A Response from Norm Johnson

Bob,

I am opposed in principle to the much talked about property tax. Currently our elected officials must regularly approach us and argue their case to take our money. It is an uphill fight and I hope an unpleasant one because I do not want our elected officials to find it too easy to get control of citizen’s money.

Property Taxes are too easy for politicians to acquire. Since I moved to Mesa my property has doubled in value. But my income has only seen a relatively very minor increase. Worse then me, I have friends who have been laid off and had to switch to jobs with substantially lower income. Over the last 10 year, the proposed taxation system would have forced me to pay a much larger portion of my income to city government management because my property value outperforms my income. But when property values decline, we do not see a sustained decrease in government spending. When the economy declines the city government must maintain the income base, so the normal mode of elected officials is to raise the tax base when property values fall. Most city governments do not stop spending money when property values decline. Rather the elected officials work to increase the tax percent on property or they work to transfer property to industries with a higher tax base.

I also argue that elected officials have less reason for being fiscally conservative when they have an easy source of money. Currently the city must find ways to cut costs before they come asking for money because they know that citizens will look carefully and scream loudly if waste is found when tax increases are needed. Typically the city will begin their arguments with threats to reduce essential services like police or fire fighters or road maintenance (please note three of the four services referred to by Mr. Richins below are police/community programs). However, after a lot of posturing on both sides of the discussion, taxes are generally given after cost cutting measures are also agreed upon.

A while back you sent out a statement in favor of the proposed property tax, which had included names of some great community activists. The article ended with a wonderful assurance that we would be watching for waste of our money. Well I trust one of those individuals to keep her word but who will be there after she is gone? I know it is hard to run a government but when it comes to citizen’s money it should be hard to tax people. It should be filled with discussion and argument. We (you and I) are the government. If we are going to take your money for the good of all of us, we had better have a serious discussion first. Let us not make it too easy for elected officials to take your money.

Some people say that Mesa has become a major city and therefore we need to act like a major city. Well, what if I do not want to be like the big cities back east (with their entrenched city management systems)? What if I do not want to be like the big cities in California or Washington or Oregon, with all the baggage their community governments carry? There are only three good ways I can see to control government, (1) vote, (2) budget controls, (3) judicial control. The government still lets me vote and I can still file a lawsuit. However, now the government wants more money in the checking account. I oppose our city government having access too freely to my money.

Norm

Hey! East Mesa...Look to the West for your Future....

Dave Richins Makes Good Sense

I am no bleeding heart liberal. I am not an ultra conservative either. I don’t subscribe to political ideology because party politics have never revitalized a neighborhood. As our community struggles with the decision of whether or not to approve the taxation of our property and an increase of our sales taxes, I ask you to consider a few points.

If you live on the east or south side of Mesa, you are enjoying the heyday of your community. Things are new, beautiful and well kept. The shops are full. The streets are clean. The landscape thriving and complete. You have a variety of shops, restaurants, hospitals, schools and entertainment. You are enjoying your new homes, roads, schools, and stores. For the most part, the picture is rosy.

West Mesa used to look like you. I live on the west side of Mesa. I used to come here every summer in the 70’s and early 80’s to visit my grandmother who lived in a trailer court on Barkley Street by the Mesa LDS Temple. The shops were nice and well kept. The landscaping fresh. Lots of restaurants and entertainment options to choose from. The shuffleboard courts were still new. It was like east Mesa is now. It was west Mesa’s heyday. It was also the tipping point of decline.

Fiesta Mall opened. Downtown began to change. Houses and shops started to age. It didn’t look new anymore. Development styles and zoning laws changed. The push east was on. The Superstition Freeway began its march. Superstition Springs Mall opened. New subdivisions were being built that required new infrastructure investments by the city. Loop 202 began. So did Loop 101. Chandler Mall opened. Tri-City Mall closed. We looked around and said, "What happened?"

The east side can look west to see their future. What will it look like? Will it be revitalized neighborhoods and shops? Will it be asphalt filled medians with streetlights that don’t work (see West Main St.) Will it deteriorate further? We have a chance to decide.

Four items on the budget cut chopping block are essential to building momentum for the revitalization of the west side of Mesa:

• The Graffiti hotline (480.644.3083)
• Code Compliance
• Neighborhood Outreach Department, and
• Mesa Police Departments Community Action Team.

Without these four functions, working together, we will struggle against a tide of neglect, disrepair and crime. With these, the future looks bright and the city, the private sector, and the neighborhoods can work together to revitalize west Mesa and show the whole city our future is bright, clean, safe, and beautiful. The bill for past growth to the east has come due. I will be voting to support taxation of my property in May, because if I don’t, my property won’t be worth keeping.

Dave Richins