As Mesa Mayor John Giles prepares to pass the torch to Mayor-elect Mark Freeman in January, he took a moment to reflect on the transformative decade of his tenure. In an interview with the Phoenix Business Journal, Giles highlighted the economic evolution of Mesa, which now boasts more eateries and breweries and fewer vacancies in downtown—a stark contrast to the landscape ten years ago.
Under Giles’ leadership, Southeast Mesa's idle farmland morphed into a hub for major industrial projects, courting titans like Apple and Amazon. "People don't commit the kind of dollars to developments like you see out at Gateway without convincing themselves that Mesa is a solid place to invest in," Giles told the Phoenix Business Journal. Notably, Giles credits partnerships and infrastructure, such as the new water treatment plant and freeway expansions, for the area's attractiveness to Fortune 50 companies, without relying heavily on major fiscal incentives.
Mesa’s financial stability and strategic initiatives were pivotal in Giles' administration. On the topic of city spending and financial health prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Giles highlighted Mesa's upgraded bond rating from Moody's and its reputation for frugality as signs of robust economic health according to his campaign's voter guide. "Mesa has earned a national reputation for frugality while continuing to provide quality services," Giles stated in his campaign's voter guide. The foresight to boost city reserves bore fruit as Mesa navigated the fiscal shocks of the pandemic, ultimately allowing some federal relief funds to assist residents and local businesses in need.
Ambitions for Mesa's future economy involve advanced manufacturing, particularly within the semiconductor industry's supply chain, Giles believes this sector is ripe for the city's proactive outreach. Alongside economic developments, the outgoing mayor hinted at the prospect of Mesa harboring a Major League Soccer team, leveraging new legislation favoring municipal investment in sports facilities. "There are already cities like Indianapolis and Sacramento and others that are very actively courting the MLS, and I think we need to insert ourselves into that beauty pageant," Giles articulated to the Phoenix Business Journal.
As his term concludes, Giles desires to remain involved in causes benefitting the community, particularly in education—a sector where he has already made significant strides. "I hope to find a way to continue that," he told the Phoenix Business Journal, indicating a continued vested interest in Mesa's growth and well-being beyond his mayoral tenure.
