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Yea, that's like an arsonist with a gallon of gasoline
telling us he is going to put out a fire.
Or a pedifile Catholic priest telling us he protects the children from abuse. From these articles Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is all for balancing the budget and cutting spending ... as long as it doesn't cut into the boat loads of Federal pork that the city of Mesa receives.
Mesa mayor finds ‘different tone’ in WashingtonSourceMesa mayor finds ‘different tone’ in Washington By Gary Nelson The Republic | azcentral.com Fri Nov 23, 2012 3:03 PM Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is back from Washington, D.C., with a news bulletin: Something might actually get done there. Smith paid a quick, post-election visit to the capital in his capacity as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, joining several of his colleagues in urging the federal government to set partisanship aside and work for the good of the country. For the moment, it seems that could happen, said Smith, who has made numerous trips to Washington during his 41/2 years in office. “There was a very different tone,” Smith said. “Post-election, nobody’s running for anything right now. The election produced results, and the fact is the combination of those two things has changed the attitude,” Smith added. “It just seemed like there was more of an atmosphere of, dare I say, working together.” While the general shape of Washington’s political landscape is unchanged — a Democratic president and Senate, with a Republican House — Smith thinks the nation can’t afford another four years of bitter partisanship. The most immediate issue is the “fiscal cliff,” which would inaugurate the new year with a one-two whammy of federal tax increases and budget cuts dreaded by most economists. “I told the vice president the same message that the cities have been giving,” Smith said. “That getting a deal done is a top priority.” Smith said U.S. cities, including Mesa, faced their own fiscal cliffs several years ago during the depths of the recession. “We stared down the barrel of a gun,” Smith said. “Cities have shown how you can grapple with that kind of dilemma. You can balance budgets and the sun comes up the next morning. You can get through it.” Smith said he agrees with the White House that the first step should be renewal of middle-class tax cuts. Without that bill, taxes will rise for 98 percent of Americans next year. Even so, Smith said, it’s obvious the federal government needs more revenue. He just hopes that doesn’t come on the backs of the cities, and is worried about a proposal that would remove the tax exemption from municipal bonds. If that happens, it will cost more money for Mesa to issue bond debt and the city won’t be able to build as much stuff, Smith said. “There will be revenue adjustments,” Smith said. “I think the Democrats understand that the Republicans are going to look at those, not through tax-rate increases, but through reform.” Smith said he had several other meetings in Washington, including: Participating in a Brookings Institution panel discussion about the impact of the election and federal fiscal issues. A discussion with Jacksonville, Fla., Mayor Alvin Brown and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, of Florida, who is regarded as one of the rising stars of the Republican Party. The topic: immigration reform, which some Republicans have embraced, at least in principle, since getting hammered by the Hispanic vote in November. Smith, who began receiving national media attention during his swift ascent to the vice presidency of the national mayors’ group, got a fair amount of camera and microphone time after this outing as well. At last count he had been interviewed by Time magazine, NPR, CNN and NBC, among others. Smith is scheduled to become president of the mayors’ conference next summer, further enhancing his national profile. There is widespread speculation that he could cut short his term in both that national office and his local one by running for Arizona governor in 2014. State law require office-holders to resign if they announce as a candidate for another office with more than a year left in their terms; Smith’s new mayoral term begins in January. Smith said in a recent interview with The Republic that numerous people have urged him to run for governor, but he’s nowhere near a decision at this point. He could face formidable opposition in a statewide primary election from other notable Republicans, including Secretary of State Ken Bennett.
