Compass Agent Closes Nearly $50M in Transactions as NFL Draft Season Spotlights Athletes Who Succeed Beyond the Game

Former NFL player Jon Condo closed just under $50 million in Arizona real estate transactions last year, proving how preparation, discipline and dedication can drive success both on the field and long after the lights go down. And with the NFL Draft putting the lives of players past and present back in focus, Condo’s transition from the league to Compass offers a timely look at what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Condo, a current resident of Arcadia, spent his early days in a small Pennsylvania town near Penn State University before launching his NFL career, with sports playing a huge part in his childhood and his father often stepping up as a coach. The youngest of four children, Condo continued his athletic pursuits in college, where he started playing football as a linebacker before learning to snap and carving out a niche as a specialist. 

It was a shift that proved pivotal, with Condo’s college coach telling him he thought he could make a career out of his talents and recruiters coming out to watch him snap. While football played a big part of his college experience, Condo’s main priority was earning a degree. He’d grown up in a family of educators, and at one point considered becoming a biology teacher. 

Yet, before he could do so, he got the break of a lifetime, with the Dallas Cowboys signing him straight out of college and launching his professional football career. Yet, alongside the opportunity came a reality check, with the team releasing him after three games.

“I knew it was a cutthroat business,” Condo said. “Any slip-up I had could get me released.”

After the Cowboys’ release, Condo relocated to Maryland and found work as a substitute teacher. He continued to train and play football on the side and had been spending three days a week working out at the University of Maryland when the New England Patriots reached out with an offer. 

“When an opportunity arises, you have to be prepared for it,” Condo said. “You never know when those opportunities are going to come around.” While Condo’s time with the Patriots proved valuable, it was also brief, with the Patriots releasing him during training camp. Another call soon came, though, and this time, it was the Oakland Raiders looking to add him to their practice squad as a linebacker. He then signed on as a snapper during then-head coach Lane Kiffin’s first season, leading to a lengthy and successful career with the team.

During Condo’s tenure with the Raiders, the NFL began encouraging players to explore internship and professional development opportunities to help them prepare for life after football. Condo had developed an interest in real estate after purchasing his own home. As he married and started a family, that interest only deepened, with Condo devoting more and more time to investing in real estate and buying, selling and flipping homes. 

When his NFL career concluded, Condo’s wife, Jaclyn, suggested he start meeting people for coffee regularly to help him stay on a schedule. He did just that, and he soon realized that the conversations over coffee constantly circled back to real estate. Soon, Condo and his family relocated to Arizona, where he joined Compass and began building his career in a new market.

Condo quickly became well-versed in some of Arizona’s most sought-after real estate markets and communities, including Arcadia, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale. These days, Condo continues to keep his finger firmly on the pulse of Arizona’s thriving real estate scene, drawing from his own experiences to better serve affluent clients who value comfort and discretion. He has firsthand knowledge of what athletes, in particular, want in a home, with one such listing, located at 4838 E Palomino Road in Phoenix, recently going under contract. A former professional baseball player’s home, the listing spans more than 11,000 square feet spread across 1.5 acres. Previously owned by Howard “Howie” Kendrick, it features seven beds, eight baths and a 10-car garage.

With the NFL Draft highlighting the league’s incoming talent and the evolution of player careers, Condo’s path offers a clear reminder that success doesn’t have to end when the season does. The habits that led to success in the NFL continue to shape his career in Arizona real estate, proving that preparation, consistency and a willingness to keep showing up pay off.

Scottsdale-born-and-raised trial attorney Tom Ajamie—a former student body president at Arizona State University and nationally recognized for his work prosecuting complex white-collar crime—is turning courtroom success into meaningful community impact, announcing a significant charitable contribution to Hospice of the Valley while continuing to transform lives through his growing scholarship fund.

Ajamie, whose parents and family still live in Scottsdale, now splits his time between New York City and Houston but remains deeply connected to Arizona. Over the course of his career, he has built a national reputation for holding powerful institutions accountable—while quietly creating opportunity for others to rise.

Through the Ajamie Scholarship Fund, established in partnership with the Arizona State University Foundation, Ajamie has already helped put 23 students through college—many of whom otherwise would not have had the financial means to pursue higher education. The fund focuses on empowering driven students with an interest in law, business, and public service, removing barriers and opening doors to futures once out of reach.

“I was student body president at ASU, and I know firsthand how transformative that experience—and access to education—can be,” said Ajamie. “If you can change one student’s trajectory, you can change an entire family’s future. Being able to help 23 students earn a college education is something I’m incredibly proud of, and it’s just the beginning.”

In addition to his commitment to education, Ajamie is making a significant investment in compassionate care through a major $25,000 gift to Hospice of the Valley. His contribution will support the nonprofit’s mission of providing end-of-life care, grief counseling, and vital services to patients and families across Arizona—regardless of their ability to pay.

The donation comes as Hospice of the Valley prepares for an upcoming signature fundraising event, bringing together community leaders and supporters to advance its mission. Ajamie’s gift is expected to help expand access to care and strengthen programs that serve some of the Valley’s most vulnerable individuals.

“Organizations like Hospice of the Valley provide dignity, compassion, and humanity at life’s most critical moments,” Ajamie added. “Supporting their work is not just important—it’s essential.”

By investing in both education and end-of-life care, Ajamie is shaping impact at both ends of life’s journey—helping young people build futures while ensuring others are met with dignity and compassion in their final chapter.

The upcoming Hospice of the Valley event is expected to draw strong community support, highlighting the growing role of philanthropic leaders like Ajamie in strengthening Arizona’s nonprofit landscape.

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About Tom Ajamie

Tom Ajamie is a nationally recognized trial attorney known for his work in complex litigation and white-collar crime. A Scottsdale native and former student body president at Arizona State University, he now splits his time between New York City and Houston while maintaining deep ties to Arizona. In addition to his legal practice, Ajamie is a dedicated philanthropist focused on education, healthcare, and community impact.

Actor Patrick Wayne, the second son of western star John Wayne, will make an appearance at Western Spirit Museum on Saturday, May 2 at 3 p.m. Wayne will have a one-on-one conversation with the Museum’s Chief Curator, Andrew Patrick Nelson, Ph.D., about his life and career in film. A question-and-answer session with the audience will follow.

Patrick Wayne appeared in 11 films with his father, who was famous for his Western movies. Patrick made his movie debut at age 11 as an uncredited extra in Rio Grande (1950). After that, the two worked together on The Quiet Man (1952), The High and the Mighty (1954) (as a props assistant), The Conqueror (1956), The Searchers (1956), The Alamo (1960), The Comancheros (1961), Donovan’s Reef (1963), McLintock! (1963), The Green Berets (1968), and Big Jake (1971). Many of these movie posters are showcased at Western Spirit as part of the current exhibit.

Patrick went on to appear in numerous other films—including Shenandoah (1965), Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), and Young Guns (1988), and hosted the TV game show revival Tic-Tac-Dough (1990-1991). He had TV roles in shows such as Charlie’s Angels (1976), Murder, She Wrote (1984), and Sledge Hammer! (1986). In 2003, he became chairman of the John Wayne Cancer Institute.

The special program is part of the Museum’s Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western exhibition, which explores the dramatic and surprising evolution of the genre. Curated by Nelson, the nation’s leading authority on Western cinema, and drawn from the Museum’s collection—the world’s largest collection of Western movie posters—this expanded exhibition offers a definitive look at Hollywood’s greatest genre during one of its most turbulent and creative periods. The exhibition also features costumes worn on screen by Patrick’s father, John Wayne, adding a personal and compelling connection to the films that defined the Western.

