text:
! September 25, 1996
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
Section One - Infrastructure Needs in Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Survey of City CIPs
Transportation Needs
Wastewater Treatment Needs
Needs in Indian Reservations
Overall Needs
Section Two - Review of Other State Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Eligibility and Qualifications
Types o f Assistance
Financing Structure
financing Process and Requirements
Technical Assistance
Section Three - Survey of Local Government OF
Section Four - O v e ~ e wof Proposed Prograr
Need for a State Infrastructure Financing
BeneJits of a State Infrastructure Financi
Section Five - Services Provided by Gk
Technical Assistance
Financing Assistance
Participation Requirenzents
"Pooled" Loan Bond Issue Stru
The GADA "Resen~e'T und
Eligibility and Scope of Projects
Project Prioritizations and Selection
Greater Arizona Developme~ztA uthority
Section Six - GADA Organizational Structure and Administration . . . . . . . IS
Organizational Structure
Interrelation with Other Bonding Entities
Section Six - Start-up Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Tinze Line
Greater Arizona Development Authority
Feasibility Study
Economic Development in rural Arizona, as in rural areas throughout the nation, has often
been restricted by the limited available public infrastructure. While the existing infrastructure may
be adequate to meet the communities current needs, the increased utilization resultir~g from
development often exceeds the existing systems' capacity. New businesses are reluctant to undertake
substantial commercial development or construct new facilities without assurance that the cornrnuniry
will be able to meet the infrastructure needs of the facility and its users. Adequate street and highway
systems, reliable and safe water supplies, dependable wastewater systems and all other basic, public
infrastructure systenls are fimdarnental to the success of these ventures. Thus, without infi-astsucture
improvements the hrther development of the community is limited. In recognition of ibis situation,
local economic development officials and comnlunity leaders have repeatedly requested ;rssistance
from the state in meeting their basic infrastructure needs.
In response to these frequent requests from rural communities and Indian tribes for assistance
in the development cf public infrastructure, the Arizona Department of Commerce has ernbarked on
a study of the feasibility of forming a state financing authority whose primary purpose w~uldbe to
assist ~uracl ommunities to develop and finance public infrastructure.
A consulting team of The hnlaguire Company allti Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc. was retained
to assist the Deparlmetlt in the conduct of the feasibility study for the Greater Arizona Develspment
,4~1thority(G ADA).
'The first steps in assessir~g the need for and the proposed stmcture oi' a state level
infrastructure financing authority are: 1) the development of basic information concerning the
identified infrastructure needs of communities throughout Arizona; 2) a rcvie~vo f the stmct~reus sed
by other states for similar authorities; and 3) a survey of local government oiiicials and other
interested parties for suggestions and recommendations concerning the need fc~rp, urposes of and
structure of such an organization.
Section One - Infrastructure Needs in Arizona
In order to assess the demand for the services that might be provided by such an authority,
several approaches were undertaken to determine the infrastructure needs of communities throughout
Survey of City CIPs
Initially, a review of the identified infrastructure needs of communities throughout Arizona
was undertaken. Specifically, a sample survey of fifteen small to medium size cities tht have
developed a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was undertaken. In all cases, the infrastructure needs
identified within the cities' CIPs for a five-year-period were compiled and categorized. Although
some differences existed in the specific years covered by the various CIPs, in all instances a
representative five-year-period was included. As a result of this survey, total needs of $600 rnillioli
were identiiied for the fifteen cities reviewed.
These needs fall into a variety of categories, including street and road projects, public safety
projects, sewer and water system projects and several other categories. The largest single category
included more than $209 miilion in street and road projects and drainage projects. P4ore thai~7 00
projects were specifically identified. The average prc~ject size was slightiy less than $20C,000.
The cities included in the sample represent approximatziy four perce~to f the tota: state
population and seventeen percent of the state's popuiation excluding the two urban counties.
Extrapolating the sample data statewide (baszd on population) indicates statewide municipal needs
of almost $15 billion. Extrapolzting to the non-urban co~:nties population (all but Maricopa and
Pima) indicates needs of almost $3.6 billion.
The Capital Irnprovemect Plans developed by the cities iricluded a combination of hided and
unhnded projects. In most cases the CIPs included only firnded projects and wherc the cities 1.tac.l
identiiied unfunded additional needs these prc!jects were included within the CP. If'additiocal
resources had been identified at the titnt: of developing the CPs, it is likely that the CIPs would have
expanded. As a result, it is dificult to draw any reliab!e conclusions as to the precise amount of
urhnded infrastructure needs within the cities. However, the sample does indicate that sr~bstantial
infrastructure needs do exist throughout the small to rnedium sized conimunities with Arizona.
City Sr~rveyR esults
Streets Public Govt Solid Cultural
Total & Roaas Safety Sewers Water Facilities Waste Airportr, k Rec. Other
Total Value (000,000's) $600.6 200.3 37.7 93.0 52.0 21.6 77.3 28.4 79.0 11.4
# of Projects 728 26 1 62 78 54 34 54 21 137 27
Percent of Projzcts 35.9% 8.5% 10.7% 7.4% 4.7% 7.4% 2.9% 18.8 3.7
MedianProjectCost(OOO's)191.3 181.5 182.3 329.1 500 310.9 339.5 739.6 91.0 i91.2
Amount per capitn (000's) 3,542 1,181 222 548 307 i 27 456 168 484 67.4
In addition to the survey of Capital Improvement Programs of a variety of Arizona cities,
other existing sources of information that reflect infrastructure needs throughout Arizona were also
Transportation Needs
The 1995 Transportation Needs Study, conducted by the Arizona Department of
Transportation in conjunction with local governments throughout the state, indicates a total demand
for transportation projects of almost $7 billion over the next five years. Of this amount, $6.7 billion
is for street and highway purposes (which includes $2 bil!ion for Maricopa County freeways); up to
$464 million is for mass transit; up to $450 million is for airport projects; and up to $ 680 million is
for rail projects.
Wastewater Treatment Needs
Another source of valuable information concerning infrastiucture needs throughout Arizona
is the Wastewater Treatment Facility Needs Survey conducted by the Wastewater Management
Authority every four years. The 1996 survey indicates total need for firastervater treatment facilities
throughout Arizona of zlmost $2.2 billion over 20 years.
Needs on Indian Resewaticws
The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development conducted an Asscssntent
of Infrastructure Nze& on Arizorrtr Indian Reservations and concluded that "in assi=ssiig, the
infiastrxture needs of Arizona's Indian reservations, it is apparent that an investment of ~t Ileast % 1.4
billion is needed to meet basic needs."
Overall, these various sources of information lead to an indisputable conclusion that there is
s~lbstantialn eed for additional public infrastructure throughwt Arizona. Furthermore, the demand
for infrastructure expailsion substantially exceeds the available resources. In many cases, the
anticipated infrastructure projects identified in the various studies rdlect only a portion of the total
need, projects without a clear source of fiirlding have not been included in the estimates. Thus, totai
need for infrastructure is likely even greater than the numbers reflected in this analysis.
Overall Needs
In summary, based on the information described above, the irlfrastructure needs of the various
political subdivisions, excluding the largest cities, and lndiarl tribes, conservatively total in excess of
$5.5 billion over the next five-year period.
Greater Arizona Development Aurhority
Section Two - Review of Qtlzer State Program
Another fbndamental step in assessing the need for and the proposed structure of a state level
infi-astructure financing authority is the development of basic information concerning the operation,
organization and effectiveness of similar programs operating in other states.
In order to assess the existing programs in other states, a survey of twenty states, with some
type of identified local infrastructure lending program, was undertaken. Not surprisingly, the various
state programs differ widely with regard to purpose, organizational structure, subsidies and the
degree of state involvement. Despite the wide range of existing programs around the country, a
number of generalizations can be drawn that may be usetiil in designing a potential prograrn for
Arizona. In all cases, the review focused on state-funded programs, not federally hnded programs
such as Community Development Bloclc Giants, Farmer's Home Administration loans, or wastewater
treatment revolving hnd loan progrzms.
Specifically, in each state contacted, a variety of characteristics of the program were reviewed.
The charactei-istics surveyed included: the stnlctvre of the program, eligibility by project type and by
jurisdiction. the type of assistance available from the programs (e.g., grants, loans, tech~iczl
assistance, etc.), any financial assistance or subsidies available from the program (e.g., reduced
interest rates, cost sharing, etc.), the source of hnding for any such subsidies, the financing structure
(if any) used by the program to "pool" or leverage infrastructure loans through the program, the
overall eEectiveness of the program, and any suggestions for a new program.
