I want to recommend that the City either a., join a barter network, or b., create one of their own.

The reason I thought of this is because I belong to a barter network of over 1,000 business. We barter our products and services on a regular basis. It’s a huge win win for all of us and this is how I think it would benefit the City.

1. The City has available services or products that are not being purchased or used at their maximum capacity i.e., office spaces are not 100% rented in the incubator. So as long as those office spaces remain empty, the city is losing money.

2. The City has products and services they need to buy on a regular basis, but they have limited funds to do so.

3. Why not establish a barter network where the City barters its excess inventory (in this case empty office space) so that they can obtain the products and services they need?

4. The way the system works is not direct barter. Meaning that the City would not rent the office space to a company that they want to trade services with. Instead they rent the office space to any company who needs it. The company then pays in what’s called “Trade credit.” The trade credit accumulates in the city’s trade account. Then they can take that trade credit and use it with any contractor that will accept it.

5. It can be set up so that there is little change in the process the city follows to obtain products and services from outside suppliers. There could still be the competitive bidding process, vetting, selection, etc. The difference is only how the contractors get paid.

6. If you would like more information, I’d be glad to share with you how it works and put you in touch with the CEO of the trade organization that I’m a part of. My thought would be that it would be better for the City to set up their own trade association because it also generates revenue.. There are some administrative fees that members of the network have to pay to be a member.

People who live in walkable communities are more socially engaged and trusting than those who live in less walkable areas, says a new study from the University of New Hampshire.

The study buttresses other research that has linked a neighborhood's walkability to its residents' quality of life, notably improved physical and mental health.

San Francisco, which WalkScore.com has rated as the most walkable U.S. city.

The researchers scored 700 residents of three communities in New Hampshire on measures of "social capital" such as socializing with friends, civic engagement and trust in their community. They found those in neighborhoods with higher Walk Score ratings reported being happier and healthier and more apt to volunteer, work on community projects or simply entertain friends at home.

"In the age of increasing energy costs and climate considerations, the ability to walk to important locations is a key component of sustainable communities," write Shannon Rogers and the co-authors of the study, published online in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.

If the residents of these walkable neighborhoods are homeowners, they benefit in yet another way, notes the Sierra Club's Green Life blog. It cites a 2009 study by CEOs for Cities that founds homes with an above-average Walk Score sold for up to $34,000 more than their sidewalk-less counterparts.

Jazz festival, Food Truck festival, Art festival, Ice cream festival, anything to bring the people in the community TOGETHER for a cheap, all day family friendly, fun event. That ultimately raises money for the Mesa community and local businesses. By having different themes, different venders and business owners can be in charge of running the events. So the city or chamber would not get stuck footing the bill and overseeing everything. Having more entertaining things for people to do in Mesa, on a more regular basis will keep people from traveling into Phx/Tempe for the 'fun' and would make us more of a destination for the rest of the East Valley to come to our neck of the woods!

Willing senior citizens can mentor, tutor or care for the youth of today. Examples could be: Sharing their business/life knowledge, tutoring favorite subjects, supervised activities (Arts/crafts, light recreational), perhaps child care. These programs could be during the day or after school as possible replacements for expensive child care that people can't afford. Another possible payment for parents is barter (i.e. help landscape city hall area, paint buildings, etc.).

The city could provide the space. Optional services depending on the budget: Free shuttle for the senior citizens, free shuttle for children from school to the facility. Perhaps a nominal fee paid by participants parents could be charged ($50/week) to help offset some of the charges.

The senior citizens would participate to keep busy and give back to the community. If the economy picks up, maybe they could eventually be "paid" via some sort of City of Mesa "gift card" to offset certain fees (sewage, trash, water, property taxes)? Another potential solution for pay could be the ability to join an City of Mesa-sponsored term insurance group for medical or life?

1. Lease out solar rights to City rooftops. Leasing company can install solar panels and equipment to sell the power back to utility company, relieving the expensive peak usage hours.
When contract term is up mesa can purchase depreciated equipment, thus having a solar infrastructure in place.
Elaboration/example: First Solar is opening manufacturing here in Mesa. Offer deal as promotional for them. They put Solar on Mesa facilities. First Solar owns the power. First Solar sells the power back to mesa at contracted price.
Mesa benefits in the following ways:
a. Solar infrastructure gets built
b. Peak demand times are alleviated by the power flowing into the grid during the day
c. Mesa gets recognition as Solar City
d. The cost of solar goes down, as it becomes more common.
e. At end of contract period, ownership of equipment and Solar rights reverts to Mesa.

It saves the city money to receive and process paper utility payments, and also to send out paper statements. Provide a small discount to those who choose to pay their bills and receive their statements online. This should not be a huge discount, but should be something along the lines of a 50/50 split with the city: The city returns to its customers 50% of the cost savings of not having to process paper.

This could be supplemented by phasing in a small fee for those who demand paper documents. There is no benefit to receiving paper documents. It is pure waste. Every citizen has access to the internet through the local library, and the proposed discount would be more than enough to cover the cost of printing off a couple pieces of paper at the library if you need a paper statement and don't have the internet at home, work, or school.

As a citizen, I don't want to pay for people to receive pointless paper statements anymore.