Mesa wonders after stimulus: What next, Uncle Sam?SourceMesa wonders after stimulus: What next, Uncle Sam? By Gary Nelson The Republic | azcentral.com Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:52 AM Mesa’s website has a page devoted to how the city is faring under President Barack Obama’s stimulus program, which was born in early 2009 as the world economy tanked. That Web page, however, is now more historical artifact. It hasn’t been updated for years, and some projects that have long since been finished are still mentioned in the future tense. All of which is to say the $71 million Mesa received in grants and other goodies from the stimulus package is a thing of the past. The city — and the country — may never see its like again. Widespread public alarm over the nearly incalculable federal debt, an approaching federal budget “cliff” and political gridlock all but ensure that another such program will never see the light of day. That’s true even though Obama is now preparing for his second term and the national unemployment rate remains higher than the peak levels recorded for all but one of America’s dozen or so postwar recessions. Mesa, however, is not likely to see its pool of federal dollars totally evaporate even if federal purse strings are drawn tighter. Further, Mesa is likely to enjoy a closer relationship with Washington than most cities as long as Scott Smith is mayor. Back to D.C. Next summer Smith is scheduled to become president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which serves as a powerful voice for urban issues in the nation’s capital. Already, as second vice president and now vice president of the group, Smith has been in the national media spotlight for more than a year as a leading Republican advocate of American cities. The ink on the 2012 election ballots was barely dry before Smith returned to Washington last week to meet with Vice President Joe Biden and other officials about the most immediate city-federal issue, the so-called fiscal cliff. That series of spending cuts and tax increases will kick in automatically as the new year begins, with what some economists say will be disastrous fallout, unless Congress intervenes. Mesa is particularly worried about that because the spending cuts could slam the defense and aerospace industries, key components of the city’s overall economic development strategy. Smith told the Mesa Republic he fears fiscal caution could lead to unwise decisions about the nation’s future. It is crucial, he said, to continue investing in infrastructure, research and development. “I think one of the things that Washington has really dropped the ball on is recognizing that infrastructure investment creates long-term economic growth,” Smith said. He said he was told by Mary Peters, an Arizonan who was U.S. transportation secretary under President George W. Bush, that for every dollar spent on interstate highways, the country gets, conservatively, $6 in economic return. But he said in Washington’s current political environment, infrastructure is being treated the same as the operating budget, which fuels day-to-day government operations without as potent an economic payback. Mesa’s upcoming needs Mesa’s appetite for infrastructure during Obama’s second term may not be as hearty as during the first. When Obama took office, for example, the city had a crying need for new fire stations. Local bond money built two, and the stimulus program covered half the cost of two more — essentially giving Mesa one more station now than it would have had. The only new station now in the works is a replacement for west-side Station 203, which the city expects to finance by itself. There won’t be as much need to ask Uncle Sam for light-rail money in the next four years, either. The downtown extension currently under construction is being partially funded by federal grants that were nailed down in a gala October ceremony at the Mesa Arts Center. The presence of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at that event symbolized the relationship between Mesa and the nation’s capital. The next leg of light rail, to Gilbert Road, will be paid for mostly by federal dollars that Mesa expects to receive in the normal course of federal transportation funding. Things appear more dicey, however, when it comes to future needs at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Congress doesn’t have to “earmark” for airport development, because those funds are generated by fees levied on airline customers. But Gateway still must compete with airports around the country for the money. Since 1994 it has done that to the tune of nearly $116million — $61million of which has arrived in the last four years. “We’ve been very successful,” Smith said. “That’s not guaranteed, though. And I think our biggest concern is there won’t be enough money from the trust monies.” A post-election report by Patton Boggs, a Washington lobbying company that represents Mesa in the capital, echoed that. The aviation trust fund, the report said, “is not on solid footing.” That could be a concern as Gateway tries to accelerate efforts to move its terminal to the eastern side to accommodate its steadily growing passenger load. Mesa also has benefited from such federal programs as Community Development Block Grants, the funding for which has been ebbing in recent years, and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, a Bush-era effort to improve the housing stock in foreclosure-stricken neighborhoods. While block grants may survive cost-cutting moves in Washington, Mesa is not likely to see another infusion of NSP money, which to date has amounted to nearly $14 million. New lineup on Hill Another wild card for Mesa is its new representation on Capitol Hill. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is the only holdover from the previous delegation. Matt Salmon, a Republican who will represent most of Mesa in the U.S. House, is a fiscal conservative, Smith said, but he also understands the need for infrastructure. Salmon showed his support of light rail by appearing at the arts center ceremony in October. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat, will represent west Mesa in the House. Smith endorsed her opponent, Vernon Parker, in this month’s election. And Jeff Flake, a Mesa resident, moves to the U.S. Senate after several terms in the House. During the Republican primary, Smith had endorsed Flake’s opponent, WilCardon, saying he believed Cardon would be more in tune with Mesa’s needs. Political differences aside, Smith expects Mesa’s delegation to look out for the city. “They’ve all given me their commitment that they would do what they could to help us,” Smith said. Stimulus windfall The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the federal stimulus program, became law in February 2009. Mesa calculates that it got $71 million from the program for numerous projects. Among the highlights:
Mesa mayor goes to bat for federal fundsFrom this article it sounds like Mesa Mayor Scott Smith LOVES Federal porkMesa mayor goes to bat for federal funds by Gary Nelson - Mar. 4, 2011 03:53 AM The Arizona Republic What does it take to get a bunch of mild-mannered mayors to spit out words like "outrageous," "hypocrisy" and "atrocity?" It takes a congressional ax poised to chop a federal program that cities say is vital for keeping people off the streets and other services in their most poverty-stricken areas. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith was among those angry mayors last week, joining several of them in a Washington, D.C., news conference defending the Community Development Block Grant program. "People tell me they haven't seen that much passion in a Conference of Mayors press conference ever," Smith said. CDBG was established under Republican President Gerald Ford in the mid-1970s to help cities fight poverty and develop infrastructure. It now costs the federal government about $4 billion a year; Mesa's expected share this fiscal year is about $3.4 million. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have proposed slashing CDBG by 62.5 percent in the current federal fiscal year. That cut would have an immediate street-level impact in Mesa. The city uses CDBG to fund six of its seven code-compliance officers, a downtown economic development director and recreation programs at the west-side Washington Activity Center, among other things. It also funnels money through several non-profits such as A New Leaf, which plans to use nearly $381,000 in CDBG funds to improve its La Mesita shelter for homeless families on West Main Street. The mayors who lined up to defend CDBG last week were from both major political parties and represented cities of all sizes. Some of the strongest criticism of the proposed cuts came from Oklahoma City's Mick Cornett, president of the Republican Mayors Association, who said his fellow party members in Congress are hypocrites for attacking city services. "It's a little bit lame for us to hear that they've got tough choices to make," he said. "You be mayor for a day and I'll tell you about some tough choices." Smith is also a Republican, although Mesa's mayor and council members run on nonpartisan ballots. He said cutting CDBG would have horrendous effects on Mesa and its non-profit agencies. "I think the frustration among mayors, especially Republican mayors, is, we get it," Smith told The Republic. "We're all for cutting the budget." But, he said, "At the federal level there's a sort of mob mentality that just says cut, cut, cut." Even if CDBG is slashed, Smith said, "We still have to deal with the mentally ill, we still have to deal with the homeless and right now that burden will fall on the cities." In Mesa's case, Smith said, that has meant even deep cuts to the once-untouchable Police and Fire departments as the city's budget continues to shrivel. Smith was in Washington for the winter leadership meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and to meet with federal officials on issues affecting the city. A video of the news conference is at www.usmayors.org.
Smith pushes cities' clout in WashingtonSourceSmith pushes cities' clout in Washington by Gary Nelson - Jan. 20, 2012 06:43 AM The Republic | azcentral.com Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is picking up where he left off last year in criticizing federal budget cuts that could hurt American cities. Smith is in Washington, D.C., for the 80th annual winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, an organization whose ladder he has swiftly climbed since becoming mayor less than four years ago. Smith is second vice president of the 1,200-member body and is in line to become its president in 2013, provided he is still mayor by then. He has promised to announce this month whether he will run again in Mesa's 2012 municipal election. He was in the spotlight as the conference began Wednesday, appearing with the mayors of Los Angeles and Philadelphia in a kickoff press conference during which they released a report showing less than 10 percent of U.S. cities have recovered all the jobs they lost in the recession. It's not that Mesa has lacked for federal attention in recent years. The city received more than $70 million from the 2009 stimulus package, and federal money is giving a big boost to the light-rail extension into downtown. But Smith said the needs of cities are being largely ignored in the national political debate. Not only are presidential candidates not talking about urban issues, Smith said, but the dominant tendency in the nation's capital is one of inaction. "The mayors are going to discuss how we get our message to be effective in this campaign season," Smith said. "There isn't going to be a whole lot done in Washington this year except for a lot of politicking and a lot of campaigning." Republican presidential candidates were invited to meet with the mayors to talk about job creation but they all declined. Smith told the New York Times Wednesday that if the federal government doesn't address some problems, cities will have to. Last year Smith and other mayors strongly criticized cuts in the federal Community Development Block Grant program, which Mesa uses for a variety of grass-roots initiatives, including social services. "Whether Congress funds us or doesn't fund us, we'll still have a homeless vet on the street that has to be cared for. We can't ignore that problem," Smith told the Times. In a pre-conference interview with the Mesa Republic, Smith said cities are crucial to the U.S. economy. Mesa, as America's 38th-largest city, is a vital part of the mix. "If you're going to fix America you've got to keep the cities functioning," Smith said. "If you're going to get job creation and economic growth it's going to happen in the cities." On that score, he said, things are beginning to look a little brighter. The mayors commissioned an analysis of cities' economic prospects by IHS Global Insight, a Massachusetts firm, and released it during the press conference in which Smith spoke on Wednesday. "The good news is, the economy is improving almost across the board," Smith said. "The bad news is, it's not a fast improvement and in many areas you'd be hard-pressed to notice it." The study said declining household income and home values in urban areas are continuing to stress millions of people. The Phoenix area is expected to be among the last to fully recover from the Great Recession. IHS said it may take another four to five years for the region to regenerate the jobs lost during the 2007-09 collapse. "By the end of this year we will have recovered less than 30 percent of the jobs that were lost in the recession," Smith said. "We can't claim victory by any sense of the imagination." Smith said more mayors are focusing on education as the key to economic growth, even though only 7 percent of them -- Mesa not included -- have a direct say in governing their cities' school districts. "Mayors have realized that economic opportunity and education are so intertwined that it something we can no longer afford do be silent on," Smith said.
