Inside Mesa

Each time my husband and I hear the name Glendale, AZ during a nationally televised event we writhe in pain and gag on the irony. It’s been nearly five years since the anti-stadium /anti-Cardinals rhetoric reached a fever pitch and the possibility of an NFL stadium in Mesa was finally banished. Now we are known as a town of naysayers.But where have those infamous naysayers gone? What fabulous economic progress have they contributed to the Mesa community? Oh… maybe they are the ones who fought against the Riverview project or pushed for no property tax - more fruitful efforts that gain us nothing.Sorry to rehash the past, but it lends itself to some basic questions. Who are some of these people living around us and why are they so determined to undermine the economic progress of our city? More importantly, why does anyone listen to them? The big name retailers and venues continue to migrate to our sister cities in the Valley while we in Mesa have a difficult time keeping our roads paved and parks patrolled for a lack of revenue.Please don’t tell me that an NFL stadium wouldn’t have made a huge impact on Mesa; prestige and reputation go a long way as do JOBS! When I moved to the Valley in 1995, some East Coast buddies asked me if we had malls here! That’s the impression we had on the rest of the world. Recently a friend back in DC asked me if I was near that new stadium in Glendale that she saw on Monday Night Football. I had to say, no I live way on the "other" side of town, in Mesa.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday… What is it about all these terms can lure shoppers into finding the best deals?I like to find a good deal just like the next person but am I missing out on being in the right place at the right time? With the busiest retail season among us, I want to be sure I’ve spent my time shopping for holiday gifts wisely. Now that my children are older, and know who Mrs. Claus is, I’ve put them in charge of being smart shoppers- elves, if you will. I give them the Sunday advertisements, have them make their lists in order of highest priority, and keep them within a budget (wishful thinking but I can have a wish list too). As a Mesa resident, I’d like to keep my sales tax within the community but sometimes a free shipping incentive is too hard to pass up. Anyone else have smart shopping tips for me?