The program includes a series of movie presentations (see below for more information). The movie screenings are FREE for Museum Members and FREE with Museum Admission. Or, it is $10 for program attendance only (does not include further admittance to the museum/galleries).

The movie schedule for the Still in the Saddle Film Series through June is as follows. Each showing is held at 2 p.m. Nelson, the Chief Curator will provide introductions and a post-discussion for many of the screenings.

April 12: Lawman (1971)

April 19: The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972)

April 26: The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)

May 3: Buck and the Preacher (1972)

May 10: Hannie Caulder (1971)

May 17: Little Big Man (1970)

May 24: A Man Called Horse (1970)

May 31: Ulzana’s Raid (1972)

June 7: Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

June 14: Chanto’s Land (1972)

June 21: The White Buffalo (1977)

The series continues through Dec. 27, 2026 with films under the themes The Duke, 1980s, 1990s, and Eastwood.

Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western

The exhibition unfolds across six thematic sections, each featuring original movie posters, film stills, and dedicated screens showing curated clip reels. Visitors will encounter over 70 original vintage posters alongside screen-worn costumes from John Wayne, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Charles Bronson, Jeff Bridges, and other icons of the era. The exhibition is bookended by two immersive cinema experiences. At one end, an evocative interpretation of Scottsdale’s historic Round-Up Drive In—complete with the iconic neon cowboy sign and large screen—transports viewers to an era when drive-ins dotted the Arizona landscape. At the other, a late-1960s movie theater lobby with period advertisements and concession menu (with prices that will make modern moviegoers nostalgic) gives way to a cinema screening highlights from the exhibition’s major films.

Reclaiming a Misunderstood Era

“The conventional wisdom is that the Western died in the late 1960s,” said Nelson. “But the truth is far more interesting. Against a backdrop of social unrest, political turmoil, and generational change, filmmakers were doing some of their most ambitious, provocative work. John Wayne was still the Western’s biggest star, but he faced stiff competition from Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, and Paul Newman. Established directors like Howard Hawks worked alongside revolutionaries like Sam Peckinpah. The result was a period as rich and exciting as any in the genre’s history.”

Still in the Saddle is based on Nelson’s acclaimed book Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980 (University of Oklahoma Press). The exhibition was organized by and premiered at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio in 2021; this Scottsdale presentation has been significantly expanded, including a new section devoted to Clint Eastwood’s evolution from icon of change to the genre’s most thoughtful historian.

Exhibition Sections

The Western in 1969 — Sets the stage with an overview of a remarkable year: Butch Cassidy dominated the box office, The Wild Bunch ignited controversy, and John Wayne finally won his Oscar for True Grit.

Indians On Screen & Off — Addresses one of the genre’s most contentious aspects: its treatment of American Indians, and how filmmakers of the era began more concerted efforts to portray indigenous peoples with greater sensitivity and complexity.

Heroes in Changing Times — Examines how Westerns of the era challenged the myths of frontier heroes like Jesse James and Billy the Kid, reflecting a nation questioning its own legends during the Vietnam era.

The Duke — Focuses on John Wayne, whose later Westerns made the case that the hero’s values must be passed to the next generation if they are to survive.

The 1980s & Beyond — Traces the Western’s transformation from popular genre to prestige cinema, culminating in Dances with Wolves and Unforgiven both winning Best Picture.

The Man with No Name — A new section exploring how Clint Eastwood emerged after John Wayne as the genre’s next great interpreter, using the Western to explore questions of violence, justice, and national memory.

“By walking through this exhibition, visitors don’t just learn about these films—they experience how Americans encountered them,” said Nelson. “Whether at a drive-in under the stars or in a grand movie palace, these were shared cultural moments. We want people to feel that, and to come away with a new appreciation for just how vibrant and vital this period was.

Year-Long Programming

The exhibition will be accompanied by a full year of film screenings reflecting its sections and themes, along with talks by Dr. Nelson and visiting scholars and filmmakers. Screenings and programs take place in the Museum’s newly renovated Virginia G. Piper Theater. Visit westernspirit.org for the complete programming schedule.

Visitor Information

Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western is on view at Western Spirit Museum, located at 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251.

Admission: $28 adults; $25 seniors and military; $12 students and children ages 6–17; free for children 5 and under. Memberships start at $75 for two adults.

For more information about Still in the Saddle, call (480) 686-9539 or visit westernspirit.org.

About the Curator

Andrew Patrick Nelson, Ph.D. is Chief Curator at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West and a leading authority on Western cinema, art, and culture. He is the author and editor of numerous books and essays, including Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969–1980. Dr. Nelson’s insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and on NPR, and he regularly appears as a commentator on the History Channel and other networks. He also cohosts the popular Western movie podcast How the West Was ‘Cast.

There is only one Kentucky Derby Party in Arizona for people who truly appreciate all things equestrian. Watch the Kentucky Derby simulcast on big screen TV’s AND live local horseracing at the Stella Artois Kentucky Derby DayClub May 2nd at Turf Paradise. And do it all in Polo Party Style luxury with live wagering, dancing, and more.

And new this year, wine tasting, a live jazz band, and a cigar lounge.

Reserve Your Space Today

The Ultimate Derby Celebration

There are plenty of great seating options at the tented Sanderson Lincoln Black Label Lounge or the shaded Stella Artois Jazz Pavilion.

Get tables and tickets at www.ThePoloParty.com. Don’t wait. The best tables go almost as fast as the horses.

GET TICKETS OR TABLES

Approvals Clear Path for Four-Home Community Just South of The Ritz-Carlton

Quail Run Manor, represented by Compass, has cleared a key hurdle in Paradise Valley, with the Town Council approving the entitlement of four luxury homesites and recordation of the plat now complete. With the subdivision now officially in place, development can move forward, setting the stage for one of the most exclusive new enclaves in Arizona.

The four-home luxury community will take shape in the heart of Paradise Valley across nearly 10 acres just south of The Ritz-Carlton, placing future owners of the $30-million+ estates within close proximity of one of the region’s most notable resort destinations.

“The approval of the four-lot entitlement and the recordation of the plat provides the foundation needed for this project to move forward,” said Compass’ Nate Waite, noting that all sales within the community will be handled privately by Compass. “Raw land like this just doesn’t exist in Paradise Valley. To get this combination of acreage and views in the heart of PV you would have to tear down an existing home, and even in that case there are very few properties over 2 acres and they won’t be surrounded by other $30M homes.”

Quail Run Manor will come to the market as demand for ultra-luxury homes increases in the East Valley, with Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Arcadia and surrounding areas seeing growing interest from affluent, high-income residents. In addition to easy access to The Ritz-Carlton and its many amenities, Quail Run residents will also live within minutes of multiple high-end restaurants, retailers, resorts and golf courses and enjoy pleasant temperatures, ample sunshine, low humidity levels and expansive views of the surrounding mountains and desert scenery. With limited land availability in the area and just four homes planned in the community, Quail Run Manor presents a rare opportunity to secure an estate in a setting with some of the highest home values in the state.

“We continue to see record-setting sales by exceptional homes in exceptional locations,” Waite said. “Quail Run Manor is the epitome of this within the ultra-luxury market segment.”

Dear Mr. Caton:

Here we go again, unfortunately.

For over a decade this group has organized to oppose inappropriate development
proposals, especially residential ones, proximate to WestWorld. The premise is no
different than what countless cities do when protecting other major economic assets,
especially airports.

In the case of WestWorld a recent city commissioned economic impact report showed the
annual benefits of our events and others to be in the hundreds of millions for
Scottsdale. Furthermore, voters both in 2019 and in 2024 have voted overwhelmingly to
support additional public investment in WestWorld.