States Snweycd
Louisiana New Mexico
h5aine New York
Michigan Ncrth Dakota
Nebraska (> hi0
New Hampshire Oklahoma
In general the survey of the states revealed the following:
Eligibility and Qualijicuuons
In most states virtually any type ofpublicly owned infrastructure is eligible f ~ r
participation in the programs.
Similarly, in most states any political szrbdivision authorized to constmuct or operate
infrastructure is eligible for participation in the programs.
All programs have some type of financial capability evaluation for participants to be
eligible to receive a loan. The degree of security required varies substantially from program to
program. Some programs permit borrowers to participate with revenues barely sufficient to meet
the loan repayment requirements; other programs require substantial surplus local revenues
beyond the loan repayment amounts.
Zypes of Assistance
Virtually all states provide substantial technical assistance to the participating local
governments. This assistance often includes advice on the timing and planning of the proposed
infrastructure and its financing.
States varied widely with respect to the types of financial assistance or subsidies available.
Some states provided substantial subsidies in the form of low interest loans, partial gracts and
bond issuance cost subsidies, while others acted only as a conduit bond issuer passing ali costs
directly through to the local borrower.
Most state programs that provide subsidies receive recurring legislative appropriations for
the subsidy costs. This legislative suppcrt comes in a variety of different forins. in some
instances, the state appropriates amounts sufficient to meet the program's annual bond debt
service payments, in others a dedicated revenue source is availzble for the program's use and in
other cases substantial front-end appropriations to a dedicated. special hnd provide a source OF
ongoing earnings to operate the program and finance any subsidies.
In states without ongoing appropriations, some programs that provide small subsidies
(e.g., reduced costs of issuance) use interest earnings from a dedicated (sometimes pledged) k n d
to finance these subsidies as well as their ongoing operating expenses. Other state programs
charge participating local governments an administrative fee, either annually throcghout the Iife of
the loan, upon closing or both. Again, these fees are typically used to provide operating funds for
the program. However, the level of such fees is severely limited in programs that do not prcvide
substantial interest cost subsidies.
Financing Structure
Many state programs issue bonds to finance the loans made to local governments for
infrastructure development. In these instances, the state pr0gra.m lends money to local br~rrowers
and in turn issues bonds filly or partially secured by the loan repayments. The bonds are issued
in the name of the state program.
In virtually all states that issue bonds, the bonds are secured primarily by the local
government revenue derived from the project being financed and used to make loan payments.
Grenicr Arizona Development Authority
In addition, many states use either state-level general obligation bond authority or a state-level
moral obligation (an implicit promise to pay in the event of a default) to improve the credit
rating of the bonds issued by the state authority. In states without moral obligation authority, a
dedicated fund is frequently used to provide additional security for the program's bonds.
Programs that do not rely on either state general obligation or moral obligation security
use several techniques to strengthen their program's creditworthiness.
Typically, a special, dedicated fund has been established to strengthen the program's
credit. Often monies in the fund are available as a debt service reserve, to make bond payments in
the event of a shortfall in local loan payments and earnings from the fund are used to defray
program costs.
In some cases, rnonies in the fund are used to rnztch bond proceeds to make loans to local
governments. In these cases the local loan repayments exceed the debt service on the program's
bonds by the inverse of the matching ratio. These available excess monies strengthen the
program's bond rating beyond the credit of the underlying borrowers.
In several states, a state aid "intercept" mechanism has been i~nplementedb y ~i?ichLI IC
state treasurer (or the distribution zgency) may redirect state-shared-revenues f?om a local
borrower to the bond trustee to prevent a default on the program's bonds in the event a local
borrower hils to make scheduled loan payments.
Most of the programs use a pooled financing structure througl~w hich severa! Ioazis to
local borrowers ate bundled together to form the basis for a single state level bond issue.
However, each borrower is reaponsibie solely for the repayment of its Ioan. There is no cross
liability among the various participants in state level bond issue.
Often the bonds are issued under the provisions of an "open" bond indenture that provides
for a common debt service reserve fund to be shared by all bonds issued by the pragram. Ucder
the "open indenture" structure any dedicated state hnd can also be used as additional security for
the state program's bonds.
In other states the local loans are combined into a single bond issue where the payments
on each loan are segregated from all other loan payments. In these cases, the state program is
simply a "conduit" issuer passing the loan payments and the "credit" of the local borrowers
through to the bond holders. Typically, little, if any, credit enhancement is provided by tile state
program. Programs of this type usually have some other incentives to encourage participation.
The incentives are as varied as the programs and are often related to the legal (constitutional and
statutory) environment of the particular state.
Greater Arizona Developmerrt Authority
Financing Process and Requirements
Virtually all the state programs have worked (and continue to work) to streamline the
application, qualification and financing process. Some states have adopted a single application
process and form for multiple programs. (One state is currently expecting approval to use a single
form for both state and federal assistance programs.)
Virtually all the programs work with the local borrower to facilitate qualification. In inany
instances, state personnel assist local officials in determining the actions that must be taken to
allow the local borrower to qualifl. For example, a local community may need to increase or
restructure its water and sewer charges to increase revenues, prior to receiving assisrance.
Technical Assistance
Most state programs provide substantial technical assistance to local com~nul~ities
throughout the infrastructure development proccss. The assistance typically includes all phases of
the project planning and financing process.
Often state program personnel provide advice and hands-on assistance to local ofticiais in
preparing their capital improvenlents plans, reviewing and evaluating proj~cat lierr~atives,
developing required financial itformation, reviewing and evaluating the available revenges.
icienti@ing modific~tiansto the pledged revenue structure; preparing the program application and
generally assisting throughout the entire development and financing process.
In some states, the technical assistance programs ope~atein dependently of the financing
process and are available to all communities including those not invoived with a state loan fif an)
ORen the participation of small communities in the financing program has been dependent
on the technical assistance. Without substantial technical assistance, illany :;mall cormunities are
not able to develop the basic information and organization necessaql to participate in the state
Grenter Arizotrn De~~eloprno/lrcl &/tori@
Section Tlzree - Survey of Local Government Officials
As a final step in determining whether a state level infrastructure financing authority would
be beneficial to Arizona, a series of discussions with officials from local government jurisdictions,
including some that might participate in such a program, and other interested persons were
undertaken. The purpose of these discussions was to determine the level of interest in such a
program, if it existed, to ascertain their views of the potential benefits of such an authority, to
solicit their suggestions on what such a program might offer to participating Iocal jurisdictions as
well as their assessment of the relative advantages of different organizational structures.
Members of an Advisory Committee formed by the Arizona Department of Commerce were also
solicited for their thoughts and suggestions concerning the structure and operation of such an
virtual!^ all the individuals surveyed agreed that such an authority could be valuable. if
properly organized and focused. Specifically, it was generally agreed that the authority's kcus
should be public infrastnlcture of the type cutrently developed by cities, towns, counties and
special purpose districts in Arizona. Further, the authority should assist local governments to
carry out their existing responsibilities without granting additional powers or imposing additional
obligations on these jurisdictions.
Most, especially those from smaller communities, felt that the stare could provide a
valuable service by making qualified technical assistance available to local elected and appointcd
officials through every phase or the iilfrastmcture developinent process. Such assistance wou!d
be valuable during the initial evaluation of local needs and aftcrnative approaches, while s-zviewing
proposed design alternatives, when determining the adequacy of existing revenue sourczs lo
finance the identified project, in construction bidding process, ti~rroughoutt he construction
process and ~iltimatelyd uring the start-up phase of operation of certain facilities.
Many felt that a "pooled" loan program, which u~ouldj3 rovide loans to local governments,
might be of significant value as well. Often smaller communities would financ,e an infrastmr,ture
project over several years, however the costs and complications associated with a bond issue arc
too great given the size of the project. A program that made such financi~gm ore cost effective
and easier would be valuable to many small governments.
Whether specific jurisdictions would be likely to participate in such a program would be
determined by the financial benefits of participation on a case by case basis. In general, larger
jurisdictions with substantial infrastructure programs and established, favorable credit ratings
would be unlikely to participate, while smaller cornmimities that wou!d benefit from the "pooling"
process would be more likely to participate.
Greater Arizo~raI~ evelopn~erArtu thority
In addition, some method of improving the "marketability", or perceived credit
worthiness, of the debt of smaller Arizona communities was viewed as a potential benefit.
Several approaches were suggested with the common objective of lowering the cost of boi-rowis
for the participating ju~isdictions, while not transferring the responsibility for repayment to the
There was no consensus regarding a requirement for a local public vote to authorize
participation in any loan program. Some of those surveyed felt a clear expression of public
support for the proposed infrastructure project, as expressed through voter authorization, is
important. Others felt that no additional requirements, beyond those already in law ibr other
forms of financing, should be imposed.
