Guest Editorial: Shameful

by Scottsdale Watchman
We’ve written about Dewey The Dick before. Now, Dewey Schade, America’s most challenging landlord since Stanley Roper from Three’s Company, is back at it trying to impede the creation of the “Maverick Mural” dedicated to late U.S. Senator John McCain. How does this guy sleep at night?
On December 20th, Scottsdale’s Development Review Board did the right thing and approved of the request for the privately-funded red, white and blue mural on a building at 4235 North Marshall Way in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale by a 6-1 vote. Republicans and Democrats alike bombarded board members with letters of support and board members listened.
Less than a month later, it looks like “Shady Schade” has done some behind-the-scenes maneuvering to raise a stink about this much-needed public arts project yet again. He and his band of ne’er-do-wells are getting some assistance from recently re-elected Scottsdale City Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield, who is making a request that the Scottsdale City Council initiate a review of the board’s approval of the mural.
We don’t always agree with Councilwoman Littlefield, but there’s no denying her recent popularity throughout Scottsdale. After all, she was the leading vote-getter in this last November’s city council election by a wide margin. However, it’s also undeniable that her request to have the City Council review a decision that received such great support mars the start of her second term. How can someone who was so in touch with the voice of the people be so tone deaf now? The Littlefield/Schade cabal have the very real potential of turning into a national embarrassment for the city. And if Littlefield is allowing herself to be used so Schade can get a few extra bucks to rent his adjoining property during a one to four day installation, that would be even more shameful.
Senator McCain once said: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity to act despite our fears.” We can only hope that Councilwoman Littlefield’s peers on the city council display courage by denying her request to initiate review and allow Scottsdale’s next greatest landmark to be built in honor of a great person.