More residential uses, of course, create a funnel of new complaints about traffic, noise and
odor (in the case of equestrian uses) that negatively impact operations the events that
drive WestWorld revenues and reach. Recently, two upzonings have come to light – one on
the west side of WestWorld at the “Soho” project and the other on the east side via Toll
Brothers, that significantly increase the amount of residential densities allowed on these
parcels. The only ones who would win in these scenarios are the developers
themselves. Not our events. Not WestWorld. Not city taxpayers.

That’s why we collectively ask you, on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Scottsdale
residents and tourists who attend our events, to deny both of these requests.

Soho, approved previously by another council was a mistake. Allowing it to venture beyond
that ill-conceived approval and then compounding the problem with a new entitlement
from Toll Brothers, would make a bad decision worse. If the new developer of this site
would like to stick within its existing entitlement in a way that maintains or decreases
residences which understand and support their legal right to do so.

Thank you for your consideration and hopefully support of this request. We have sincerely
appreciate all you have and are doing to maximum the benefits of WestWorld for its
signature events and the Scottsdale community. Denial of these two applications would
do just that.

Sincerely,
Craig Jackson
Barrett-Jackson

Melissa Schalles
Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show

Kristina Shaffer
Arizona Bike Week

Doug Huls
Arizona Quarter Horse Association

Trey Brennen
Scottsdale Art Week

Michael Chiulli
M Culinary

Cc: Mayor Lisa Borowsky
Scottsdale City Council

Deputy City Manager Judy Doyle
WestWorld GM Will Lofdahl

Photo Credit: Navajo Times

A Meteor With a Timestamp

There is a political meteor headed for Arizona, and most people don’t know it’s coming.

Sometime this July, the federal Bureau of Reclamation is expected to announce its final framework for Colorado River water allocations post-2026. Seven states have spent two years failing to reach an agreement. So the federal government stepped in. Its draft proposal calls for a 77.4% cut to Arizona’s water supply, while five of the seven states would face zero reductions. That is not a typo.

In politics they might call something like this an October Surprise: an issue or piece of news that pops into voters’ consciousness precariously close to Election Day and has the potential to flip everything on its head. But this October Surprise is coming early this year.

Scottsdale Is In the Crosshairs

The Central Arizona Project, the 336-mile canal system that delivers Colorado River water to central Arizona, called the federal proposal a “crushing blow.” Carefree depends on CAP for 100% of its water. Scottsdale draws roughly 70% of its supply from the same source. When the announcement lands, the question of what city leadership knew, when they knew it, and what they did about it will follow immediately.

Here is where it gets politically combustible. July is also primary season. Scottsdale City Council primaries. Legislative primaries across the state. Candidates running on slates, conservatives against Democrats, incumbents defending records. And suddenly every one of those races will be refracted through a single, unavoidable question: who protected this city’s water future, and who didn’t?

Our Lives May Permanently Change

Photo Credit: National Park Service

The gravity of this moment, if even the more favorable allocation cuts hit us, shouldn’t be understated. Even with projections of moderate cuts, we’re talking about the end of lawns. Car washes shuttered. Golf courses closing. Tourism drying up, figuratively because of the literal. Our incredible success in bringing over titans of the semiconductor industry, one of the most water-intensive industries in the world, may completely reverse like globalization hollowed out the Rust Belt. The best-case scenario is that our quality of life will not be the same…but the worst case scenario? Tough to say, but I can’t help but think of Arizona before air conditioning as a potential comparison, a place that simply becomes unhospitable.

The Comfortable Silence That Got Us Here

The honest answer is uncomfortable. Water policy in Scottsdale and across Arizona has been treated for years as a technocratic background issue: important, sure, but safely managed by agencies and experts. Residents grew sanguine. Officials who should have been sounding alarms were not. The infrastructure of complacency held…until it didn’t. And due to the failures and inaction of both of the main candidates for governor, Governor Katie Hobbs and Congressman Andy Biggs, we are in a very, very precarious place.

CAP serves four out of five Arizonans. When cuts get deep enough, everyone feels them, cities included. No one can say with certainty what the repercussions look like on the ground. That uncertainty is itself the story.

We are close to a political earthquake with no reliable damage estimates. Alliances will be fractured, traditional dynamics upended. This will be the defining issue of the 2026 Arizona election cycle. The meteor is not a metaphor. It’s a timeline.

By Michelle Ugenti-Rita

Scottsdale Councilwoman Solange Whitehead Cannot Be Trusted 

By Ronald Sampson

If there is an open seat in Arizona, Rodney Glassman wants it. City council, U.S. Senate, corporation commission, county assessor: he has tried them all. Now the heir to a vast agribusiness fortune is back for another crack at Arizona Attorney General, because apparently the voters just haven’t said no loudly enough yet.

Glassman’s résumé is a marvel of ambition untethered from electoral success. His last winning campaign was a 2007 Tucson City Council race. Since then, he has burned through ballots as both a Democrat and a Republican; lost to John McCain by a 66-34 margin; failed to win a corporation commission seat; lost a county assessor primary; and finished ten points behind Abe Hamadeh in the 2022 GOP attorney general primary. Hamadeh, for the record, then lost the general by 280 votes. Glassman couldn’t even get past the guy who lost to Kris Mayes.

The Trust Fund Campaign Machine

What makes the Glassman saga genuinely special is the money. He is the scion of a family empire that includes a petrochemical company, packinghouses, a cotton gin, and tens of thousands of acres of irrigated cropland. That kind of generational wealth buys a lot of campaign mailers. For the 2026 AG race, Glassman reported more than $3.3 million in cash on hand at the end of 2025; roughly $1 million of that was his own loan to himself.

His announcement crowed that he had “broken the record for most funds raised in an off-year Attorney General’s race.” He neglected to mention his own seven-figure self-contribution. The spin was bold. The voters will likely remain unimpressed.

Arizona’s Most Persistent Hobby Candidate

To be fair, Glassman is not without credentials. He holds advanced degrees, has served as an Air Force JAG officer, and can recite a long list of civic engagements. The problem is not that he is unqualified on paper. The problem is that Arizona voters have rendered a verdict on Rodney Glassman repeatedly, consistently, and across party lines: no thank you.

Former staffers from his 2010 Senate campaign described him as “a spoiled rich kid with a frat boy’s sense of humor” prone to “out-of-control” temper tantrums. That characterization followed him into Republican circles, where even true believers keep choosing someone else.

The 2026 Republican primary will feature Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen alongside Glassman. One is a sitting legislative leader with institutional support. The other is a man who apparently looks at every election cycle and sees an opportunity to spend more of his inheritance losing again.

Arizona political insiders have watched this loop play out for nearly two decades now. At some point, the joke writes itself. Rodney Glassman…for the sake of all of Arizona, please get a hobby. One that isn’t running for office.

Ruben Gallego. Photo Credit: NBC News

For perhaps the first time in modern memory, Arizona has produced not one but two sitting U.S. senators with plausible presidential ambitions. That is either a testament to the state’s rising political stature, or a demonstration that ambition and realism don’t always share a zip code. Let’s sort it out.

Gallego’s Window Has Likely Closed

Sen. Ruben Gallego was a rising Democratic star with a compelling story: Marine veteran, working-class background, won a Senate seat in a red-leaning state by defeating a notoriously weak opponent. Presidential chatter followed. Then came Eric Swalwell. As the Phoenix New Times reported, the Swalwell scandal has done serious damage to Gallego’s 2028 prospects. Gallego initially defended his closest friend in Congress against allegations of sexual misconduct toward multiple women, then reversed course when reporting confirmed the details. He held an emotional press conference, called Swalwell a liar, and insisted he had no knowledge of predatory behavior. Democratic strategists weren’t fully satisfied. One Capitol Hill veteran said that “folded arms and incomplete answers don’t shut down a story; they extend it.” A second strategist was more direct: “I think he is done.”

