If Mesa's such an awful place to live explain this... (Phoenix: for sale, renters)

[az1969]

MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2006: Mesa, AZ snapshot

I live in Dobson Ranch and frankly it's the best bang for the buck place I've lived in AZ:

Good schools
Great commute (my wife works in Scottsdale and it takes her 30 mins in the AM up Alma School and either across Red Mountain Freeway or through the reservation)
Great location - 30 or less minutes from tempe, scottsdale, chandler
Low crime
Low taxes
Nice affordable houses

Not many houses for sale around me and not many renters either.

Go figure...

[DaveV]

Well Motor Trend named the Chevrolet Vega the "Car of the Year" in 1971, too.. Which was listed in Forbes "The Worst Cars Of All Time "

[Ponderosa]

Because of its size, Mesa is a lot like Phoenix in this regard. You can't paint the whole place with the same brush. Like Phoenix, Mesa is showing some signs of its age. Unlike Phoenix, the reluctance of voters there to adequately fund city services will severely limit the city's ability to deal with its problems. I think the "free lunch" approach to city government will doom Mesa eventually. For now, though, one can find some very nice neighborhoods in Mesa where the living is good.

[ryneone]

When we live there i saw nothing wrong with Mesa. Ok schools great when compared to AZ schools. There could have been more to do. Parks and malls only go so far. Not to mention the pharmacy on every corner.

[backtochitown]

Well, Dobson Ranch golf course is a goat ranch...if it is still there...

[Valley Native]

What I find disturbing about Mesa is that it's Arizona's third largest city (possibly soon to be the second largest city because it's growing faster than Tucson), but it's really nothing more than an oversized bedroom community of Phoenix. There's very little to do, and there seems to be little interest in making the city a more desirable place. No significant corporate HQs in Mesa either. What's the deal with that, and why is there such a reluctance to welcome corporations & more industry?

It doesn't matter if the city is unable to afford adequate public services ... a great deal of those services can and should be shifted to the private sector anyway. But why is there a lack of interest by the private sector to do anything worthwhile in Mesa? I find it hard to believe that 450,000 people would actually WANT to keep plodding along in the dark ages.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by az1969

MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2006: Mesa, AZ snapshot

I live in Dobson Ranch and frankly it's the best bang for the buck place I've lived in AZ:

Good schools
Great commute (my wife works in Scottsdale and it takes her 30 mins in the AM up Alma School and either across Red Mountain Freeway or through the reservation)
Great location - 30 or less minutes from tempe, scottsdale, chandler
Low crime
Low taxes
Nice affordable houses

Not many houses for sale around me and not many renters either.

Go figure...

I used to really like Dobson Ranch back in the day. It still seems to be holding it's own.

[lukeache]

I lived in West Mesa for a few years (MCC Area) and never had any problems. However, there are some really shady/ghetto parts of Mesa, but most of it is very livable. I would never call Mesa a real city though, it is just an extension of Phoenix, it has absolutely no character, no soul and no life. Try driving down Southern Ave on a Saturday night, there is absolutely NOTHING going on.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by lukeache

I lived in West Mesa for a few years (MCC Area) and never had any problems. However, there are some really shady/ghetto parts of Mesa, but most of it is very livable. I would never call Mesa a real city though, it is just an extension of Phoenix, it has absolutely no character, no soul and no life. Try driving down Southern Ave on a Saturday night, there is absolutely NOTHING going on.

Lots of action on Southern and Gilbert

[country pride]

Originally Posted by DaveV

Well Motor Trend named the Chevrolet Vega the "Car of the Year" in 1971, too.. Which was listed in Forbes "The Worst Cars Of All Time "

I havent even seen the Vega or the Pinto in over 2 decades, someone told me thats because theyre all in Mexico??