It was generally expressed that the control over the initiation and scope of any projests
should remain at the local level. The state program sl~oulds upport the local jurisdictions' eirorts,
not replace or redirect them.
In conclusion, those surveyed expressed a clear ccnsensus that there was a genuine nsed
for some form of assistance to local governments outside the major metropalitan arens in
developing needed public infrastructure. A state level authority, by providing technical a d
financing assistance, would help smaller communities meet and address their essential necds in an
effective and eflicient manner.
Greater Arizr~~Im~ e~~elopmAeu~tltotr ity
Section Four. - Overview of Proposed Program
Need for a State Infrastructure Financing Aut/llority
As discussed above, local government officials throughout Arizona, identified several
specific areas of needs that appear common to many rural communities. Frequently, these
communities need basic technical assisiance in determining the scope and nature of an
infrastructure project to undertake in order to respond to existing needs, changing conditions or
state and federal mandates. This technical assistance must be available from the earliest planning
stages in order to assist these jurisdictions in maximizing their use of and the benefits fi-om limited
local resources.
Small communities also often have difficulty accessing the national capital markets due to
the small dollar size of their financing needs and their limited experience in such markets. Due to
some of the fixed costs associated with bond issuance, firlancing srnaller projects inay not be cost
effective. Further, the bond issuance process can be time consuming and uncomfortable for some
local officials.
Often these communities have limited financial reso:rrces. The higher borrowiirg costs
associated with small projects in small communities with lower credit raiings (due to the
infrequency of financings, inexperience, a limited econorxic base, or other factors) eXectivaiy
preclude these communities from financing their capital projects.
Benefits of a State 1rrfassr-r.zrcturcF innncirzg Aufhori<y
A state level organization thzt could provide recii:~ical and financing assistance to these
local communities would be very usefbl in helping Arizona, meet the substantial il~frastructure
needs identified in the sunrey of local jurisdictions. Such an authority, the Greater Arizona
Development Authority (GADA), could assist smalle; communities in developing and financisg
basic infrastructure projects.
In general, GADA will heip local governments throughout the state finance those projects
that they are currently authorized by law to undertake, but have not due to the difficulties
described above. The purpose of GADA will not be to grant ar,y additional powers or
responsibilities to these local jurisdictions.
Specifically, GADA could provide technical, "hands on" assistance to loca! goiler~~mei,ts
in designing, reviewing, planning, financing and managing their infrastructure pro-iects. A
centralized source of current information and expertise concerning managing infi-astructure
project development, financing and management wouId be of great value to local elected and
appointed officials througho~t~hte state.
Greater Arizorta Development Autlrority
In addition, GADA will provide improved access to the national capital markets for
smaller communities with limited financial resources or experience that are seeking to finance
lower dollar amount projects.
GADA could reduce the borrowing costs of these communities by simultaneously
financing several smaller loans in a single, market sized bond issue. By combining several smaller
borrowings into a single bond issue, GADA will be able to share many of the costs associated
with a financing transaction amorig all the participating bo~rowers, thereby reducing these costs to
each individual local government.
All existing, authorized political subdivisions of the state (counties, cities, towns, special
districts) and Indian tribes would be eligible to finance projects through GADA. Sitxilarly, any
project currently authorized by state law as permitted undertaking of a political subdivision would
be eligible for participation. It is not the GAI>A's purpose to aiter the existing system of
governance within the state.
In essence, CTADA will serve as a supportive partner for local government in the;
development and financing of local infrastructure projects without irlcreasing the powers oi
responsibilities of these jurisdictions. It should not be CiADA's sole to evaluate the merh of
locally detertilined projects, as long the communities demonstrate the clear local support for the
project and the associated indebtedness. Those decisions will remain a local issue, best decided ,?1
the local level.
Crearer Arizona Developmettt A~cthoriiy
Sectiotz Five - Services provided by GADA
The various local government officials and other interested parties as well as the survey of
other states' programs indicate the benefits of a state level infi-astructure development authority,
such as GADA. The recommendations that follow reflect their suggestions and community
concerns, in particular, the desirability of a structure to support local project development and to
assist by lowering financing costs through pooling, cost sharing and sta~dardization.
Technical Assistance
The first step in assisting local communities in developing and financing their
infrastructure needs is providing "hands on" technical assistance through ali phases of the
development process. GADA will provide such assistance to local governments throughout the
state. G-OA will be available to assist both elected and appointed officials in understanding the
various aspects to the infrastructure development process and in presenting the pro-jeci to local
Specifically, GADA wili provide technical expertise and advice during the initial project
conception process and during the plaiming and design of the project, including assisting in the
selection of external technical consultants, when needed. GADA will be zble to assist local
officials evaluate alternative construction options and the associated costs azd benefits.
Subsequent to the planning and design phase, GADA will be able to assist local cormunities in
preparing for and evaluating the financing of the pro-ject and will provide technical support arid
assistance, throughout the financing proczss, regardless of the financing source.
During the construclion phase, GADA can assist local officials oversee the pr-ject and
help assure the timely and appropriate completion of cor~structionin accordance with the design
requirements. GADA will provide direct assistance to local communities, but will nct rep!ace all
the various technical, professional consultants typically retained to assist these comlunities. For
example, while GADA will be able to help in the evaluation, selection and management of a
professional engineer hired to oversee the construction of a wastewater treatment facility, it \.rill
not be able to eliminate the need for such technical expertise.
By working with a variety of local jurisdictions throughout the state, GLDA will be able
to share the prior experiences of other communities. Over time, the "hands on" experience gained
by GAnA will become an invaluable resource for all communities. For example, comparative
information regarding service charges in other cornunities can be important information for
governing board discussions and public information on the costs and benefits of a proposed
infrastiucture project.
Financing Assistance
One means of providing financing assistance to local political subdivisions and Indian
tribes will be through loans to finance infrastructure projects. GADA will combine several,
smaller local loans into a single, larger bond issue for sale in the national financial markets.
Interest on the loans to local participants would be at the same interest rate as the GADA bonds.
As discussed in greater detail below, the GADA bonds will be secured by the loan
payments to be made by the participating local jurisdictions and by the dedicated hnds of the
Authority. In addition, GADA would establish a "back-up" pledge of state shared revenues to
strengthen the credit of smaller cities and counties. These additional credit supports would
effectively provide many con~munitiesw ith a significantly improved bond rating. The improved
bond rating will result in lower interest rates and a lower cost of borrowing for the local
In order to facilitate the timely constniction of needed local infrastructure while
maintaining the advantages of a "pooled'" bond issue, GADA should consider establishing a
regular schedule for its financings. Under such at1 approach, G D A might establish a semi-anunal
issue schedule (e.g., each April and October) so that local communities could plan accordingiy
and cocld rely or, monies being available when needed to pay contractors. Alternatively, GADA
could undertake a "pooled" bond issue whenever sufficient loans have been compiled to constitute
an appropriately sized bond issue.
Locd loans fiom CJADA sl-lould match the expected usefill life of the project to be
financed, not to exceed twenty years. To maximize the resources of the Authority, loa~lssh oulci
be repaid with equa! annual payments, with interest paid serniannualiy and principal paid atrmially.
GADA may also be able to work cooperatively with loca! financial institutions to provide
direct loans to local governments for infrastructure projects. In such cases, the loans \vc~u?db e
additionally secured by GADA's dedicated funds.
Alternatively, GADA may provide financing assistance through other forms of credit
enhancement to local borrowers including letter of credit assistance, bond insurance cr
supplemental reserve hnds.
As GADA develops it may be possible to provide short-term financing for up-front project
feasibility and/or design study costs, which could then be included in the overall project financing,
or to provide short-term bridge financing between pooled ioan bond issues.
Participation Requirements
In order receive a GADA loan (through a p~oledlo an bond issue), a local community will
be required to demonstrate the financial capacity to repay the GADA loan. The repayment of the
loan must be guaranteed by a legally binding pledge of a specific local revenue source, such as
Greater Arizr~tm1 )er-elopmeruA tiihority
local water and sewer charges. Typically, such financial capability is demonstrated by historical,
annual revenue collection, net of existing obligations, in an amount greater than the annual !oan
repayment amount. Local borrowers will also provide a "back-up" p!edge of state shared
Local participants will also be required to fund a resenre fund in an amount equal to one
year's loan payments. These monies will be available to make a required loan payment (which is
in turn used to make a portion of a GADA bond debt service payment), if a local borrower fails to
make a payment on time and "defaults" on its obligation.