There is also a separate misconduct allegation against Gallego personally, which he flatly denies. But in presidential politics, denial is rarely the end of the conversation.

The smart play for Gallego is to step back, focus on his Senate seat, and let the smoke clear on its own timeline. It may never fully clear. That’s the nature of proximity to scandal.

Kelly Is a Different Story

As the same outlet recently reported, a Yale Youth Polling survey found Mark Kelly to be the second-most electable Democratic presidential candidate in the country, trailing only California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In theoretical head-to-head matchups, 70 percent of Democratic voters said Kelly was more likely to win the 2028 general election against a Republican. Kelly has since told the BBC he will “seriously consider” a run. His biography is essentially engineered for a national campaign: Navy combat pilot, NASA astronaut, husband of a gun-violence survivor turned activist, two-term senator from a purple state who demonstrated Democrats could hold the middle.

Mark Kelly. Photo Credit: ABC News

Arizona Has Been Here Before

Arizona has sent serious presidential candidates to the national stage and watched them fall short. Barry Goldwater lost in a 1964 landslide. Mo Udall came agonizingly close in 1976 before losing a grinding primary to Jimmy Carter. Bruce Babbitt’s 1988 campaign was admired and ignored. John McCain won the Republican nomination in 2008 and lost the general. Each was credible in his own way. None had Kelly’s particular combination: a military record that is hard to attack, a moderate profile that plays in the Midwest, and a fundraising trajectory already outpacing most of the field.

The Case for Stepping Aside

Gallego himself has said that if someone else can win the presidency, “there’s no reason for me to be egotistical about it.” That is, unexpectedly, the right instinct applied to the wrong timeline. The someone who can win this may be sitting one desk over. Arizona has waited a long time for this kind of candidate. It would be a shame to let intrastate competition muddy the opportunity.

Now that all campaign finance reports have been filed and the numbers are public, Tammy Caputi has emerged as the clear fundraising leader in the Legislative District 4 House race.

Caputi announced that her campaign raised over $100,000 in the most recent reporting quarter, the highest total in the field, despite entering the race with just three weeks remaining before the filing deadline. She outpaced the next closest competitor by more than $30,000.

That margin reflects more than a strong start; it signals growing support across the district.
“In a short amount of time, we’ve built real momentum because people in LD 4 are ready for leadership that delivers,” said Caputi. “They want safer communities, strong schools, and affordable healthcare, and that’s what I’m focused on every day.”

With all reports now in, Caputi’s lead provides an early indicator of where the race stands and highlights the strength of her campaign heading into the next phase.

A business leader and community advocate, Caputi is running as an independent voice focused on the issues that matter most to Arizona families: public safety, quality education, and access to affordable healthcare.

“Raising over $100,000 in just a few weeks, and leading the field, shows that this campaign is connecting with voters,” the campaign said. “We’re building the kind of operation it takes to compete and win.”

As the campaign continues to expand its outreach and organization across LD 4, Caputi enters the next stage of the race with strong momentum and a growing coalition of support.

In the name of helping our readers make more informed decisions and better understand the people who want to lead our city, we sent out questionnaires to all Scottsdale City Council candidates. All of the questions were the same for each except for two questions that were customized for each candidate. Here are their submissions.

Do you support the Axon development as originally proposed, including up to 1,900 residential units, or the compromise proposal of around 600 units. If not, what conditions would you require before lending your support?

The state legislature and governor have decided, with bipartisan support, that Axon is a valuable employer they wish to retain in our state. If the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court find fault with the law, our state legislature will revise it to correct the identified errors.

In your opinion has the amount of apartment approvals and construction in recent years has been too little, too much or just about right?

I support limiting development to what is in the General Plan approved by voters in 2021, nothing more. While there are several multifamily projects in the pipeline, they were approved by Council years ago, and the market will determine which of them will be built. Scottsdale grew by less than 1,000 residents last year, 0.4%. I would expect this slow rate of growth to continue.

In your view, is development in Scottsdale currently proceeding at the right pace, too quickly, or too slowly, and what principles would guide your votes on major development proposals?

Please see my answer to the prior question. Scottsdale is, and should remain, a desirable place to work, visit, and live. The city should welcome good, smart development that balances the desire to preserve our Western heritage with the need to evolve and thus remain a vibrant, relevant community.

The Colorado River faces a deepening crisis, with Lake Powell at historically low levels. What specific policies should Scottsdale pursue to protect its long-term water security?

Scottsdale has long prepared for the day when water would become less accessible. Decades of planning and investment have put our city in a good position. We use half as much water per person now than we did at the city’s founding 75 years ago.

We need to reaffirm our commitment to the Scottsdale Water Strategic Plan 2025-2030 and aggressively move forward on the capital investments outlined in that plan. These include implementing automated meter infrastructure, improving our groundwater well recovery and SRP pumping capabilities, introducing Advanced Purified Recycled Water into direct potable use, and participating in regional projects, such as the Barlett Dam discussion and additional APRW facilities.

What is your position on the boundaries of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and under what circumstances, if any, would you support changes to land currently designated as preserve?

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a precious asset of the city, and Scottsdale residents have reminded us of that time and time again. Prop 400, the original sales tax measure that funded land purchases to establish the Preserve, has been extended to 2045 and continues to generate funds for land purchase and certain maintenance activities. To the extent we can use those funds to complete the original vision for the Preserve, we should do so. But I would not support a reduction in Preserve acreage, nor a change in its use. Going forward, the Preserve will benefit from additional investments in maintenance and safety, funded through the sales tax established by Prop 490, passed by Scottsdale voters in 2024.

How would you approach funding police and fire services, and are there areas of the current public safety budget you would change?

Scottsdale residents have long expressed their strong support for competitive pay, benefits, and working conditions for our police and fire services, and the city is blessed with a revenue base that enables this. The recent commitment of the city to maintain police and fire pay and benefits among the top three in the Valley is a significant step in that direction. I support the city’s commitment.

Old Town is always a centerpiece of the conversation regarding Scottsdale. What (if anything) would you do to improve it?

Old Town/Downtown is an incredible success story, written several times over. Branded “The West’s Most Western Town” in the 1940’s, the city was already becoming a center for arts and culture and a tourist destination. Efforts in the early 2000’s to craft the area as a mixed-use destination, encouraging restaurants, bars and other entertainment offerings to locate there, may have been too successful. More recent efforts, such as the adoption and subsequent revision of a character area plan for Old Town, have attempted to strike a balance between the economic benefits these entertainment offerings represent with the desires of residents to maintain ties to the original arts and western heritage of the city. We need to continue to invest in our Old Town, partnering with the merchants and residents to identify revitalization opportunities, funding the expansion of arts and cultural amenities, and encouraging modest redevelopment to maintain and enhance Old Town as the heart of Scottsdale.

Scottsdale faces competing demands on its budget. What are your priorities for city spending, and are there areas where you would cut or redirect resources?

All cities must balance competing budget demands. There are not infinite sources of funds, but Scottsdale is better positioned than most. Supporting public safety will remain the top priority for the city, but investment in other city services, most notably water, are rising in importance.

What is your approach to addressing homelessness in Scottsdale, and what role should the city play in expanding access to affordable housing?

The best way to address homelessness is to prevent it from happening. The city has several programs that do just that, offering rent and utility assistance, a food bank, and a case management team to help residents navigate the many nonprofit resources available. For residents that become unhoused, getting them rehoused and stabilized quickly is key. The longer a person is unhoused, the more likely they will become a victim of criminal activity, their physical, mental and emotional health will decline, and some will turn to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. Scottsdale partners with several excellent nonprofit organizations working to rehouse individuals and families. I want to call out the amazing work Family Promise does for families, here in Scottsdale and across the Valley.

