Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said voters will likely be asked to approve a modest bond package in November for critical public safety needs, but not for any of the ambitious projects identified in the iMesa initiative.
The bonds would fund immediate issues like replacing an aging public safety radio system, repaving streets and perhaps constructing a regional pool at Mesa High School.
Smith said the city won’t ask voters to approve anything on the scale of a nearly $170 million package in 2008 that funded streets, police and fire.
“We recognize that we are in challenging financial times,” Smith said.
City officials have previously indicated they’re hesitant to ask voters for much because residents are already likely to face a $250 million bond package being discussed by the Mesa Unified School District.
The city bond election would take place in November.
The City Council still needs to evaluate what items would appear on the ballot, Smith said. A list would likely be developed by May. The council would have to call the election by July.
Smith said the public safety communication system is critical. He said the city needs more advanced equipment because some public safety employees can’t communicate with each other, as was the case in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Closer to home, an inadequate radio system was a problem as law enforcement officers tried to coordinate when arresting a shooting suspect at Chandler Fashion Center in January 2011, he said.
“We’ve been playing catch-up,” Smith said. “That’s OK if you only have an iPad vs. an iPad 3. It’s not OK if your police and fire departments are operating under 10-year-old technology and you have the capabilities of updating and of bringing systems together. We still have sections and segments that can’t talk to each other.”
Another bond project could fund a regional pool at Mesa High to replace the aging Taylor Pool. The city has kept that pool running by cannibalizing parts from other facilities that have closed in recent years, Smith said. The city can only continue to do that for a limited time, he said.
He wouldn’t ask for some of the big projects in the iMesa initiative, which has been asking residents to identify transformative community improvements. The ideas include small projects like a community garden. But more expansive projects will need to wait for future elections, Smith said.
The city could ask voters for some money this year to develop plans for the more ambitious projects, such as a revamped Pioneer Park or new downtown plaza.
“I don’t anticipate a broad-based, full-blown iMesa bond issue this time,” Smith said. “I think what you’ll see is maybe a phasing.”
Contact writer: (480) 898-6548 or ggroff@evtrib.com
DESERTHAWK posted at 12:17 pm on Thu, Mar 29, 2012.
I am always curious about what our elected officials have been doing with the "other than" Bond money that has been approved in the past, such as the taxes that are collected by restaurants in Mesa for "road" construction and maintenance. Likewise, Mesa has and continues to receive a "nice" oiece of the Homeland Security pie and if new communications systems are required to enhance the communications during "terror threats" or even day-to-day situations that pose a danger to the community, then pray tell why doesn't the council make an effort to go after those dollars, especially during a time when gas and groceries and other life necessities are tearing a hole in the family budget? When will the mayor and the Council submit a Public Report to the taxpayers showing how much in restaurant taxes, etc. they've taken in, what the money was spent on and how much is left over?
Likewise, since Mesa, under this and previous Mayor's, has become an active and participating Illegal Alien "SANCTUARY" City, one of many in the valley, it would be interesting to know how much of our tax dollars are being used to supply public services to this "group", including the costs associated with education, healthcare, criminal justice system costs, etc. Whenever "they" want more taxes, we get the bill, but public accountability as to how our money is collected and spent seems to always be a big secret.
Publish the budget in the newspaper and on line and make sure that none of the details are slanted, missed or "accidentally" forgotten.