While GADA's dedicated finds will be pledged as additional security for its bonds, these
monies will only be used to make debt seivice payments in the unlikely event of a default by a
local borrower. These monies will not be expected to be used to make routine payments on
behalf of local pzrticipants.
"Pooled" Loan Boixi Issue Slr~ccture
The pooled loan program operated by GADA will provide a silnplified and cost-ef-i'ective
means for small conlrnunities to access the national capital markets. In order to siinpli@ the
financing prGcess as much standardization shculd be developed as possible. For example,
standardized loan agreements and legal forn;s will eliminate the need for customized legal
documents for each local participant, thereby reducing the costs and review time associated lvith
these project financings.
Thc bzsic structure of the pacled loan program will be based or? loans rnade by GrlDA to
local governillcnts for infrastructure projects. These !oms will be secured by a pledge of local
revenues sufficient to repay the loan with interest. As mentioned above, historical, annusl,
pledged revenue ccllections, net of existing obligations, will have to be demonstrated to be
greater than the annual loan repayment amount.
Locally imposed property and sales taxes, sharea highway user revenue find moiues and
charges and fees for local services, such as water and sewer service could be used as pledged
Unlike some other state's infi-astructure development authorities that issue bonds secured
by the generaj obligation or ntorul oblzgutim authority of the state, because of Arizona's
constitution, GADA's bonds will have to be additionally secured through several other nieans.
Local cities, towns and counties will be required to provide a "back-up" pledge of state
shared revenues to make loan payments, in the event of a default by the local borrower. 'This
"back-up" pledge of shared revenues will improve the security behind the local loans and
therefore the bond rating of the GADA bonds in two wrys. First, the shared revenues will
provide an additional source of revenue to make loan payments if rieeded. Second, the statewide
Greater Arizotm Ilevelnpment Aufltnrity
collection source for these shared revenues will broaden and divers@ the uilderlying economic
base for the local community's pledged revenues. This second factor is of particular value to
isolated communities and communities heavily dependent on a single industry or employer. The
diversification gained by the "back-up" pledge of state shared revenues substantially reduces the
risk associated with a single, isolated, local borrower.
Specifically, in the event of a loan payment default by a local borrower, thc State
Treasurer will withhold an amount equal to the shortage (plus costs) from the next scheduled
distribution of state shared revenues. The monies withheld will be used to replace the shortage.
GADA will combine several smaller local loans into a single, larger GN>A bond issue.
The proceeds of the GADA bond issue will be used to fund the loans to the participating local
jurisdictions and the loan payments from these local governments will be used to pay the debt
service on the GADA bonds. The interest rate on each loan will be equal to the rate on the
GADA bonds.
Following the closing of the GADA bond issue; the proceeds will be used to k::d the
loans to the local participacts. Monies will be released on a reimbursement basis or directiy to
contractors at the borrower's direction.
Local participants will have to fund a loan paynient reserve filnd in order to participate in
the program. This "10cai'~ reserve will be available to make a required loan payment if the local
borrower defazrlt..;. that is fails to make a schedule loan pyment on time. Thesc reserves \vill be
available only for the local Qovernment that hnded them. In other words, a local reserve hnd
will not be available to a default by another participating jurisdiction.
In addition, GADA will pledge the monies in its dedicated hnd to make GADA bond debt
service payments in the event of a shortage in the local loan payments. These monies will provide
additional security for purchasers of the GADA bonds and will also to act to improve the credit
rating of the GADA bonds, which will result in lower borrowing costs.
The GADA "Reserve " Fund
A crucial aspect of the structure of GADA is the size and nature of its dedicated fUrLding
source. GADA must establish a dedicated fund to serve as an additional source of paytnerrt for its
bonds, in the event of a shortfall in loan payments from a participating local government. In
general, GADA should be able to make at least five dollars of !oms (and issue five dollars i i ~
bonds) for each dollar available in its dedicated fund.
In order to be effective, the monies held by GADA must be irrevocably dedicated to the
purposes of the Authority. This dedication must be similar to the dedication of the Highway 'lJser
Revenue Fund to street and highway purposes. Without such dedication, the moiies will not be
Grcnrer Arizortn I>eveloptnent Ardf~ority
considered permanently available to secure any GADA bonds and the anticipated benefits will not
be received (and passed on to the local borrowers).
The source of funding for GADA's dedicated fund is of less importance than the
permanence and the amount of the dedicated monies.
Any appropriated monies received by GADA (excluding loan payments) should be
deposited to a single hnd to be used exclusively for the purposes of GADA. Monies in the
GADA fknd should be invested by the State Treasurer and the earnings returned to the fund.
Earnings should be available to pay for the administration of the Authority, the Authority staff and
overhead, the costs of technical assistance and the costs associated with the issuance of GfiDA's
The amount and nature of the dedicated n~or,iesa re crucial to the success of GADA.
Without sufficient funds, GADA's bonds will lack the critical additional s2curity provided by the
dedicated monies. This will reduce the creditworthiness of the GADA bonds and raise the cost of
borrowing funds through GADA. As a result it will be iess likely ihat e!igible local governments
will participate in the GADA program.
Furthermore, if the monies in the dedicated fund are insufficient, the earnings will not
support the necessary level of technical assistance to local communities. Technical assistame is
needed at ths eailiest stages of the infrastructure development process, zs local communities
attempt to define and develop proje~tsth at wi!l eventually be financed. Therefore. G D Aw ill
begin to incur technica! assistance costs shortly after st2rt up and will nzed subsiantizl f o:~t-end
hnding to carry out this critical aspect of its mission. In short, without adequate funding, G.4DA
will fdil.
Eligibility and Scope of Projects
All counties, cities, towns. special districts and Indian tribes should be eligible to
participate in the programs offered by GPLDA. No categorical exclusion by popuiation, size or
geographic location should be imposed or, participation.
Similarly, any publicly owned infrastnicture constnlcted by these jurisdictions should be
eligible for financing assistance through the author it.^.
Although the primary focus of GADA will be on providing assistance and support to
smaller communities, a categorical exclusion of larger communities would be inappropriate for ri
state level organization like the Authority. Jn practice, paxicipation will be self regulating.
Medium sized and larger communities, with more diversified economies and higher credit ratings,
will receive no financial benefit from the Authority's "pooled" loan program and will therefore not
participate. It is possible that some of these communities may be able to benefit from the
experience and expertise GADA will develop through working vJith local governments over time.
To the extent this knowledge can be of assistance to any Arizona community, it should be
Any maximum limits on the size of a project that may receive assistance should be
carehlly considered. Larger projects are the most difficult for small communities to complete and
are oRen those with the highest local priority as a result of a federal or state mandate. Snlaller
communities may frequently be able to complete routine capital in~provementsw ith available
reserves, but are unable to undertake larger projects due to the financing requirements.
The need for a project size limit should be reviewed after several years of GAI3k's
operation to determine if circumstances have changed. At the same time, the possibility of a limit
on the total amount of loans to a single community should also be reviewed. Again, such a limit
need not be initially imposed because the financial capability requirements of the loan program
will impose a natural (market) limit on the loan capacity of each participati~gc ommunity.
Prcjcct Oriorifization a~zdS election
The Authority should develop criteria and guideli~esfo r the prio~itizationo f local
infrastructure projects for the receipt of tec'mical and financing assistance. These guidelirjes will
allow GADA to focus its limited resources on the prcjects with the highest priority from it
statewide perspective.
The prioritization criteria should be developed by the AutRority following care&!
consideratior-, of the suggestions and recommendations of local public officials from throughcut
the state. However, some general priorities can be suggested as an initial system.
Projects that I) meet current infi-astn~cturen eeds; 2) address public health and safely
concerns, OR 3) provide basic infrastructure for growing areas (projected within the nex? five
years) shculd be given the highest priority. Basic infrastn~cturep rojects needcd to encourage
general economic development sh~uldbe given the secocd highest priority. Projects that provide
other types of infrastructure for other public purpose should be given third priority.
Local jurisdictions should submit potential projects for evaluation on an annual basis.
Based on the projects submitted and using the established criteria, GADA should prioritize the
projects for technical and financing assistance. Typically, a project will be eiigible for technicd
assistance prior to being prioritized for financing assistance.
Selected projects should be announced following the evaluatitx~p rocess and shou!d be
eligible for assistance immediately thereafter. 'The number oSprojec.ts selected each year will vary
depending on the complexity of the projects and the availability of GIWA resources Mal~y
projects receiving technical assistance may not be completed in a single year and therefore
ongoing project requirements will have to be considered in determining the number of projects to
be selected for the following year. If the projects selected are completed prior to the next annual
Greater Arizona Descloptnerrt Autlroriy
application and selection process, GADA may be able to provide assistance to additional
communities from the previous list of applicants.