You have listed limiting development as a key priority, yet you also want to attract quality employers and maintain fiscal health. How do you reconcile those goals when major development proposals often come bundled with significant economic benefits for the city?

Our decision-making needs to remain consistent with the guidelines set forth in the voter-approved General Plan. The General Plan anticipates and encourages thoughtful, balanced growth over the next decade. Part of what makes Scottsdale attractive for new employers is the quality of life our community provides its executives and employees. Scottsdale will remain “open for business” by working with potential new employers on development opportunities, but also by adequately funding our police and fire services, securing water sustainability for our community, supporting arts and cultural institutions, and maintaining our beautiful parks and Preserve.

As president of the DC Ranch Community Council, you have experience representing the interests of an established north Scottsdale neighborhood. How would you ensure that south Scottsdale residents, who often feel underrepresented at the council level, receive equal attention and investment?

Scottsdale is a unique city comprised of many varied neighborhoods. North, South and Central Scottsdale may look different, and they offer different amenities, but we are one community. Operating budget and capital investment decisions must be made to balance the needs of these neighborhoods. My nonprofit work has taken me far beyond DC Ranch, and I have made it a priority in my campaign to meet and talk to people from across our city. That won’t change once I’m elected. Serving all our city’s residents while on Council will be my sole focus: I will have no other employment or distraction. To serve this city and all its residents will be a great honor. I look forward to it.

Scottsdale’s city government has released its proposed budget for fiscal year 2026/27. The number is big: $2.119 billion. But the headline the city is pushing is that this budget is actually smaller than last year’s. Here’s what residents should understand before Council takes it up.

The Top-Line Numbers

The proposed budget totals $2.119 billion, a decrease of $84.7 million, or 3.8 percent, from the prior year. That’s a meaningful reduction on paper. The General Fund remains balanced, with a projected ending fund balance of $214.4 million. Those are solid numbers. They reflect years of revenue growth the city has been careful not to fully spend.

Public Safety Gets the Investment

The budget’s biggest priority is public safety. More than 98 new full-time positions are funded, including 44 in the Fire Department and 22 in the Police Department. Much of that fire staffing is tied to the new ambulance service program approved by voters. A $50 million payment is also included to chip away at public safety pension liabilities. That’s smart long-term management.

Capital Improvement Plan Gets Trimmed

This year’s Capital Improvement Plan totals $956.1 million and reflects a more focused, achievable approach. The city convened a Capital Review Team last summer to scrub the project list. Departments were challenged to identify up to a 10 percent reduction. The result is a leaner, more executable CIP. That matters, because Scottsdale has struggled with capital project delivery timelines in recent years.

Is “Fiscally Conservative” the Right Label?

The city’s framing deserves some scrutiny. A $2.1 billion budget is not small. And the gap between projected revenues and total expenditures remains wide. Former city treasurer David Smith, who chairs the Budget Review Commission, pointed to projected revenues of $1.2 billion versus expenses of $1.8 billion, calling that gap unsustainable. City staff pushed back, arguing revenues have grown faster than spending in recent years. Both things can be true at once. The city has been disciplined. The structural imbalance is still real.

What Scottsdalians Should Watch

Mayor Borowsky has publicly challenged the Budget Review Commission to find at least 5 percent in savings. That process is still unfolding. Revenue forecasts reflect a return to more moderate, sustainable growth levels after years of strong gains. If revenues flatten and expenses keep climbing, the fiscal cushion shrinks fast. This budget is responsible. Whether it’s genuinely conservative depends on what comes next.

By Mayor Lisa Borowsky

“After 16 months of public discussion, the City Council voted 5–2 on April 14 to move forward with the Brown Street Parking Garage. I am disappointed in this decision.

From the beginning, I have raised concerns about the project’s location, cost, and compatibility with the character of Old Town. A three- to four-story parking structure at this site risks undermining the very charm and sense of place that make Old Town special. At an estimated cost exceeding $30 million, this is also a significant financial commitment, one that many residents have questioned.

Equally concerning is the impact on community traditions, including the potential displacement of the farmers market, and the fact that a strong majority of residents voiced opposition throughout this process.

While the City Council has made its decision, my commitment remains unchanged. I will continue to advocate for thoughtful development that reflects our community’s values, preserves Old Town’s historic character, and represents responsible use of taxpayer dollars”

— Lisa Borowsky | Mayor of Scottsdale

By Alexander Lomax

Hugh Lytle. Photo Credit: Axios

If you needed a clean illustration of how the two-party system works to protect itself, look no further than what is happening right now to Hugh Lytle’s campaign for Arizona governor. Lytle, a Scottsdale businessman running under the label of what was previously called the No Labels Party, is facing two separate legal challenges designed to remove him from the 2026 ballot entirely. The message from Arizona’s political establishment is familiar: independents are welcome to register, but not to actually compete.

The more troubling of the two challenges carries a strong partisan scent. Lytle claims Governor Katie Hobbs is behind a challenge filed by Craig Beckman. The law firm representing Beckman, Coppersmith Brockelman, has represented Hobbs in past election challenges. Hobbs’s former chief legal advisor, Bo Dul, now works at that firm and is one of the attorneys on the case. The Hobbs campaign has declined to comment. That silence is telling.

The Setup Was Already Stacked

Before the legal challenges even arrived, both major parties had already worked to undermine the independent effort. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, had approved a name change from No Labels to the Arizona Independent Party. That was reversed by a court just days before the candidate filing deadline. Both Republican and Democratic interests backed that reversal. The name mattered those who have not chosen on of the two main parties, ostensibly independent voters, are nearly the largest voting bloc in the entire state. This is a fundamentally independent-thinking state.

The parties killed that. Then the lawyers arrived.

The Numbers Tell the Story

The cynicism here is hard to overstate. As of January, roughly 34% of Arizona voters are registered with no party affiliation. Nearly 44% of Americans identify as independent nationally. That is not a fringe constituency. It is a massive bloc of voters in the state. Yet the structural barriers to independent candidacy are enormous. Unaffiliated candidates need around 45,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot statewide. Major party candidates need roughly 7,000. Lytle’s path through the No Labels Party required only about 1,800. That narrower path is precisely why both parties want it closed off.

The Democratic Party’s Particular Problem

Republicans have long used procedural barriers to crowd out third-party competition. That is a well-documented feature of conservative electoral strategy. But the Democratic Party likes to present itself as the defender of voting rights and democratic participation. Attempting to remove a candidate who collected over 5,900 signatures and represents a constituency of hundreds of thousands of unaffiliated voters fits uneasily with that self-image. Hobbs won her 2022 race by roughly 17,000 votes. She is not acting out of principle here. She is acting out of arithmetic.

What This Is Really About

Lytle’s campaign may well have legitimate signature problems. Those deserve fair scrutiny in court. But the coordinated effort to challenge not just Lytle but multiple No Labels and Green Party candidates simultaneously reveals the broader intent. Political consultant Chuck Coughlin put it plainly: both major parties will use every lever at their disposal to make independent campaigns more difficult. That is not democracy. It is incumbent protection dressed up as legal process. Arizona voters deserve better than a ballot curated by the two parties most invested in keeping it narrow.

A Positive Update

On Friday a judge threw the first challenge out, a positive sign that an unaffiliated judiciary sees this for what it is: political games. Will the other charge follow the same fate? That is being heard in court with a decision to come within days, so stay tuned.

Another Update: the challenge that presumably was initiated in conjunction with the Hobbs campaign has been thrown out.

