Inside Mesa

I guess you

The Mesa City Council voted recently to restructure some of the city’s debt payments which amount to millions over the life of bonds. I call this responsible government.Refinancing city bonds will actually level off the debt by adjusting payment periods or by getting better interest rates. According to Bryan Raines, Mesa’s financial service manager, restructuring some of the Mesa’s debt payments will save well over $1 million and level off the debt.Furthermore, according to city documents almost $2.7 million will be realized over the life of the bonds as reported by Sarah Lynch, East Valley Tribune.How can Mesan’s accuse city government of wasting money when the budget office is diligently looking for ways to find sources that will save money? Keep up the good work in looking for saving measures such as this and for keeping the community well informed of the relevant information that will hopefully dispel the notion of mistrust.

The Tribune editorial of June 13 carried a lot of truth on "Mesa’s budget grows along with city" along with Bryan Raines, Mesa’s Financial Manager’s commentary "Explaining increase in Mesa budget".The city in my opinion went all out to include citizens in the discussions surrounding Mesa’s dire circumstances and the reality of shortfalls that we as a community would face without a primary property tax that would help tremendously toward a better budget funded but not quite out of the "woods". Not many showed up at those meetings held in every district in the city, which is six. There was ample opportunity over many weeks to have your say, learn the facts, an opportunity to turn in your own "wish" list of what you would like to see funded. Pretty good way to educate Mesa’s citizenry.Even with the many times available people didn’t show up. The majority that voted down the property tax seems to me didn’t want to hear the truth. Why? It might bring home a conviction to actually pass the tax because we need it. From where I sit it seems more a point of pride in trying to get along without the tax with a false rhetoric that we as a city don’t need the tax, keep the money for ourselves and let others pay for services that are now cut. Cut from our very own lists of priorities perhaps believing it won’t happen.What I don’t understand is why the finger is always pointed at the current council - oh, but what a minute - if the finger is pointed to the council it takes the heat off those that cannot accept the responsibility of not measuring up to funding a city that is what it is because of the growth and providing the important things that make our city great and what people, family, and business’ look for when buying into a community.The council has done an extraodinary job along with city staff in spending wisely, providing programs, drawing attention across our nation that bring recognition to Mesa through awards for excellent work worthy of citizens applause not discouraging remarks. As Bryan Raines points out the new financial reporting requirements cause a redundancy in dollars that amount to $43 million of the $120 million increase in Mesa’s budget. Another ongoing expense will be salaries. Why there are those that don’t realize that city employees are not slaves of government and deserve salary increases including pension increases required by the state, is unimaginable. Bryan also tells us financial stability and improving Mesa’s bond rating includes setting aside funds for future debt payments. Mesa’s budget and shortfalls will continue to have a need to be addressed. I do agree with Bryan’s view and trust his first hand knowledge that the city exercises sound fiscal management polices and appropriate accountability of public resources. He spoke several times during the district budget meetings and may have made a difference to you had you been there to hear all that we as a city face.To make up for some of the funds needed we most likely will see increased fees, increased utility rates, and some of the services you may have thought would not be touched like seniors using dial-a-ride - which the city has graciously sponsored - it now may be used only for the disabled as intended but not without other means that are in place to get a ride, we just have to learn to use them. I don’t think we’ve gained anything by voting down the primary property tax because we’ll pay in other ways; it’s only taken away many of those services taken for granted and from those typically compromised, those that need assistance, programs that are valuable for families, city employees that have protected us in our parks and schools - and as we grow that $1 Billion city budget is just over the horizon. The explaination that many can’t afford a primary property tax doesn’t hold water, especially since the Governor has come up with tax breaks for the coming year.