The Scottsdale State of the City Address: What Can We Glean From Mayor Ortega?

Any political observer is well accustomed to State of the Union addresses from presidents, and many observers are also aware of State of the State addresses from governors. But we also recently had a State of the City address from Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega, and since it is the first such address since the most recent city council elections, this … Read More

Ortega, Whitehead, Janik, Durham, Littlefield: Please Meet Kathleen Black

As recently reported by the Wall Street Journal Scottsdale now has the distinction of being America’s top city for inflation.  We can think of better accolades.  Related to this topic is something Laurie Roberts from the Arizona Republic recently wrote about:  rising housing costs. Here is something very powerful and disturbing she wrote:  “You’ve heard the stories, or maybe you’re … Read More

Featured Editorial: Mayor Ortega is Setting Scottsdale Up for a Major Loss

By Larry Kush Yet another battle is taking shape between property rights advocates and our cities mayor over the mayor’s goal of gutting the Old Town Scottsdale Character Area Plan (OTSCAP) which was adopted in 2018. In case you have not heard of it, OTSCAP serves as the regulatory long-range plan that guides growth and development in downtown Scottsdale, and … Read More

Guest Editorial: First 6 Months of Mayor Ortega – How Do They Rate?

By Ronald Sampson Following last year’s surprise victory for current Scottsdale Mayor Dave Ortega, there were plenty of legitimate questions as to the future of Scottsdale. Since he hadn’t been a member of city council in 16 years, there wasn’t much evidence tipping us off as to the direction he would take the city other than campaign promises. So how … Read More

How Ortega Won Scottsdale

This article in the Arizona Republic doesn’t explain Scottsdale Mayor-Elect David Ortega’s unexpected and impressive victory entirely, but it does provide insight into how a left-leaning candidate won in a typically Republican city. Bottom line:  his candidacy likely would not have succeeded in another political year but he timed this mayoral candidacy well.  He also benefitted from Lisa Borowsky’s too … Read More

David Ortega’s Evolution Or Devolution As He Seeks To Be Scottsdale’s Next Mayor?

It’s no secret we believed others leading up to Scottsdale’s August 4th primary for Mayor would have been better than David Ortega.  Yet, we and others must give credit where credit is due.  Ortega overcame opposition, doubts and now finds himself in the run-off election against former Scottsdale Councilwoman Lisa Borowsky.  If Ortega wins we want him to succeed, unlike … Read More

Scottsdale Mayoral Candidate David Ortega Can’t Hide From His Opposition To The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, The City’s Greatest Achievement

(SCOTTSDALE) The greatest achievement in Scottsdale’s history is the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. It was made possible by leadership and sacrifice. And now one of the loudest voices that tried to stand in the way is running for Mayor. In 2004, David Ortega, running for Mayor for the first time in a race he would eventually lose in a landslide, led … Read More