By Lincoln Miller

The Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association Candidates Forum April 13th
wasn’t as contentious as a typical Scottsdale City Council meeting but sparks and punches did fly over hot button topics such as Axon’s planned apartment complex, an Old Town parking garage, and constant infighting among Scottsdale’s current council.

Association President Sasha Weller’s skills as a moderator likely kept the forum civil when compared to a Scottsdale City Council meeting.

Candidate Michelle Ugenti-Rita, referring to the Axon apartment issue, said as a former state lawmaker she has a track record of, “Defending your right to vote in citizen referendums, not getting bullied by special interests that want to take away your vote.”

Incumbent Solange Whitehead touts her record, “We have funded unfractured, we have protected our preserve, we have dedicated new parks.”

Raoul Zubia, an outspoken opponent of the controversial Owl Town parking garage, took aim at the state of the current council, “Right now we have a council that is not listening to the people. We have a council that is determined to do what they want to do when they want to do it.”

Eric Sloan touted his public safety endorsements which include the Scottsdale Police Officers Association, and Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan.

Former Councilmember and current candidate Bob Littlefield, who is leading the opposition to the massive Axon apartment project, reminded the audience of his record fighting similar projects, “I have a 20 year track record of fighting to keep Scottsdale a special and beautiful place.”

Crystal Carroll, an ally of Mayor Borowsky, took issue with the Mayor’s foes on the City Council saying she is not a politician, and she does not have a political agenda.

Ethan Knowlden touts his private sector experience as a “deal guy” for a California biotech firm.

Incumbent Barry Graham highlighted his opposition to the Axon apartment project, “I am the only council candidate running for reelection who listened to 27,000 residents who signed a petition opposing Axon’s Apartments and defended their right to vote on the megadevelopment.”Read More

You are invited! Please join us on Sunday, April 19 at 3pm to hear the latest from your Scottsdale City Council Conservative Team: Councilman Barry Graham, Former Councilman Bob Littlefield, and Former State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita.

You can help your candidates by attending our event, making a donation, hosting a meet and greet, putting a sign in your yard, supporting their social media posts, and more!

Please RSVP to: jan@janforscottsdale and donate at the event or on their individual websites:

Scottsdale City Councilman Barry Graham
Website: Barry Graham – Residents First – WelcomeFormer Scottsdale City Councilman Bob Littlefield
Website: Bob Littlefield

Former State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita 
Website: Michelle Ugenti-Rita – for Scottsdale City Council

Please RSVP: jan@janforscottsdale.com

The following is an op-ed from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman which originally ran in the Arizona Republic

Photo Source: AZ Big Media

Few issues unite Arizonans more than water security. Throughout the desert, we understand that water is life and take pride in our culture of conservation.

The careful stewardship of our water has guided our state and our cities, for decades. Arizona uses less water per capita today than it did in the 1950s, even as our population and economy have soared. In Phoenix and Mesa, we have invested heavily in conservation, reuse, infrastructure and groundwater recharge and storage.

While we have long prepared for times of shortage, today we sound the alarm that one of our most important water resources, the Colorado River, is under extraordinary strain.

Read the full op-ed here

By Suzanne Klapp

The latest case before Scottsdale City Council which requires in-lieu parking credits for a restaurant/bar could be described as an owner in a Catch-22 situation. The new Old Town Tavern (OTT) request is to expand its existing business, and the city requires the owner to pay indefinitely $80,000 per year for 41 parking spaces somewhere in the nearby area.

Downtown businesses usually occupy small lots with limited parking. During the 1970s, the City formed an Improvement District that assessed property owners south of Indian School Road, leading to the construction of five parking garages/lots in Old Town.

Next, Scottsdale adopted the in-lieu parking ordinance in the 1990’s responding to area redevelopment and to centralize parking in garages or shared lots. Since then, many businesses have paid into the parking fund. The $80,000 tab per year for OTT is the largest amount ever assessed and a large nut for the business to absorb.

What could be a win-win for Scottsdale and a means for helping solve parking problems is a no-win scenario for the business owner. His case was delayed while the Council obtains additional information about the conditional use permit and the parking agreement.

It takes a certain level of guts and risk to do business in Old Town, or in the case of OTT, to expand a business that has existed just west of the Civic Center Park for 40 years.

I owned retail stores in Scottsdale and Phoenix for 20 years, yet I never located one in Old Town specifically because of scarce parking. The City of Scottsdale plays a landlord role in controlling parking in the area, and the addition of necessary parking has not kept up with demand and the City’s own needs since the last parking garage, the two-level Parking Corral structure, was constructed in 2003 on Brown Ave. It was engineered for more parking levels to be added later.

My businesses were in retail shopping centers because the landlords ensured there was sufficient nearby parking. The City of Scottsdale has a responsibility to provide adequate parking, particularly in Old Town, since it has been extracting money for years from businesses to invest in shared parking through the in-lieu requirement. The proposed enlarged Brown Ave. Parking Corral helps meet that commitment.

Over the past two decades, hundreds of parking spaces in Old Town/downtown have disappeared because of redevelopment of properties in the area, such as the renovation of Scottsdale Stadium in 2019 and subsequent loss of 600 spaces.

In 2021, Scottsdale invested $35 million to transform Civic Center Park, resulting in an increase in major events from 35 to 85 planned each season. The City added no parking for this more intense entertainment use.

Recently, Scottsdale lost another 100 parking spaces it had leased from HonorHealth because the hospital needed them back.

Old Town has grown dramatically along with property and sales tax revenues in the last 23 years. We have waited that long for expansion at the Parking Corral.

For 12 years, I was a Councilwoman and took part in Council’s 2019 sub-committee to vet capital projects requiring voter approval. We held public meetings at City Hall to address residents’ and businesses’ needs. Charrette-style presentations took place in six regions—north, central, and south—where we reviewed and discussed specific aspects of each proposed project. We eliminated certain lower-priority projects to reduce property tax impact.

The Council, including two current Council members, debated the final list and unanimously approved 58 projects, funded by bonds totaling $319 million. The projects were on the ballot in three questions, and voters overwhelmingly approved all three, including building Old Town parking structures.

It is time for the current Council to step up to its final approval of the expanded Parking Corral construction contract to ensure Scottsdale fulfills its obligations to surrounding businesses and to voters. Certain council members want to delay the vote and order a parking study. Why examine a project that voters have already approved? Will this action delay other capital projects? A study may be an attempt to kill the garage project. If that occurs, then the in-lieu parking ordinance is ineffective, and the parking structure commitment will be violated.

Axon Enterprise, the Scottsdale-based maker of Tasers and body cameras, has been one of the great local tech success stories of the past decade (before being one of its biggest local headaches). So it’s worth pausing to ask: what happened? As of this week, Axon shares are trading around $350, down roughly 60% from their 2025 peak above $880. In fact, it was down nearly 10% yesterday alone. That’s a stunning reversal for a company that had been a Wall Street darling for years. The causes are real, and they’re stacking up.

Earnings Missed, and Wall Street Noticed

The slide began in earnest in November 2025, when Axon reported third-quarter earnings that beat on revenue but came in well short of profit expectations. The company posted 30.6% year-over-year sales growth, but adjusted earnings per share came in $0.37 lighter than analysts had anticipated. For a stock trading at a sky-high valuation, a margin miss of that magnitude was enough to trigger a sharp selloff. The Q3 report exposed high operating cost structures that had been quietly building beneath the surface, and the quarter resulted in a GAAP net loss that set the tone for months of pain to follow.

