Relocation

 

          Bob's Special Relocation Packet

My special relocation information packet is designed for anyone considering a move to The Greater Phoenix area. It's the ideal place to gather your information before you make that next move. Here are just a few of the things I have included to help you get your move off on the right foot:  

  • Official Visitors Guide to Mesa, Apache Junction, Gilbert and Queen Creek.
  • A complete map of the area, including all streets, highways, public transportation, schools, parks, public areas, shopping centers and major landmarks.
  • Demographics of the area including cost of living index, largest East Valley employers, workforce and education.
  • Utility information, loan information and a complete guide to buying Real Estate in Arizona.

Or, send me a message now, and let him know what kind of information you would most like to have about any of Maricopa and Pinal County’s diverse communities. I'll send a customized package designed just for you.     

 

  Congratulations! 

 If you’re moving to Mesa Arizona or one of the surrounding areas, you’ve chosen one of the world’s most friendly places. Why you ask? I think it is because most people who live here have relocated themselves from other cities and states and understand what the transition is like. They want to help in any way they can. Let me tell you a little bit about Mesa….


Mesa is a city with a progressive vision for the future.  Mesa is a rapidly growing city of over 440,000 (Mesa’s population is expected to reach 567,000 by 2020), and is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Mesa offers a quality urban experience supported by a diversified economic base, educational institutions of excellence, professional local government, sophisticated infrastructure, and a superior workforce. Mesa takes pride in its progressive growth and pro-business attitude, and is still pursuing an aggressive economic strategy.

The City provides a full range of municipal services including police and fire protection, parks and recreation, libraries, transportation, neighborhood outreach and general administration. In addition, the City owns and operates several enterprises including the operation of electricity, gas, water, wastewater, solid waste, aquatics, museums, airports, golf courses, and a community center.

City Government - Mesa operates under charter form of government with citizens electing a mayor and six council members to set policy for the City. In 1998, a voter initiative was approved that changed the way Council members are elected from an at-large to a district system.  Six districts were created and in March 2000, the first three district council members were elected in Districts 1,2, and 3. In 2002, Districts 4,5, and 6 elected their first district council members.

Mesa’s council members serve terms of four years, with three members being elected every two years.  The mayor is elected at-large every four years.  The mayor and council are elected on a non-partisan basis.  The vice mayor is selected by the City Council. The Mesa City Council believes that its people, not leaders, are what makes a City great and actively works to encourage citizen participation in the decision making process.  Whether it through neighborhood meetings, advisory boards and committees, telephone calls, and letters, or electronic mail through the World Wide Web, the Mesa City Council sets policies based on the input and needs of its citizens. 

Mesa By The Numbers                                                         
Founded
1878                                                                 
Incorporated
 July 1883                                                           
Elevation
 1,241 feet  
Land Area
 170.7 square miles  

More than 430,000 people have a Mesa Arizona address.  It's not just because there are quality neighborhoods with a wide range of housing choices.  It's because living in those neighborhoods are friendly people, looking to create a sense of place and be part of a great community.

Population Diversity - White: 84%, Persons of Hispanic Origin: 19.7%, American Indian: 1.7%, Black: 2.6 %, Asian: 1.5%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: .2%  Median age in Mesa: 32

Wage Rates - Administrative Assistant\$28,804, Automotive Mechanic\  $30,242, Civil Engineer\$46,777, Legal Secretary\37,920, Licensed Practical Nurse\$35,544
 
Taxes
- The retail tax rate in Mesa is currently 7.8%.  This consists of:

  • City of Mesa  1.5%
  • State of Arizona  5.6%
  • Maricopa County 0.7%

                                                                                                                

Principal Economic Activities - Mesa’s economic base consists of aerospace/aviation, agri-business, automotive, business services, education services, electronics, health services, manufacturing, retail, and transportation services. Mesa boasts seven regional employment centers and/or corridors including Downtown Mesa, Falcon Airpark, Fiesta Quadrant, Superstition Springs, Williams Gateway Airport, Superstition Freeway Corridor, and Union Pacific Business Corridor.