Mesa mayor slammed by national anti-tax groupAfter reading this article I suspect that Republic Mayor Scott Smith will get along very well with tax and spend socialist Kyrsten Sinema who is now the Congresswoman or Congressman that represents Mesa.Mesa mayor slammed by national anti-tax group by Gary Nelson - Aug. 4, 2011 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic In recent months, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith has been surfing a wave of growing national attention, battling for cities' interests amid the federal debt crisis and other issues. Last week, the downside to fame landed with a thud on Smith's doorstep as a Washington-based anti-tax group slammed him on its website. The online spat began when Smith, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter published an essay on Politico.com, calling for a "balanced approach" to raising the federal debt ceiling. The three are the top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; Smith is in line to become its president in 2013. The balanced approach, they said, "means some spending cuts and some tax increases, in a way that does not slow down the recovery. It means closing tax loopholes for special interests." In response, Americans for Tax Reform posted a piece by Nathan Lichtman attacking the three mayors for their "legacies of spending, corruption and mismanagement." Americans for Tax Reform is led by Grover Norquist, perhaps the nation's foremost opponent of taxation. Norquist has persuaded numerous Arizona lawmakers to sign a pledge to oppose any attempt to increase state revenue. Lichtman said Smith is "culpable in problematic spending," adding: "He defended his city's hiring of illegal-immigrant janitors and even lashed out at the county sheriff when he tried to clean house. Might his revenue increases be used to hire illegals?" With regard to spending, Mesa's general fund, which covers basic government services, has declined by nearly $90 million in several rounds of budget cuts since Smith became mayor in June 2008. The resulting shifts at City Hall have eliminated more than 400 positions and affected every department, with Police and Fire taking the biggest hits. Contrary to Lichtman's article, Smith has proposed no revenue increases either while running for or serving as mayor. The allegation regarding illegal immigrants stems from Smith's angry reaction to a raid staged by Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the wee hours of Oct. 16, 2008. Deputies in paramilitary gear raided the main library, Mesa City Plaza and a city employment office looking for illegal immigrants working as janitors and arrested several people. The janitors were hired by a contracting firm that had assured the city it complied with immigration law. Smith objected not to the raid itself but to the fact that Arpaio didn't tell the city in advance it would happen, saying the raid endangered public safety. Smith advocates border enforcement and earlier in 2008 had tightened Mesa's policy on immigration. When asked about the Americans for Tax Reform article, Smith said, "I thought it was pretty funny. . . . That's not only laughable, it's a complete fabrication."
Mesa mayor says feds like light-rail extension to Gilbert RoadSourceMesa mayor says feds like light-rail extension to Gilbert Road by Gary Nelson - Sept. 30, 2010 09:45 AM The Arizona Republic The federal government has strong interest in extending Mesa's light-rail line 2 miles beyond its currently planned terminus, Mayor Scott Smith said this week. Light rail was among the numerous topics Smith addressed with federal officials last week in Washington, D.C., where he participated in U.S. Conference of Mayors leadership meetings in between huddles with the feds. One of those meetings was with Peter Rogoff, head of the Federal Transit Administration. In August that agency gave approval for design work to begin on the 3.1-mile extension between Sycamore Street and the east edge of downtown along Main Street. Mesa is still focused on that leg of the rail line, Smith said, because federal funding isn't in the bag yet. Rogoff promised he'd try to get $20 million for the project included in the next federal budget; federal aid is expected to total $110 million. A regional transportation sales tax will cover the rest of the expected $200 million tab. Mesa, however, wants to run the line another 2 miles east, to Gilbert Road, to tap into what is seen as a much larger pool of potential passengers. "The staff of the FTA is very familiar with the Gilbert extension," Smith said. "They're very excited about the potential for the Gilbert Road extension" and have promised to help Mesa plan for that future leg. One problem: Funding. Proposition 400, passed by county voters in 2004, doesn't set aside money for the extra 2 miles. So, Smith said, finding the cash will involve dickering with other communities that also tap into the Prop. 400 pot. The new tracks between Sycamore and approximately Mesa Drive are expected to be finished by late 2015, with service beginning in early 2016, Smith said. Smith also used his monthly media briefing to report on three major issues in southwest Mesa: The site search for a new Dobson police substation, which voters approved in 2008, has been snagged by the real estate crash. Some attractive sites are no longer worth what owners owe on them, Smith said, and Mesa's not willing to pay inflated prices to bail those owners out. Plans for a major streetscape of Southern Avenue in the Fiesta District are moving along slowly. Mesa is considering narrowing Southern to two lanes in each direction between Dobson and Alma School roads, but Smith said that decision isn't likely soon. Mesa is close to running out of patience with the owners of Fiesta Village, a deserted and fenced-off retail center at Alma School and Southern, and is likely to begin forcing them to improve the site. "We are extremely disappointed that they have not reacted favorably to the overtures we've made," Smith said.