Acquisitions Raised Eyebrows

Axon has been on a spending spree. In late 2025, the company acquired Prepared and Carbyne, two emergency communications platforms intended to power its new Axon 911 product, but the deals incurred immediate costs that contributed to the period’s net loss. The Carbyne acquisition alone carried a price tag of $625 million. While management argues the deals expand Axon’s total addressable market, investors have grown wary of whether the company is stretching its margins too thin in pursuit of growth at any cost.

Tariffs and the Broader Tech Selloff

The pain didn’t stop there. Axon’s adjusted gross margins declined year-over-year, with the CFO directly attributing the compression to tariff impacts on the company’s connected devices business, which includes TASERs and counter-drone equipment. On top of that, a broader wipeout in high-priced software and SaaS stocks, driven by concerns about AI disruption and lofty valuations, pulled Axon down alongside its peers. Insider selling by directors and executives during the period only added fuel to the skepticism. A multi-factor analysis offers useful context on how quickly the valuation reset once margin concerns took hold.

And Then There’s the Scottsdale Apartment Megacomplex Saga

While all of that played out on the balance sheet, Axon was simultaneously waging a very public war against its own neighbors. Residents organized under the group Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions collected enough signatures to force a ballot referendum on Axon’s plan to build a campus that included nearly 2,000 residential units, a hotel, and commercial space on 76 acres in North Scottsdale. Rather than engage with the opposition in good faith, Axon CEO Rick Smith went to the state legislature to back a bill specifically designed to cancel the election Scottsdale residents had organized to hold. The company ultimately reached a scaled-back compromise but the legal battles are still ongoing, with oral arguments in a constitutional challenge to the state law scheduled for April 10. The Arizona Mirror’s detailed accounting of the legislative maneuver remains the most thorough record of how aggressively Axon fought to sidestep a public vote.

Perhaps Some Perspective Is in Order

Axon is still a strong business. Its technology leads the law enforcement market, its software revenue continues to grow, and its long-term contract backlog is enormous. A recovery is certainly possible, and some analysts still see meaningful upside if the company can stabilize margins and resolve its headquarters uncertainty. But Axon has spent the better part of a year fighting the people of Scottsdale rather than focusing on the operational and financial challenges that have punished its shareholders. A company navigating margin compression, expensive acquisitions, and a sector-wide selloff probably cannot afford to also be the villain in a local democracy story. It’s time for Axon to set down the legislative lobbying, make peace with its community, and focus its considerable energy on the business that made it worth fighting over in the first place.

City of Scottsdale  

Attn.: City Clerk  

Attn.: City Manager  

Scottsdale City Hall  

3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.  

Scottsdale, AZ 85251  

Re: Whitmer v. City of Scottsdale and Gregory Caton, in his individual and  official capacities  

To whom it may concern:  

 I represent Lamar Whitmer in his dispute with the City Manager Gregory Caton  and the City of Scottsdale.  

 Mr. Whitmer was appointed Chief of Staff to Mayor Lisa Borowsky on October 6,  2025. The Mayor approved the appointment of Mr. Whitmer. The position of Chief of  Staff and his offer letter both stated that the Chief of Staff responds directly to the Mayor.  The City Manager has no authority over the Chief of Staff nor the power to terminate him.  The Chief of Staff’s job duties confirm he responds directly to the Mayor.  

 The City Charter similarly makes clear that the City Manager has no authority over  the Chief of Staff or power to terminate him, because the Chief of Staff responds directly  to the Mayor. City Charter Article 3 § 2(B); Article 2 § 16. Notwithstanding this, the City  Manager set out to humiliate and terminate our client for reasons that will not withstand  scrutiny, and without ther authority to do so.  

 Mr. Whitmer was placed on paid non-disciplinary leave starting January 14, 2026.  He was “perp” walked out of the building and his office despite the Mayor not wishing him  to be relieved of his duties and not wishing him to be removed as he was or terminated.  During this time, the City and Mr. Caton conducted a so called investigation into various  allegations against Mr. Whitmer that were pretextual and a sham. The investigation  resulted in a pre-determined report the City and Mr. Caton shared with the public, including  with Times Media Group and others, to humiliate and embarrass our client and place him  in a false light and to defame him. It is clear the outcome was pre-determined and that it  was based on personal animus Mr. Caton had and differences with Mr. Whitmer that were 

____________________________________________________

Notice of Claim  April 8, 2026  Page 2  

not substantial or even justifiable. It was an attempt to place extremely minor matters as  somehow important and/or to simply misstate facts and evidence for a pre-determined  outcome to remove Mr. Whitmer. The actions in how he was removed from the building  alone and his internment in his home are shockingly crude and actionable alone and an  abuse of power to the extent any existed. The ham-handed way in which all of this was  executed by the City through the direction of its manager is shocking. He will be sued both  personally and in his official capacity if this matter is not settled.  

 On March 20, 2026, Mr. Caton alleged to terminate Whitmer in his position as  Chief of Staff. Mr. Whitmer has been unable to execute his duties as Chief of Staff since  that time and had to clear out his office just recently. He was terminated without sufficient  grounds let alone authority and told he could not appeal.  

 Through the investigative report, the City and Mr. Caton claimed that Mr. Whitmer  had been “insubordinate” because he did not follow dictates from Mr. Caton. Mr. Caton  has no business interfering in the Mayor’s directions to her staff. The Chief of Staff does  not report to the City Manager – and for good reason. The Manager does not dictate the  Chief’s duties, responsibilities, or daily activities, nor does he have the authority to restrict  the Chief from speaking with staff; the Chief responds solely to the Mayor. Specifically,  Mr. Caton instructed Mr. Whitmer not to interact with any city employees, which makes it  impossible for Mr. Whitmer to execute his duties as Chief of Staff to the Mayor and further  her interests.  

 Through the investigative report, the City and Mr. Caton also claimed that Mr.  Whitmer interfered in a recall petition, created an appearance of impropriety thereby, and  used his position to influence a city process or decision. In particular, the City and Mr.  Caton claimed that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People  (NAACP) were contemplating a recall petition directed at Mayor Borowsky, and that Mr.  Whitmer arranged a meeting between himself, the Mayor, the Mayor’s analyst Terrance  Thorton, Len Sherman and individuals from the NAACP. Redacted in the public version  of the report, we presume was Reverend Andre Miller. The City and Mr. Caton claimed  that during that meeting, Mr. Whitmer attempted to influence the recall petition that the  City alleges the NAACP was anticipating. This appears to also be the main reason the  Manager had it in for our client. But, it is a distortion of the truth of what happened.  

 In reality, the NAACP was not questioned about the meeting as part of the  investigation, nor were there any inquiries directed to the NAACP regarding the flow,  tenor, or content of the meeting. The meeting was not political in nature, and Mr. Whitmer  did not promise any favors, nor did he bring up the recall packet. The two people who  attended the meeting and were interviewed both denied the meeting was political in nature.  In fact, the NAACP’s chief issue was with Mr. Caton himself, specifically about his  approach towards inclusion and culture within the City of Scottsdale and his shameful  attitude he displayed. His actions should be called into question, were there any justice  involved here, not Mr. Whitmer’s. 

Notice of Claim  April 8, 2026  Page 3  

We believe the City and Mr. Caton are liable for the following.  I. Mandamus to Reinstate Mr. Whitmer  

 Mr. Caton’s decision to terminate Mr. Whitmer was ultra vires because he has no  authority to terminate the Chief of Staff of the Mayor. Mandamus is appropriate under  Arizona Revised Statutes Title 12, Chapter 11, Article 2 to reinstate Mr. Whitmer.  

1. 
   