Technical assistance should be available to local communities throughout the project
development process. This assistance from GADA should be available on an as needed basis,
however, GADA cannot and should not replace the i~volvemento f local officials or their qualified
external professional consultants. Rather, GADA experience and expertise should suppletnent
and comp!iment the local "project team". Local governments must commit the time and resources
necessary to complete their infrastructure project. GADA cannot devote scarce resources to
projects that do not receive essential local support.
Financing assistance should be available to local communities when infrastructure projects
are ready for construction. OAen the pre-constnlction phase may take several years. Projects
should be selected for financing assistance when the necessary feasibility studies, engineering
design and specifications reviews and other required analyses have been completed. In addition, 2
source of revenue that will be pledged to the repayrneld of the GADA loan will have to be
identified and evaluated and all necessary approvals needed to proceed with the pr9-iest will: have
to be in place.
Greater Arizotrrr I ~ e ~ ~ ~ f o ~A~trrlnlreorritryt
Section Six - GADA Organizational Structure and Admiu~istration
Organizutional Structure
GADA must be established as an independent Authority, separate from the State of
Arizona. It should be controlled by a board of directors composed of nine members. Five
members appointed by the Governor and approved by the state Senate. In addition, the Director
of the Department of Commerce, the Director of the Department of Transportation, the Director
of the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Treasurer should serve as ex qfficio
voting members of the board.
The Chairman of the board should be the appointed mernber serving the final pear of his
term. If that member was appointed to fill a vacancy less than one year earlier (or chooses not to
serve as chairman), the member next nearest the end his term should serve as chairman.
Appointed members should be permitted to serve up to two consecutive terms.
The appointed members of the board should be private citizens representing difl2rent areas
of the state. The appointed members of the board should be appointed for staggered, terms of
five years. Vacancies should be filled by appointment for the remainder sf the unexpired term.
Appointed members should continue to serve until a successor has beer, appointed by the
All policies and procedures of the Authority should be approved by the Board. The Bo~rd
should also finally determine projects to receive technical and financing assistance. T"r~!eh a r d
should aFpi-OVe all loans and issue bonds in the name of the Authority.
The Authority should be staffed by competent professionals selected by the Diruzt~ro fthe
Department of Commerce. The department should provide space and equipment for the
Authority staff and the Board.
Initially an executive director, a program specialist and an administrative assistan! should
be assigned to the Authority. As the programs of the Authority develop, additional professional
staff may be required. The salaries, benefits and expense of GADA staff should be paid fiom
earnings on the Authority's dedicated hnd.
In addition to the internal staff, GADA will need to retain ex?ernal professionals tc! assist
in providing technical assistance to local participants. T'nese external professicnals may becorne
less necessary as the GADA staff expands and gaitis experience. However, some exte~nal
professional assistance will continue to be required on an as needed basis through the life of the
program. These professionals should also be paid with earnings from the dedicated fund.
As with all development and financing authorities, GADA will be expected to retain
professional assistance in connection with issuing bonds. Bond counsel, a financial advisor,
underwriters, a trustee and various other professionals will be required. Typically, these costs
would be paid with proceeds of the "pooled" bond issue and included in the amount of the local
loan repayments. However, to the extent that sufficient rnonies are available, the Authority may
choose to pay some of these costs from earnings thereby reducing the costs borne by the local
Because the Authority will be issuing bonds and managing substantial amounts of money,
it is essential that adequate financial record keeping system be initially established. Detailed
revenue and expenses tracking as well as an automated loan payment monitoring system should be
Carehl accounting and allocation of all dedicated monies must be maintained. The
financial records of the Authority should be maintained in accordance with the standardized
practices applicable to government agencies established by the Governmental -4ccounting
Standards Board (GASB) and audited by an independent zuditor annually. Detailed repofis of all
expenditures and revenues should be present to the Board quarterly and an annual repol-, prepared
and presented to the Governor and the Legislature. Again the cosr s associated with these
activities should be paid with earnings.
Finally, it may be permissible to redirect some federal hnds received by thc state a11d
particularly by the Department of Commerce, to pay some of the costs incurred by the Authority
To the extent such reallocation is possible. it shsu!d be considered.
Interrelntjon with Other Bonding E~itities
The MDA will join the existing \,'astelvater Management Authority and the plarined
State (Tra~sportation)I nfrastructure Bank as n source of assistance t~ locat communities
developing irfrastructure.
The Wastewater Management Autlroritv is responsible for overseeing the wastcvv~ater
treatment revolving hnd, which makes low cost loails to local commufiitities to finance the cost of
treatment facilities. The WMA will also, probably, be responsible for the drinking water revolving
hnd authorized by the federal Clean Water Act, which will provide similar loans for drizking
water projects.
The State (Transportation) Infrastructure Bank is currently beilrg established by the
Arizona Department of Transportation in response to a federal pilot program and will provide
assistance to local communities in developing streets and highways.
Although the specific purpose and mission of each of the organizations is different, all
have a common objective of helping local governments develop infrastructure. As a consequence
it is critically important that all three organizations cooperate and coordinate their efforts.
GADA will have the broadest charge of any of these entities and therefore niay be able to
assist communities that cannot receive assistance for certain projects from the other state level
organizations. In some instances, a combination of GADA assistance and assistance from the SLB
or WMA may facilitate the completion of a project.
(knter Arizorm Develq>rnent Authority
Section Seven - Start-up Procedures
The first year of operation of a new organization like GADA is both a difficult and
critically important phase in the entire life of the organization. The establishment of appropriate
rules, procedures and operating practices will largely determine the fbture success or failure of the
The transition from a conceptual proposal to an operating organization is a difficult
process that requires careful planning and scheduling. The following time line illustrates some of
the major events that should occur during the Authority's first year of operation.
Time line
Spring 1997
L,egislativc: Hearings on M A
Enactment of legislation
Selection of GADA staE by
Commerce Director
Selec,tion of private members by
Staff begins preparation of draft
tules znd procedures
Staff establishes accounting
system for dedicated monies
Infoimal meeting of board
members to discuss procedures
Legislation becomes effective
First Board Meeting
Review of draft nlles and
procedures for selectiori of
Local suppcrt, if possible
In miicipation of start-up
90 days after the end of
legislative session
Greater Arizona Devetopnrcrtt Author@
August (con't) First Board Meeting (con't)
Adoption of operating budget for
current fiscal year
Initial public announcement of
GADA organization and
Annual League of Cities
September Second Board Meeting
Adoption of rules and procedures
and submission to rulemaking
Governor's Rural Development
Co nf e, rence
Third Board Meeting
Quarterly Report or" revenues and
Distribution of Prelimi~arj
application procedures (subject to
final adoption of nrles)
Regional outreach seminars on
GADA's activities
November Fourth Board Meeting
Final approval of rules and
Announcement of application
deadline of Febnlary 1
January 1998
Fifth Board Meeting
Selection of program consultants
Staff assist locai olficials in
preparing application forms
Sixth Board Meeting
Opportuility for Presentation
Oppoitunity for Presentatioi:
Greater Ariznrru Develo,7metrt Acrtltorify
January 1998 Quarterly Report of revenues and
(con't) expenses
Regional outreach seminars on
GADA's activities
Application for assistance due
Seventh Board Meeting
Preliminary review of applications
Staff reviews applications and
scores based on criteria
Eighth Board Meeting
Preliminary review of project
prioritizations for technical and
financing assistance
Ninth Board Meeting
Ann~uncement of projects
selected for technics1 assistance
Quarterly Report of revenues and
Initial technical assistznce
meeting on selected projects
Staff develops budget for next
fiscal year
Tenth Board Meetiag
Announcement of projects
selected for financing assistance
Budget for next fiscal year
Eleventh Board Meeting
Pooled loan bond issue scheduled
for September
Staff prepares for close of fiscal
'I'welfth Board Meeting
Quarterly Report of revenues and
Board reviews progress on bond
Thirteenth Board Meeting
Annual report on revenues and
Report on technical assistance
Board reviews progress on bond
Annual League of Cities
Fourteenth Board Meeting
Board issues pooled loan bonds
Audit of prior year financial
Staff prepares annual report
Governor's Rural Development
Fifteenth Board Meeting
Quarterly Report on revenues and
Greater Arizotra I~evelol,metA~uf thority
Opportunity for presentatio~ls
Opportunity for presentations
Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.