Mesa gets federal funding for light-rail extensionSourceMesa gets federal funding for light-rail extension $75 mil may hasten route to Gilbert Rd. by Gary Nelson - Oct. 12, 2012 10:12 PM The Republic | azcentral.com Mesa is unveiling a creative funding scheme to finance an extension of light rail east of the city's downtown, possibly hastening the day when trains will serve its booming airport. News that Mesa has found a way to lay tracks to Gilbert Road came as the nation's top transportation officials visited the city Friday to seal the deal on federal funding for a 3.1-mile extension of the line through downtown. Ray LaHood, the federal transportation secretary, and Peter Rogoff, the federal transit administrator, signed documents in a ceremony at the Mesa Arts Center committing Washington to $75 million in grants for the first extension, which will run to just east of Mesa Drive. Work on that leg already is under way, but until Friday, Metro light rail had no certainty that Uncle Sam would actually cut the check. "I'm here to announce that we're going to provide $75 million to expand transportation in Maricopa County," LaHood said, lauding Valley leadership and taxpayers for having the vision to build the $1.4 billion, 20-mile light-rail "starter" line that opened in 2008. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith pointed out that just a few yards from the site of Friday's ceremony, the first of four colleges setting up shop in downtown Mesa already has opened a student-services center. "They would not be here without light rail," Smith said. While the signing was largely a formality, fresh news about the Valley's light-rail system emerged as Mesa officials prepared to brief City Council members Monday on financing for an additional 1.9 miles, from downtown's eastern edge to Gilbert Road. That part of the system was not included in the regional transportation plan that Maricopa County voters approved as part of Proposition 400 in 2004. But about four years ago, Mesa began lobbying for the Gilbert Road extension, and Metro light rail agreed it was a good idea after ridership surveys found running the tracks that far east would add 4,000 people a day to the system. "The reality is that Mesa Drive is not a natural end of the line," Smith told The Republic earlier this week. Gilbert Road is, he said, because it is one of Mesa's major north-south arterials and the commonly perceived dividing line between east and west Mesa. "If you're east of Gilbert (Road), the fact is that, psychologically, you're going to be less disposed to drive to Mesa Drive for a park and ride," Smith said. The problem with running the tracks to Gilbert Road, however, was money. No funding source had been identified, and Mesa knew that Valley cities scheduled for their own light-rail projects would be unhappy if the Gilbert Road extension jumped to the front of the line. Mesa's solution borrows from the concept the city used when it accelerated construction of Loop 202 and Arizona 24, also known as the Gateway freeway, building vital roads years ahead of schedule. Mesa facilitated those projects by issuing bonds to be paid off with transportation money the city will receive. Not only are roads built sooner, but the region saves millions of dollars in future construction costs. Scott Butler, who specializes in intergovernmental relations for Mesa, said savings in Arizona 24 alone will amount to $100 million. Mesa, the only Valley city to use that method to speed freeway construction, now is applying it to light rail. The city would issue bonds for $112 million and give the money to Metro light rail for construction. Mesa will repay the money over time, using dollars it will receive through regularly scheduled allotments of federal transportation funding. That money had been scheduled for several expensive street projects in Mesa, including one that would have turned Higley Road into a north-south parkway with access only at major intersections. Mesa officials told The Republic that those projects are either no longer needed, are already completed or are scheduled to be financed by developers as subdivisions take shape. Using the money for rail instead of roads, and building rail years early, will save taxpayers millions of dollars, Mesa officials said. Mesa emphasized that its proposal, which still needs clearance from regional and state planning agencies, will not affect light-rail extensions in other cities. "No other jurisdiction will be hurt," said Dennis Kavanaugh, a Mesa councilman who represents the city on the five-person Metro light rail governing board. Much more than increased ridership is at stake in the Gilbert Road extension. With Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and its surrounding area expected to become a powerful economic engine in coming decades, planners have long anticipated future rail service there. "The long-term destination will be the Gateway area," Smith said. "You've got to get to Gilbert Road, though, before that becomes a discussion." Once that happens, Smith anticipates the conversation will quickly turn to the next leg of light rail, which he expects will run south on Gilbert Road to U.S. 60. From there eastward, Smith believes the rail system would become more of a high-speed line. As a side benefit of light-rail construction, Smith and others believe Main Street from the city's western border to Gilbert Road will see a major spurt of redevelopment. "Light rail will be a magnet for development," Smith said. "That's not a wish anymore. It's a proven fact." Mesa and Metro light rail now expect construction on the Gilbert Road leg to begin even before work is finished on the first extension. Service from Sycamore Street is to begin in late 2015, and service to Gilbert Road is set to begin by late 2017. Because no funding had been identified, planners had not, until now, ventured to guess when the Gilbert Road leg might open.
