Mesa's financial woes plague cultural, education, and heritage programs

[Source: Greg Marek, Marek Consulting Resources] -- The City of Mesa is facing a severe financial crisis, and if Mesa voters do not approve a sales tax increase and a property tax at the May 16 election, many City services will be cut, including funding for museums, libraries, and the Mesa Grande archaeological site. Unfortunately, even if both the sales tax and property tax issues are approved on May 16, Mesa’s museums and preservation programs still face cutbacks. Consider:

• If both tax measures fail, the Mesa Southwest Museum and the Arizona Museum for Youth will close on July 1. If that happens, Mesa will be the first city in the U.S. to close a municipally operated museum. If only the sales tax measure passes, then funding will be cut by 50%, which basically starts the process of closing the museums. Even with reduced funding, research and public outreach activities at Mesa Southwest will be curtailed.
  
• Once funded with $150,000 by the City of Mesa, the Mesa Historical Museum will lose its remaining $75,000 in City funding starting July 1 and that will not be restored. History and preservation advocates are struggling to raise replacement funding, but the Mesa Historical Museum is also in jeopardy.
• If both tax measures fail, the two branch libraries will probably close. The libraries are already on reduced hours and the Mesa Room is open by appointment only and has only one staff person assigned to it. Questions remain on how historic documents will be added to the Mesa Room’s collection for research purposes.
• Already dramatically curtailed, funding for the City of Mesa’s Historic Preservation Program could be jeopardized.
• As to Mesa Grande Ruin, no one really knows what will happen. There has never been much support from city officials for Mesa Grande, and this has not changed. Its future is in doubt even though studies have demonstrated that if operated as an interpretive site, Mesa Grande would attract more than 150,000 annual visitors. If the Mesa Southwest Museum has to close, they will try to find some organization to take over Mesa Grande.

What most people do not understand is that if both tax measures pass, the City is not out of the financial woods. The City will have a stable long-term revenue source, but funding for the museums, libraries, arts, and other related programs will be reduced from previous levels. This is very serious. Mesa’s museums are more than local institutions. They are regional attractions.

City leaders need to hear from visitors and those that use the resources from these institutions from wherever they come. Interested individuals are encouraged to send e-mails and letters to City Council members and City Management supporting the museums, Mesa Grande, libraries, and the Mesa Room before the City Council adopts the final budget on June 5.

For more information, click here for the Yes for Mesa Campaign.