text: Quick View Angry Birds - Star Wars Chewbacca 5 Inch Plush by Angry Birds Out of stock $2.00 The Angry Birds are now using the force to vanquish their enemies! Bring the characters you love onscreen into your arms. Combining characters from 2 unforgettable franchises, these plush toys are a must-have for every Angry Birds and/or Star Wars fan. See Details $2.00 was $14.95

subset: commoncrawl


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Two of the many faces of Comic-Con who come to the conference dressed in costume. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
July 19, 2013 | 1:03 p.m.
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I'm sure it's been discussed many a time before, but I've been gone, busy for quite a while and I just checked this site and it seems as if all he!! has broke loose!? I've read around a little bit and I know I'd be quite upset if Martin went under. Been almost the only name and is now, in my family's archery arsenal.
I guess it's one of those things I've looked at it and come to the conclusion that it's not so much I'm gonna miss Martin bows, because there will always be other bows out there to choose from, but that this site, and many other memories have been tied around so much to this company it would kind of leave a sinking feeling in stomach. I see Joel is gone, but it's probably for the best for him. Wish him nothing but the absolute best. In the mean time all I suppose we can do is sit here and hope the company picks back up, and keeps producing bows.


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Wed, 12/12/2012 - 14:01
Tony Buono, Management Professor and Coordinator of the Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibilty, was appointed to run a new track on Business in Society in the International Management Teachers Academy (IMTA) 2013. The IMTA helps young faculty develop their curricula and hone teaching skills and methods.
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Bentley University is highlighted for its selection to a team of global researchers as an extention of the Global Compact Initiative by the United Nations. The university has been recognized as a leader for its dedication to social responsibility efforts.
Wed, 10/17/2012 - 16:01
In response to Bentley's growing visibility in the global business arena, Bentley University has been selected to be a member of a global research team composed of universities from Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and China.
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Thu, 05/17/2012 - 13:05
International academics, corporate and society leaders gather to explore best practices and challenges in business ethics, joining keynote speaker Pamela Paton, senior vice president and chief administration officer, corporate development and global relationship management at State Street Corporation, at Bentley University's 8th annual Global Business Ethics Symposium on Monday, May 21, 2012.
Thu, 08/25/2011 - 14:31
Management Professor and Founding Director of the Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility, Tony Buono is interviewed about the increased interest in ethical education aimed at guiding businesses how to act responsibly.
Sun, 07/17/2011 - 11:02
Tony Buono, management professor and founding director of the Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility, is featured for his work to implement ethics and responsibility into the curriculum at UNSW Australian School of Business.
Fri, 07/22/2011 - 14:03
Tony Buono, management professor and director of the Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility is highlighted for his work with the Australian School of Business to integrate principles of responsible management practice into its curriculum.
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text: Anyone have any personal feedback/thoughts on this? Seen some videos of it in action and it sparked my interest from the first shots we saw of it at the ATA show not too long ago. Seen some videos that show how quickly it slows the string oscillation as well and they claim it gives your bow the full power stroke often picking up a little speed in the process.


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Clay Hensley, Steve Delabar dominate
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Gary Howard died in the early morning darkness while walking to set up his portable treestand. It was late October,a full hour before sunrise. Dressed in camo, carrying his bow with the stand strapped…Read More
Man attempts to rope deer and immediately regrets it.Read More
Clay Hensley has allowed two runs or less in seven of ten starts and has one win to show for it. …


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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, LLS and 4 more...
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, LLS and 4 more...
When Katie Smercak was 5 years old, and diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), her family felt helpless and wished they could do something.
Her grandmother, Ferrel, and aunt, Lael, ultimately turned to Team In Training as a part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Connecticut Westchester Hudson Valley chapter, and began running marathons on her behalf to raise money for blood cancer research. On Sunday, 11 years after going into remission, Katie is ready to join them for their favorite race: the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco.
"I'm very excited - it's something I've wanted to do since I was 10," said Katie, now 16. "I've been bugging my mom every day and I'm thrilled I can finally do it."
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"It's my way of coping with the fact that I had cancer and what I went through so others don't have to," she said.
She won't be traveling alone. "Katie's Crew" is made up of her mother, Lind; sister, Chloe; of course Ferrel and Lael; her uncle, Lou, and many other TNT alumni who have been touched by her family's story. Katie was selected as a guest speaker at the starting line and will also have the honor of kicking off the Nike race wearing a purple sparkle tutu she designed herself.
Since joining TNT, Ferrel and Lael have raised over $60,000 for LLS. The team Katie's Crew has been selling tutus and doing Lemonade for Leukemia fundraisers and is well on its way to making this year's $50,000 goal.
Katie didn't know much about cancer when she was diagnosed because she was so young. Her friends didn't either. Some thought they could catch it and wanted to stay away. Remembering that experience makes her want to make sure people know the facts and bring awareness to the realities of blood cancers.
She makes her mother proud - so proud that she will be running her first race as well.
"You really don't know what to do when you have a crisis in the family," said Lind. "You just need a way to cope. After all we've been through, this is a way to celebrate and count our blessings that we are all here and healthy."
Photo (from left): Sandy Bandehas (coach) Meryl Laskin, Lisa Hawkins, Kim Addis, Kim Benedicto, Lizdely Garcia, Luigi Russo (in back), Lael Porcelli, Ferrel Porcelli, Katie Smercak (being held up), Lind Porcelli (kneeling). Missing: Lynette McBride, Chloe Smercak and Kristen Bohannon.
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Show your excitement for all the non-stop action of the Super Bowl XLVI showdown with this commemorative Dueling pin. Featuring both teams' helmets facing off over a Super Bowl XLVI logo with the date of the event, it's the perfect display of team pride no matter which team you're rooting for!
- Great for lapels or hats
- High-quality team graphics
- Officially licensed NFL product
- Post back
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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HOME ActionSports LRG Gear LRG Mens LRG Mens Golf & More LRG Mens Golf & More Polos (8 items) Product ID: 835229
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What to hear something crazy? We are the children of vision! You know full well that we are gonna have to step up and fix all these problems cause the ones in charge now are already counting down the days to retirement. Don't worry too much about it just yet, just do what you do best and keep learning. In the meantime, grab this sweet-looking COV polo from LRG so your fellow forward-thinkers can spot you in a crowd. One day soon, we'll make our move. It won't be hard because these old folks are already halfway out the door!
- 60% Cotton/40% Polyester
- Imported
- LRG yarn dye striped polo
- Placket with three buttons
- Sewn-on woven LRG logo patch
- Side slits at hem
- Woven LRG clip tag at bottom hem
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Mark White is the Global Consulting Technology CTO. In his eight years at Deloitte, he has served clients in Federal, Financial Services, Real Estate, High Tech, Telecommunications, Transportation and other industries. His professional focus is architecting, developing and delivering critical business solutions for clients.
During his time at Deloitte, Mark has served in multiple leadership roles including: US Consulting Chief Technology Officer, US Platform Architecture & Infrastructure service line lead, lead IT principal on the Department of Homeland Security account team, Program Delivery principal for major Federal programs, and Engagement Delivery principal for Global 100 Financial Services and Real Estate firms. His engagement focus areas include IT service management, IT service architectures, operations engineering, data center design and consolidation, and business intelligence systems.
Prior to Deloitte, Mark was a founder and CTO of Realeum, a real-estate software managed services provider. He started his career in consulting with 14 years at Arthur Andersen, culminating his time there as the Managing Principal for the North American Advanced Technology practice.
Mark is a frequent speaker at global conferences and is regularly quoted in the media discussing the impact of technology on business and government.
Mark has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Systems Architecture from the University of Georgia. He also holds a Masters of Applied Mathematical Sciences with a concentration in Operations Research from the University of Georgia.
