the charges against Garcia, she publicly spoke out against Proposition 200 which simply required that voters prove citizenship before being allowed to vote. Other accusations can be found in the 35 page report compiled by an outside firm hired by the City of Mesa. Several of Driscol’s claims were substantiated. "I don’t have an agenda that is targeted to a specific race or ethnicity but to the entire city," Garcia stated. Really? From what I have been able to glean from what I have read that is precisely what she is doing. Her race based attitude is being perpetuated by an increasingly ineffective and apathetic city government as well. Most notable in the article was the following line, "City Council members declined to comment, saying that they don’t want to be involved in personnel matters, don’t know much about situation, or are worried about potential litigation." No wonder this city is in trouble. About the only acceptable answer to this question would have been concern over litigation, that I could buy, but not wanting to be involved in personnel matters? Not knowing much about the situation? Come on, you had to fund the outside agency to look into this, what did that cost? You also offered Driscol $24,500 in settlement money. This is a personnel matter and I am sorry if you don’t want to be involved… but that is your job. This is your City Government in action.

Mayor Keno Hawker made a statement that could be a threat, veiled as a non-threat but threatening none the less. He said,"There was a lot of people saying the council is bluffing and won’t make cuts, but this was never a bluff." The City Council is set to put pen to paper and sign off on the budget, cuts and all today. We all need to prepare to see changes within our city. Funding for such things as the Museum, The Mesa Arts Center, resource officers at the Jr. High Schools are among the things that will be cut. Now is not the time for those who favored the property tax to point the finger at those who opposed it. Now is the time to look to our leaders to solve this problem. I will beat this drum until my hands bleed but they came to the people, the people said no, they sought these jobs that they now hold and they are responsible for not just maintaining this city but improving it as well. Going backwards is not an option, looking forward is.