Eyes will be on Mesa's triumphSourceEyes will be on Mesa's triumph Feb. 19, 2012 05:43 PM The Republic | azcentral.com The eyes of the world are on Mesa. On Wednesday, the city will host arguably the most important of the Republican presidential-candidate debates, an event that pundits expect to influence the outcome of primary elections in several states. That's quite a showcase for a community that just three years ago was named the nation's largest boring city. But this isn't the Mesa of three years ago, a place that many considered the poster child for backwardness and stagnation. These days, much of the state's economic excitement is originating in its third-largest city. Mesa proved there is demand for smaller four-year colleges in Arizona by attracting Benedictine University, an Illinois-based private Catholic school that plans to build a full-service residential campus downtown. The city beat fierce competition in other states for First Solar's second domestic solar-panel-manufacturing plant, which will employ 600 initially but could eventually grow its workforce to 4,800, making it one of the city's largest employers. Mesa officials also successfully lobbied Washington, in what observers called "the federal equivalent of a nanosecond," to reuse the former Air Force Research Laboratory. Now called AZLabs, the aerospace- and defense-research facility is one of only a handful in the nation with a top-level security clearance. And that's just three examples with statewide economic implications that occurred in the last year. Credit Mayor Scott Smith for the change. Weeks after taking office in 2008, he challenged residents and city staff members to "build a better Mesa" by being willing to try new things and thinking strategically about long-term investments. He also began touting the idea that cities are better when they work together, a mantra that many other Valley leaders have since adopted. Months later, Smith unveiled HEAT, an acronym for the health-care, education, aerospace, tourism and now technology industries on which the city would focus its efforts. That effort also has gone regional, and plans are now being created to tout assets across city borders. Smith built on those efforts last year with iMesa, a primarily Web-based effort to collect residents' ideas for big-picture improvements, and this year with StartUp Mesa, an effort to help people start businesses and remove barriers to grow them. Residents needed that focus. Even if the acronyms and catchphrases seem hokey, they helped people better understand the city's identity and direction, and that helped them jump on board with ideas to attract investment. One by one, the wins began piling up. And one by one, residents began to change their tune. Mesa was no longer satisfied with average, regular or boring. It wanted to be known as more than "the city of wide streets and narrow minds." Others are taking notice. Smith's vision, charisma and persistence to work with others has made him the Valley's de facto leader. Cities from across the nation are beginning to call, asking how Mesa funded this or implemented that. And that's good for Arizona. The state is stronger when its largest cities are active and engaged, vibrant and well-regarded. Mesa should savor its moment Wednesday in the worldwide spotlight, but if things keep going the way they are now, it likely won't be the city's last. Mesa's resurrection over the past few years is a story worth telling, celebrating and replicating in communities across Arizona.
Mesa Mayor Scott Smith tries to justify a $42,000 raise for himselfMesa Mayor Scott Smith voted to more then double his pay from $38,000 to $80,000 and now he has written this letter to the editor or My Turn piece trying to justify it.While Mesa Mayor Scott Smith may think he deserves $80,000 for a part time job as mayor of Mesa, I think most of the serfs in Mesa whom he rules over disagree with that. Raising pay takes courage Dec. 16, 2012 08:12 PM The Republic | azcentral.com "Profiles in Courage" stories, the kind made famous by then-U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy, seldom involve politicians voting on pay raises for themselves. [Does Mayor Scott Smith want us to think he is a JFK hero because he voted to raise his own pay from $38,000 to $80,000???] So it was no surprise that a majority of the Mesa City Council made the spineless decision to vote down pay raises that clearly will be necessary at some point. Not only was the 4-3 vote cowardly, but it reeked of politics and self-interest by at least some members who appear more interested in the effect on their future political races. [So elected officials Mesa have a God given right to live like royalty? Is that what Mayor Scott Smith is saying??] A pay raise would be in the public interest. The current salaries of $38,000 for the mayor and $19,000 for council members are outdated for one of America's 40 largest cities. They limit the pool of applicants and even