Connect with Mark


text: MTX TX5 Thunder Axe Series 5-1/4" component speakers Zoom Front Back Photos Videos Does it fit my car? Item #: 236TX5 Review Summary 3 people say DISCONTINUED This item is no longer available to purchase. Contact us for other options Call Email Original price $124.99 Shop all Component Systems Shop all Component Systems x By buying this product you'll earn up to 125 Rewards points. When you sign up for a Crutchfield account, you'll be enrolled in Crutchfield Rewards. You'll earn one point for every dollar you spend on gear from us. You can turn your points into Rewards Cards that you can use toward future purchases. You can sign up for an account now, or after you complete your purchase (you'll get credit for the points either way). Sign up for a Crutchfield account Overview Details Customer Reviews Articles & Videos Accessories Our take on the MTX TX5 by Jon Paulette Why install component speakers? A component speaker system gives you the best possible performance from your car audio system. A system consists of separate woofers, tweeters, and crossovers, each designed to cover one specific range of frequencies. As separate components, the woofer can move freely to deliver more powerful performance, while the tweeter can be custom-mounted in a better spot up closer to your ears, revealing a whole new world of detail. Separate crossovers are far superior to the simple filters wired into full-range speakers, so the components work together for smoother, more focused sound. Hear your music in a new way You've been living with bad speakers in your car for so long, you may not remember what your music really sounds like. Install theseThunder Axe Series component speakers from MTX, and you'll hear your favorite songs in a whole new light. With the 1-3/16" soft dome tweeters mounted up high, it'll seem as though the band is playing a set on your dashboard. The 5-1/4" woofers, which feature an innovative concave design for off-axis response, really dig into the low frequencies, giving you a deeper, fuller sound. And the system's protected by MTX's unique 5-year warranty. Great price, great features The system also includes 2-way outboard crossovers – a real bonus for speakers in this price range. You'll also be impressed with the adjustable tweeter levels, which allow you to custom-tailor the highs to suit your music and your taste. As great as these speakers sound running off your factory radio, they'll really impress you when they're driven by an aftermarket receiver or an MTX amp. See more info on this item Highlights:component speaker system includes 2 woofers, 2 tweeters, and 2 crossovers5-1/4" polypropylene woofer cone1-3/16" soft-dome tweeter2-way crossover network with adjustable tweeter levelpower handling: up to 5-90 watts RMS (180 watts peak)frequency response: 51-20,000 Hzsensitivity: 90 dBimpedance: 4 ohmswoofer top-mount depth: 2-1/4"woofer grilles includedflush- and surface-mount tweeter adapters includedwarranty: 5 years (free repair or replacement for 2 years; prorated replacement for years 3 through 5)Our 60-day money-back guarantee Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?) Features and specs chart | What's in the box? | In-depth notes Features and Specs General Speaker Size 5 1/4 Design 2-way Tweeter Design 1-3/16" dome Tweeter Composition Silk Woofer Composition Polypropylene Woofer Surround Rubber Parts Warranty 5 Years (3-5 Prorated) Labor Warranty 5 Years (3-5 Prorated) Specifications Sensitivity 90 dB Frequency Response 51 - 20k Hz RMS Power Range (Watts) 5-90 Peak Power Handling (Watts) 180 Impedance (Ohms) 4 Top-mount Depth (Inches) 2 1/4 Bottom-mount Depth (Inches) N/A Cutout Diameter or Length (inches) 4 3/4 Product Research What's in the box? Download owner's manual Two 5-1/4" Woofers 2 Tweeters (8" wire attached) 2 Crossovers 2 Woofer grilles 2 Grille mounting rings Four 6" Lengths of speaker wire (each has quick-slides on one end and bare wire on the other) 2 Surface mount tweeter housings (with tweeters installed) 2 Flush mount tweeter trim rings 2 Flush mount tweeter locking rings 2 Foam rubber pads 2 Flush mounting clips Two M4x30mm machine screws Four 5/8" Flat head self-tapping screws Eight 1" self-tapping screws 8 Speed clips Cardboard template Installation instructions Warranty information Specifications printed on box Our Product Research Team At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices. Features Tweeter Mounting Options: The tweeters can be flush mounted or surface mounted; they swivel inside either housing for optimum imaging. Frame Diameter Cutout Diameter Mounting Height Mounting Depth Flush Mount 2.25" 2.0" 0.382" 0.8" Surface Mount 2.2" N/A 1.106" 0.65" (Screw Depth) Terminals: The crossover inputs and outputs are set screw terminals; they accept bare wire up to 10 gauge. There are two positive tweeter outputs, offering flat and -3dB output options. The screw terminals have 2mm Allen heads, and are recessed slightly more than half an inch, so a standard Allen head bit for a screw driver will not fit (an Allen wrench is not included). Crossover Dimensions: Width: 5.0" Height: 1.4" Depth: 3.1" Warranty: Although the speaker reviewed and measured (taken from our first shipment) included information indicating a 1 year warranty, MTX recently changed to a 5-Year Prorated Warranty with the following terms: Years 1-2: Products found to be defective in materials or workmanship during the first two years will be, at Mitek's option, repaired or replaced by Mitek at no charge. The warranty period does not renew, but continues on from the original date of purchase. Years 3-5: The purchase price of an item which becomes defective after the first two years and prior to the end of the warranty period will be prorated and credited toward the purchase of a new MTX product. The amount of proration is determined by dividing the original purchase price by the number of months in the warranty period (60), then multiplying the result by the number of months remaining in the warranty period. Review this product Submit a review and then enter to win a $500 rewards card MTX TX5 Reviews Average Customer Review: 3 people say: Review this product: Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences about this product. Please be sure to focus your comments on the product itself. Read our Review Guidelines for more information. Review title * Email Your email won't be visible. Please use the email address that is associated with your order. Display name (e.g., JohnD) Your review will be signed using the display name and location * Your location (e.g., Charlottesville, VA) * Your rating Click on a star to rate the overall product on a scale of 1-5 1500 characters left * Your review Attach a YouTube Review Crutchfield Video Review Guidelines Only submit videos that you made or are authorized to use. Do not submit videos that contain music, video or visuals that are copyrighted and belong to someone else. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. Submit the URL of your YouTube™ video review or product demonstration. e.g., "http://www.youtube.com/v/o79TWHh598U" 500 characters left Pros 500 characters left Cons * Agree to Terms By checking this box you agree your review becomes the property of Crutchfield, that you are over 18 years of age, that you own or have owned this product, and that you are located within the United States or its territories. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. We reserve the right (but are not obligated to) review all submissions and edit or remove any review in any manner which we deem necessary. Your review should be posted within seven days. Filter by rating: 5 Star: (0) 4 Star: (0) 3 Star: (0) 2 Star: (0) 1 Star: (0) 5 out of 5 MTX TX5 Written By Anonymous, PR on Monday, October 28, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Excellent Was this review helpful? Yes | No 5 out of 5 awesome Written By Anonymous, Texas on Sunday, August 04, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great product!!! Pros: Awesome sound great!!!! Cons: Tweeter mounting depth just a bit thicker than normal 3 out of 5 people found this helpful Was this review helpful? Yes | No 5 out of 5 Awesome product great service Written By Chris H, Hobe Sound FL on Friday, July 26, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I received these and hooked them up and I love them. Then two days later one of the mids just stopped working. I called on a Saturday and I didn't have to do anything. The customer service at Crutchfield is amazing!!!!! The man said he would ship me a new one right away so I wouldn't have to take out the whole set and send them back. I just took the one out of the set he sent me and put the broken one back and shipped it back(oh and they sent me a return label also. Thank you Crutchfield!!!!! Pros: everything Cons: none 6 out of 7 people found this helpful Was this review helpful? Yes | No Add accessories for the MTX TX5 Add Accessories Add a Warranty Reduce ambient road noise and your vehicle's "rattles," for better sound inside your car. See all categories & accessories Reduce ambient road noise and your vehicle's "rattles," for better sound inside your car. Sound Deadening You may need speaker wire to connect your speakers to your amp or receiver. Speaker Wire Keep your speakers clean and dry. They compress to fit behind your speakers. Foam Speaker Baffles These speaker connectors are handy if you're running new speaker wire or if your speakers have oversized terminals. Speaker Wire Connectors The right tools will help keep your installation simple and clean. Tools Connectors Professional Speaker Installation Dynamat 10415 Xtreme Speaker Kit Two 10-in. x 10-in. Sheets 45 people say Your Price: $26.99 Add to Cart Dynamat 10435 Xtreme Door Kit With four 12" x 36" sheets covers two doors 31 people