Total Labor Force - Population 25 years and over 245,104

Key Employers-

Mesa Public Schools/ 10,000, Banner Health System/ 6,100 , Boeing/ 4,300, City of Mesa/ 3,700, AT&T/ 2,800, Wal-Mart/ 1,775, TRW/ 1,450, The Kroger Company/ 1,080, Empire Southwest Machinery/ 1,000, Bashas’/ 860, Home Depot/ 750, Special Devices, Inc./ 750, Target/ 700, Albertson’s/ 680, United States Postal Service/ 670 , AMPAM Riggs Plumbing/ 575, Tribune Newspapers/550, Mesa Community College/ 500, NCS Pearson/500                                                                                                                  

Airports - Mesa Falcon Field, Williams Gateway Airport  

Hospitals - Mesa General Hospital, Medical Lutheran Physician Hospital, Mesa Lutheran Hospital, Select Specialty Hospital,Banner Urgent Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital,  Banner Desert  Cardiac Diagnostic Institute,    Generations Senior Mental Health, Samaritan Behavioral Health,  Arizona Spine & Joint , Valley Lutheran Hospital,   Valley Lutheran Surgicenter, Nextcare, Banner Gardens Hospice House

Education - People are Mesa’s Greatest Resource. Mesa Unified Public School District- Mesa Public Schools is home to Longfellow Elementary School which was named a 2004 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

Mesa students are well-prepared to compete with their peers in a national
arena. Results of the 2004 college entrance tests show that Mesa students
score above both state and national averages and the district had 19
National Merit semifinalists. The Class of 2004 earned $45 million in
scholarships.

The district serves nearly 75,000 students in preschool through high
school. There are 76 traditional schools and many alternative programs to
accommodate parent choice, including Montessori, enrichment classes for
home-schooled students and distance learning classes. The district has
almost 11,000 employees, making it the 16th largest employer in the state.

Higher Education in Mesa  - Apollo College,  Arizona Institute of Business and Technology, Arizona School of Health Sciences , Arizona State University East,  De-Vry University,  East Valley Institute of Technology, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University,   International Institute of the Americas,  International Instructor Academy,  Keller Graduate School of Management,  Mesa Community College, Ottawa University, Pima Medical Institute,  University of Phoenix , UND Aerospace

Tourism - Mesa is unique among cities in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Mesa is thriving and dynamic, and has all the comforts of a big city. But because it is located next to the Tonto National Forest, Mesa is close to outdoor adventures and offers residents the feel of a small community. Mesa’s near perfect weather makes it possible to enjoy the outdoors year-round, and be a part of adventures that will last a lifetime.

Mesa has some of the most renowned and diverse golf courses in the west, and more than 40 courses are located within minutes from downtown.

The Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau (Mesa CVB) offers complimentary services and assistance to help streamline the planning process for groups that schedule events and large meetings for visitors. The bureau represents first-class properties with substantial on-site meeting facilities, and arranges site inspections as part of the planning process. Staff will make arrangements for tours of those properties and facilities in which planners have an interest.

Planning group activities and off-site functions to enhance the group’s Mesa experience are a major part of Mesa CVB’s responsibilities. Activities include golf tournaments, themed outdoor adventures and desert tours, team-building events and much more such as river rafting, lake cruises, and helicopter tours

There are 60 hotel/motel properties with 5,000 rooms in Mesa, and the hospitality industry in the city provides more than 12,000 jobs.  Visit the web site at www.visitmesa,com, or call 480-827-4700 for additional detail.         

Arts and Culture - Mesa Southwest Museum, Arizona Museum for Youth, Mesa Arts Center (New $90 million facility), Mesa Amphitheatre, Mesa Symphony, Ballet Etudes, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Mesa Historical Museum, Xicanindio Artes, Sonoran Desert Chorale, Southwest Shakespeare Company, Mesa Youth Theatre, Mesa Contemporary Arts, and the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre.

Sports and Recreation  - HoHoKam Stadium and Fitch Park (Chicago Cubs spring training facilities), Mesa Indoor Aquatic Center ($20 million facility), 13 public pools, two municipal golf courses, four recreation centers, Red Mountain Multigenerational Center, two tennis facilities and the recently completed Reed Park Skate Court. City of Mesa Parks and Recreation Division provides addition recreational activities.

The Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area is one of only 11 cities in the nation to host teams in all four major professional sports – Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Coyotes and Arizona Cardinals.

Sports 
Phoenix Suns NBA Basketball
Phoenix Firebirds Baseball
LPGA Classic
Chicago Cubs Spring Training
Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball
Auto Racing
& Cactus League Games
Fiesta Bowl
Horse/Dog Racing
Phoenix Cardinals NFL Football
Phoenix Open PGA Golf
and Much More!

                        Recreational Activity/Facilities                                              

47 City Parks
71 Softball/Baseball Fields
Horseback Riding
20 Golf Courses
11 Soccer Fields
Hiking
10 Public Swimming Pools
70 miles of Bike Routes
Hot Air Ballooning
120 Tennis Courts
Boating
Steamboat Cruises
56 Racquetball Courts
Fishing
Tubing & Rafting