the professionalism of future office-holders. [That's 100 percent BS!!! Many folks would die for a part time job as mayor that pays $38,000 or a part time job as city councilman that pays $19,000] Recognizing this, the Mesa Chamber of Commerce pushed for a public vote on possible pay raises. The council stopped short, instead setting up a process for a citizens committee to recommend pay levels. [I suspect Mesa Mayor Scott Smith asked his buddies in the Mesa Chamber of Commerce to push for the raise so it wouldn't look like Mayor Scott Smith was a greedy pimp who want to get a pay raise] At first, after listening to hours of testimony about the rigors of the job, the panel recommended $80,000 for the mayor and $60,000 for council members. Then, the citizens panel decided to scale back the pay recommendations -- wisely, we think -- to $73,300 for the mayor and $35,000 for council members. These are reasonable numbers for such demanding jobs. [reasonable numbers if your the Mayor who is getting the pay raise. But I think the rest of us taxpayers will disagree about it being reasonable for a part time job] According to the process, members had to vote to accept or reject the commission's recommendations, with no compromise, at the council's Monday meeting. Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh, who is about to start his fourth term, has pointed out the job is a year-round obligation with demands that can go round-the-clock. [Jesus, give me a break. It's a part time job. When's the last time you put in over 20 hours a week? If that much???] Kavanaugh, a veteran of the last pay raise in 1998, recalled the public didn't revolt and urged his colleagues not to be afraid to vote yes. In an unusual move, Mayor Scott Smith, who usually lets council members speak first, got out front and made an impassioned plea to accept the commission's work. He correctly pointed out the situation was "awkward" but not "difficult" because voting yes was the right thing to do. [Yea, I bet it's awkward to vote to more then double your pay and give yourself a $42,000 raise more then doubling your salary from $38,000 to $80,000] "I don't think leaders take the group to the edge and then back off," he said. "Leaders follow through. Leaders go the distance. Leaders do what is right." [And Mayor Scott Smith thinks it right that he gets a $42,000 pay raise bumping his pay up from $38,000 to $80,000] But they didn't. The contortions of Vice Mayor Scott Somers were particularly troubling. Somers, a potential future mayoral candidate, praised the commission's work, saying its members logically came up with salaries between those in place in Phoenix and Tempe. The commission's work shouldn't go for naught, he said, while voting to kill its work just the same. Then, Councilman Alex Finter, who also seemed to say raises were a good idea (while voting against them) offered a compromise in which they'd go into effect in two years. But he didn't have the procedural i's dotted and t's crossed, as staff members wondered how to get a new ordinance finished by year's end. Nice sentiment, but meaningless, really. In any case, backers of the pay raise, miffed at the cowardice of the majority, didn't seem much interested. All in all, this was a shoddy performance. Then again, "Profiles in Courage" and "pay raise" don't often go together.
Mesa mayor joins steering committee for nat'l 'Fix the Debt' campaignYea, sure! That's like an arsonist with a gallon of gasoline telling us he is going to put out a fire.Or a pedifile Catholic priest telling us he protects the children from abuse. From these articles Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is all for balancing the budget and cutting spending ... as long as it doesn't cut into the boat loads of Federal pork that the city of Mesa receives. I suspect any thing Mesa Mayor Scott Smith says on this issue will be a bunch of empty promises which he hopes will get him elected as Governor of Arizona in 2014. Mesa mayor joins steering committee for nat'l 'Fix the Debt' campaign Posted: Friday, December 21, 2012 11:47 am Mesa Mayor Scott Smith has joined the Campaign to Fix the Debt as a campaign steering committee member. Smith, who is the incoming president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, will help lead the bipartisan group’s efforts to “find a practical solution that will help build the new American economy,” he said in a press release. “Mayors know what it’s like to face a ‘fiscal cliff’ as they faced their own financial crisis years ago,” Mayor Smith said. “Mayors from both parties demonstrated how it is possible to balance budgets, reduce debts, while creating economic growth that adds jobs. They made the tough decisions, and our cities are both stronger financially and ready to take advantage of opportunities for growth. Washington can, and should, do the same to fix our nation’s financial challenges.“ More information on the campaign can be found at www.fixthedebt.org.
