Mesa is not likely to see its pool of federal dollars totally evaporate even if federal purse strings are drawn tighter, states an article in The Arizona Republic. Further, Mesa is likely to enjoy a closer relationship with Washington than most cities as long as Scott Smith is mayor
Mayor Scott Smith next summer 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.
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.
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.
New lineup on Hill
Another wild card for Mesa is its new representation on Capitol Hill.
Political differences aside, Smith expects Mesa’s delegation to look out for the city.