say Your Price: $99.99 Add to Cart Dynamat SuperLite Tri-Pak Triple package 3 sheets, 12 square feet (Model #10612) 17 people say Your Price: $69.99 Add to Cart T-Spec 16-gauge Speaker Wire Black/white jacket priced per foot 13 people say Your Price: $0.69 Add to Cart T-Spec 12-gauge Speaker Wire Black/white jacket priced per foot 29 people say Your Price: $1.99 Add to Cart Stinger PRO Series Speaker Wire Priced per foot (16 Gauge) Options 16 Gauge-$0.39 14 Gauge-$0.65 Priced per foot (16 Gauge) Priced per foot (14 Gauge) 50 people say Your Price: $0.39 Add to Cart XTC 5-1/4" Speaker Baffles Protect your speakers (3-3/4" depth) Options Slim-line: 2-1/2" depth-$6.99 3-3/4" depth-$6.99 Protect your speakers (Slim-line: 2-1/2" depth) Protect your speakers (3-3/4" depth) 59 people say Your Price: $6.99 Add to Cart Boom Mat 5-1/4-inch Speaker Baffles Protect your speakers Regular and slim-line sizes (Regular: 4" depth) Options Regular: 4" depth-$7.99 Slim-line: 2-1/2" depth-$7.99 Protect your speakers Regular and slim-line sizes (Regular: 4" depth) Protect your speakers Regular and slim-line sizes (Slim-line: 2-1/2" depth) 10 people say Your Price: $7.99 Add to Cart Metra Female Quick Slides An assortment of female quick slide connectors for connecting to speaker terminals 47 people say Your Price: $1.99 Add to Cart Bojo Trim Panel Tools Set of 6 pry tools helps remove interior and exterior trim and door panels 52 people say Your Price: $24.99 Add to Cart Metra Crimp Tool and Connectors Package contains crimp tool and over 150 pieces 15 people say Your Price: $19.99 Add to Cart S&G Wire Cutter/Stripper Tool Cuts and strips 12- to 22-gauge wire 15 people say Your Price: $19.99 Add to Cart Pro.Fit Wire Worm Installation tool helps route wiring through tight spaces 31 people say Your Price: $12.99 Add to Cart S&G Tool Aid 87615 Window and Door Clip Removal Tool 12 people say Your Price: $7.99 Add to Cart S&G Tool Aid 87650 Door Trim and Panel Removal Tool 68 people say Your Price: $9.99 Add to Cart Skewdriver Pro SPK4042 Ratcheting straight and offset screwdriver set with 40 bits (Skewdriver Pro with ratchet handle, pictured) 8 people say Your Price: $49.99 Add to Cart Spec Tools SQR-200a Squeeze Wrench Narrow space ratchet kit with 18 sockets 1 person says Your Price: $49.99 Add to Cart Bojo Trim Panel Tools Set of 6 pry tools helps remove interior and exterior trim and door panels 2 people say Your Price: $29.99 Add to Cart Posi-Products Car Speaker Connectors 8 connectors for installing car speakers 18 people say Your Price: $11.99 Add to Cart DEI Heat Shrink Tubing Black 4-foot length (Assortment) 6 people say Your Price: $24.99 Add to Cart InstallCard: Component Speakers Prepaid professional installation for component speaker system (one set) Your Price: $84.99 Add to Cart Why choose SquareTrade? The #1-Rated Protection Plan Thousands of people have reviewed SquareTrade Protection Plans — and made us #1. 5-Day Service Guarantee & Free Shipping We'll repair or replace your item in five business days or less after we've received it, or your plan is free. And, as always, we pay for all shipping. Protection from Normal, Everyday Use Repairing your average mechanical or electrical failure can cost as much as buying a new device. With SquareTrade, you're covered — including parts and labor. 3 Year Protection Plan Your Price: $17.99 Add to Cart For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the MTX TX5, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_236TX5/MTX-TX5.html ). x Sorry, the MTX TX5 is no longer available for purchase. Looking for a similar item? Shop Component Systems Or, you can still... Write a review Purchase product accessories Download product manual Go × Front Back


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Oasis Women's Bible Study
Oasis is a weekly multi-dimensional Bible study made up of three separate study groups:
- Refresh and A Mother's Heart, meeting every Tuesday morning (September-May) from 9:45-11:45am
- Refresh At Night, meeting every Wednesday evening (September-May) from 6:30-8pm
Register HERE.
Click HERE to register your kids for Oasis Kids Club.
2012-2013 Studies
Grace Book
Portraits of Real Women
A Mother's Heart
Average Moms, Awesome God
Oasis Bible Studies offers studies two days a week.
Refresh Bible Study meets at 9:45 am on Tuesdays, September through May. This study, for all women, begins each Tuesday with a continental breakfast. We begin with a Biblically-based lesson in CenterStage with all ladies in attendance. Each woman is then placed in a small group, led by two small group leaders, to discuss the lesson but to also share prayer requests and praises. Lunch follows at 11:45 and is optional.
Teachers: Cindy Murphy, Joni Cleveland, Kathy Sibley, Virginia Burroughs, Martha Guillaume & Diana Arnold
A Mother's Heart Bible Study which meets at 9:45 am on Tuesdays, September through May for Moms, begins each Tuesday with a continental breakfast. This mentoring Mom's Bible Study helps guide young Mothers to a consistent time of reading scripture and teaching "wisdom exercises and projects" to their children of every age and to train children through activities in common sense and wisdom so that they may learn to fear the LORD and make wise moral choices as teens. There is a mentoring Mom at each table to listen, to pray and to share both their successes and failures.
Teacher: Margie Foster
Refresh @ Night Bible Study which is the same study as Refresh Bible Study but meets at 6:30 pm on Wednesdays, September through May. Refresh @ Night begins each Wednesday with a light dinner. Each woman is placed in a small group, led by two small group leaders, to discuss the lesson but to also share prayer requests and praises. All ladies meet together for the lesson after small group at 7:05 pm.


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World Television Day: LIFE Watches TV
Television gets a bad rap. As early as 1961, President Kennedy's FCC chairman, Newton Minow, famously characterized most programming as a "vast wasteland." Today, everyone from pediatricians to self-designated protectors of public morals point to TV as a cause of . . . well, you name it: childhood obesity, political apathy, high murder rates, low literacy rates.
It sometimes seems that, in many minds, every societal ill is in some way tied to the tube. So be it. But we like television. We like it a lot. Here, LIFE.com offers a photo gallery that celebrates, without apology, what is arguably America's true national pastime: watching TV.
Related Topics: black and white photography, Frank Sinatra, Lyndon Johnson, Pop Culture, Richard Nixon, Television


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Hello everybody! I am sure you are all extremely eager to find out who won the Hearty Vegan giveaway, right? Well I am posting the winner at the end of this post, after I fill you in on some fun adventures.
I spent the last week brunching with friends, testing recipes in Omaha, NE for Isa Moskowitz (did you know that she is writing the dessert section of the (forthcoming) new Forks Over Knives cookbook?), modeling a new PPK/Teal Cat Project t-shirt, and celebrating Tim's 35th birthday. I love spending time eating with friends, working with Isa, and lounging around in my jammies eating cake with Tim. So far this year is off to a good start. Here are some photographic highlights:
Cinnamon Pear Pancakes from Blossoming Lotus in Portland, OR
Seitan Rancheros from Blossoming Lotus in Portland, OR
Apricot Fig Bars (Isa tester recipe)
Peach Muffins (Isa tester recipe)
Raspberry Jam Dots (Isa tester recipe)
Sweet Potato Enchiladas from Pepe's Veggie-Mex Bistro in Lincoln, NE
Crystallized Ginger Muffin from Maggie's Vegetarian Wraps in Lincoln, NE (ugly photo, delicious muffin!)
Above is an outtake from the t-shirt photo shoot, you can see the chosen photo here. Please consider purchasing one of these amazing t-shirts. Proceeds go to The Teal Cat Project so that they can continue helping kitties in need of some extra love. And we all love kitties, right?
Unfortunately, I returned home from Omaha in the late evening on Tim's birthday. We had a quick dinner and caught up on our eight days apart. I made him a cake today, but there are no photos. It's just nice to be back in his company once again!
And now… The winner of the Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites giveaway! I had so much fun reading about all of your favorite hearty meals. I myself love thick, filling soups. OK, here we go… Commenter #38, Sarah! Congratulations!! I will contact you via e-mail so we can arrange shipment of your book! To everybody else, stay tuned for more giveaways next month.


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Need wide angle camera and have £150 to Spend for photographing rooms and houses, would love a DSLR but think maybe out of budget, can anyone give me suggestions please. I understand the CCD sensor plays an important roll in this but getting so confused while looking, have found so far the only thing i can come up with is the Fuji FinePix S3200 which offers 24mm, i know you can add a fisheye but they are never very good and i dont want to spen to much.
Any help appreciated. Happy for second hand.


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- Musician's Friend Best Selection, Price & Service. Guaranteed.
Need Help? Call our Gear Heads at 800-449-9128Private Reserve Guitars 866-926-1923
Need Help? Call our Gear Heads at 800-449-9128
Link your intelligent fixtures and controllers.
This turnaround connector features 22 AWG stranded (0.15 x 19 ) tinned copper conductors, polyethylene insulation, twisted pair, polyethylene inner jacket, Duofoil (100% coverage) and cotton plus a tinned copper braid shield (85% coverage). PVC jacket.
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