Mesa mayor joins coalition to tackle U.S. debtSending in Mesa Mayor Scott Smith to fix the Federal spending problems is like kind of like pouring gasoline on a fire to put it out.Mesa Mayor Scott Smith has a long history of demanding that the Feds shovel more pork to the city of Mesa. Check out http://tinyurl.com/cedau2zSource Mesa mayor joins coalition to tackle U.S. debt By Gary Nelson The Republic | azcentral.com Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:10 AM Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is taking another step into big-picture national politics by joining a coalition demanding solutions to the federal debt problem. Smith was named to the steering committee of the Campaign to Fix the Debt, which bills itself as a bipartisan coalition that has enlisted more than 315,000 supporters nationwide. The steering committee includes the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Antonia Villaraigosa. The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, is one of the group’s three co-chairmen. Smith has served 4 and a half years as Mesa’s mayor and begins a new four-year term in January. Soon after taking office he began projecting his voice onto the national stage, ascending rapidly through the ranks of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and speaking out with leaders of that organization on federal issues that affect cities. In early 2011, for example, he appeared in a widely publicized Washington news conference to oppose cuts to a federal grant program that has helped sustain cities since the 1970s. [So don't count on him cutting any federal pork the city of Mesa will get!!!!] “People tell me they haven’t seen that much passion in a Conference of Mayors press conference ever,” Smith said at the time. Smith is slated to become president of the prestigious mayors organization next summer, making him the country’s leading advocate on urban issues. With the nation teetering on the brink of the “fiscal cliff” and talks between Congress and the White House going slowly, Smith said that uncertainty over federal tax and spending policies has a depressing effect on the economy. Businesses are reluctant to spend money and hire employees, he said, when nobody knows what federal tax policy will look like in the near future. But while pressing for solutions to federal spending problems, Smith said he still will advocate for cities. [Translation - Mayor Scott Smith wants more federal pork, not less] “Some things that will be thrown on the table in Washington directly affect us,” he said. “Some of the things that look good at the federal level will be counterproductive and have horrible effects at the local level.” [Translation - Mayor Scott Smith wants more federal pork, not less] It would disastrous, he said, to begin taxing municipal bonds, [So don't count on Mayor Scott Smith to balance the budget. He favors running the printing presses to pay for our bills. ] which for cities are the lifeblood of infrastructure development. “The cities now would be funding the federal deficit just like state legislatures that have been asking us to fund state deficits,” Smith said. Smith also said it’s important for the federal government to continue funding infrastructure [Scott Smith wants more federal pork, not less!!!!] and that Mesa will continue to fight for its share of funds from federal trust funds dedicated, for example, to airport improvements. [What a hypocrite. Scott Smith wants more Federal pork, not less] “This is not China debt or anything like that,” Smith said. “These are monies that users of airports pay in their taxes and fees, and then are re-invested back in airports.” The national Campaign to Fix the Debt said in a news release that it is not endorsing specific tax or spending plans. It does say that “a viable deal should be based off a framework that leaves all debt-reduction options on the table and raises revenues, cuts wasteful spending and ensures the long-term solvency of important social programs.” In a news release announcing his affiliation with the group, Smith was quoted as saying, as he has said several times before, that cities already have navigated their own fiscal crises. “Mayors from both parties demonstrated how it is possible to balance budgets, reduce debts while creating economic growth that adds jobs,” he said. “They made the tough decisions, and our cities are both stronger financially and ready to take advantage of opportunities for growth.” He added, “Washington can, and should, do the same to fix our nation’s financial challenges.” The fiscal cliff, however, is only the most immediate and visible tip of what is likely the biggest fiscal iceberg in world history. Unlike Mesa, which by law has to balance its budget and goes into debt only for capital projects, the federal government has for decades been borrowing money for daily operating expenses. [In reality the Congress pretends to borrow money. In reality they are not borrowing money, but printing money to pay about 40 percent of Uncle Sam's bills] Two weeks ago, Smith heard Charles Blahous, a trustee for the Social Security and Medicare systems, say that long-term deficits in those programs will put enormous pressure on federal spending in the near future.
Mayoral and city council discretionary fund spendingIn Mesa, Mayor Scott Smith spent $23,227.94 in FY 2012, going over his $18,000 by $5,227.94. [This is the same Mayor Scott Smith who is going to help the Feds reign in their spending and balance the budget??? What a joke!!!!]Mayoral and city council discretionary fund spending A discretionary account is a pool of money, often taken from a city’s general fund, that is set aside for an individual council member to use at his or her discretion. The use of discretionary funds is a common practice among city councils around the country. In the Valley, 10 cities, including Phoenix, Peoria, Glendale, Mesa, Chandler and Avondale maintain discretionary funds. Funds across the Valley range from $500 a year to $33,000. Some cities allow their councils and mayors to roll over unspent discretionary funds into next year's budgets. Peoria, Glendale and Avondale all allow for this. Avondale and Goodyear allows council members to give some of their discretionary budget to other members. The following individuals spent more than their budgets in either Fiscal Year 2011 or Fiscal Year 2012: Avondale Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers went over $500 in FY 2012 and Vice Mayor Stephanie Karlin went over her FY 2011 budget by $872. Phil Gordon went over his FY 2011 budget of $5,000, spending $21,955.53. In Mesa, Mayor Scott Smith spent $23,227.94 in FY 2012, going over his $18,000 by $5,227.94. [This is the same Mayor Scott Smith who is going to help the Feds reign in their spending and balance the budget??? What a joke!!!!] [To see the graphs that came with this article check out the original article in the Arizona Republic here]
More articles on Mesa Mayor Scott SmithHere are some previous articles on Mesa Mayor Scott Smith. And a few more previous articles on Mesa Mayor Scott Smith. And a few more previous articles on Mesa Mayor Scott Smith. And a few more previous articles on Mesa Mayor Scott Smith. And a few more previous articles on Mesa Mayor Scott Smith.Here are some more newer articles on Mesa Mayor Scott Smith |