   Defamation and False Light 

 The City’s and Mr. Caton’s claims that Mr. Whitmer was insubordinate and  interfered with a recall petition are false. as are numerous other allegations contained in  their March 20, 2026 report. Because Mr. Whitmer does not respond to Mr. Caton, he  cannot be insubordinate to Mr. Caton. Furthermore, the NAACP and the individuals who  attended the meeting in question have made clear it was not political in nature and there  was no interference with a recall petition. In both instances, the City and Mr. Caton knew  the allegations they published were false. Mr. Caton’s actions in fomenting the report and  publicizing it and the false statements therein to the public and media, were defamatory  and false and malicious and done with an evil mind and for personal reasons as well as a  dereliction of his official duties. He placed our client in a false light in doing so and  damaged his reputation and ability to seek similar employment as well as to continue with  the employment he had. Back wages and future wages are also sought as damages.  

III. Breach of Contract and Bad Faith  

 The City has breached its contract with Mr. Whitmer by preventing him from  executing his duties as Chief of Staff to the Mayor without sufficient basis to do so. The  City and Caton acted in bad faith breach of contract by depriving our client of the benefit  of his bargain.  

1. 
   

   Interference with Contract

    

 Mr. Caton has wrongfully and tortiously interfered with the contract between Mr.  Whitmer and the City and Whitmer’s reasonable business expectancies by purporting to  fire him, interfering in and terminating the employment contract and relationship and  expectation of future employment. The report issued against Whitmer is replete with  numerous falsehoods that were solely to harm Whitmer and cause his termination on  baseless grounds and/or insufficient grounds that did not support termination and were  unusual and designed to interfere also in the relationship Whitmer had with the Mayor.  

1. 
   

   Due Process under the Federal Constitution 

 Mr. Whitmer alleges a § 1983 claim for protected liberty interests under the stigma-

Notice of Claim  April 8, 2026  Page 4  

plus doctrine. Cox v. Roskelley, 359 F.3d 1105 (9th Cir. 2004). The City and Mr. Caton  publicly disclosed stigmatizing information regarding the reasons for Mr. Whitmer’s  termination without providing a name-clearing hearing.  

 In addition to the above, the City and Mr. Caton may be liable for punitive damages  and attorneys’ fees.  

*********  

 As required by statute, Mr. Whitmer states his willingness to settle his claims  against the City described herein for the sum certain of $1,500,000.00. This sum certain  accounts for his loss of employment as Chief of Staff to the Mayor, the adverse impacts to  his reputation, future employment, emotional harm, and anticipated attorneys’ fees. This  offer will remain open pursuant to the requirements of statute.  

Very sincerely,  

Dennis I. Wilenchik, Esq.  

From Attorney Dennis I. Wilenchik

This morning the City of Scottsdale and the City Manager, in his personal and  official capacity, were served with a notice of claim (attached) regarding what we claim  therein to be the farcical investigation and wrongful termination of R. Lamar Whitmer and  the damage caused to Mr. Whitmer and his reputation as a result. 

What we contend was a sham investigation was predetermined to defame Mr.  Whitmer and result in the City Manager assuming complete control of the Mayor’s staff  and preventing any meaningful oversight of the Manager’s operation of the City  Bureaucracy. It is an issue that will be tested here as will the actions of the City Manager  and his motives in engineering this plot to remove Mr. Whitmer for political purposes and  the manner in which it was carried out. 

Pursuant to Arizona law, a notice of claim is the first step in pursuing justice for  not only Mr. Whitmer but also for the residents of Scottsdale to have an accountable City  Manager. 

Separately, we will be filing a special action regarding Lamar’s termination and the  authority of the City Manager to do so.  

Respectfully, 

Dennis I. Wilenchik, Esq.

By Ronald Sampson

Scottsdale has always had a complicated relationship with its adult entertainment industry: a city that projects upscale resort glamour while quietly hosting a cluster of strip clubs near Scottsdale and McDowell roads that have survived ballot measures, police scrutiny, and enough controversy to fill several seasons of prestige television. Now, that long, strange history has produced its most awkward chapter yet.

Todd Borowsky, owner of Skin Cabaret and Bones Cabaret and, not incidentally, the brother of Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Scottsdale Police Department. His complaint alleges a yearslong retaliation campaign, including altered and exaggerated reports amounting to what he calls a “sham investigation” targeting his clubs. He’s claiming violations of his Fourth and 14th Amendment rights. It is, to put it mildly, a lot.

It would be one thing if this were simply a business owner pushing back against aggressive policing. But Todd Borowsky’s clubs are simultaneously the subject of a separate class-action lawsuit filed by dozens of customers who allege they were drugged, propped up for photographs, and charged for “contracts” they never knowingly signed. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office looked into those allegations and closed its case in 2025, citing insufficient evidence for conviction. Todd’s attorney has called the customers’ claims “simply ludicrous.” Draw your own conclusions.

Todd Borowsky. Photo Credit: Phoenix New Times

Mayor Lisa Borowsky, for her part, did not create this situation and cannot be fairly blamed for her brother’s business decisions or his legal entanglements. Still, the political optics are uncomfortable in perhaps a somewhat particularly Scottsdale way: a sitting mayor, a family name attached to clubs accused of predatory billing practices, and now a federal civil rights lawsuit against her own city’s police department. It is the kind of subplot that writes itself.

Scottsdale voters rejected a lap dance ban back in 2006, a decision that settled the question of whether this city tolerates its adult entertainment industry. What remains unsettled is whether Skin and Bones operated that industry with anything resembling integrity.

Todd Borowsky has every right to pursue his lawsuit. Whether the facts support it remains to be seen. After all, with a long history with some very bad behavior generously peppered in (including de facto threatening former County Attorney Rick Romley), he has earned a short leash and more than a little side-eye. In the meantime, the mayor might be forgiven for wishing family reunions were a little less newsworthy.

By Betty Janik

One can tell that it’s election time in Scottsdale because suddenly everyone’s a McDowell Sonoran Preserve supporter! Unfortunately, the truth isn’t always being told.

City Council Candidate Bob Littlefield touts that he: “fought commercial development in the Preserve by opposing the Desert Discovery Center and working to pass Proposition 420”.

As Treasurer of the “Protect Our Preserve” group, which ran the 2018 citizens initiative that put Prop 420 on the ballot, I can tell you that Littlefield never helped our effort. As a matter of record, he actually never signed the Prop 420 citizens’ petition! Neither did Councilman and current candidate Barry Graham!

However, Councilwoman Solange Whitehead helped lead our successful campaign and has remained a steadfast Preserve Champion on Council.

In 2024, Bob and Barry mounted a very aggressive campaign to defeat Prop 490, which was created to fund the Preserve, invest in our parks, improve WestWorld infrastructure and increase public safety capabilities. In fact, Barry voted twice to keep it off the ballot and squelch voter voices.

Councilwoman Whitehead and I served on the Prop 490 Advisory Council, informing residents of the benefits to our community. Voters understood and Prop 490 passed in every precinct. Now Scottsdale has 30 years of funding to reinvest in parks, provide Police Rangers for both the Preserve and parks, and maintain our Preserve, including mitigating wildfire risks. All benefits that Barry and Bob tried to deny our residents.

The Preserve is one of Scottsdale’s greatest assets, yet it is constantly under threat from people who want to use it inappropriately. We need Council Members who understand how important the Preserve is to our economy, quality of life and souls.

People who have a honest track record of working to protect this precious resource. Not election time posers. Please remember this when you cast your votes.

Respectfully,

Betty Janik, Former Scottsdale Councilwoman

Sonoran Sage

By Mary Manross, Former Scottsdale Mayor and Chairwoman for Vote YES YES Scottsdale PAC
and Carla, Preserve Pioneer and Campaign Coordinator for Vote YES YES Scottsdale PAC

In most campaigns there are winners and losers. Not when it comes to the passage of Propositions 490 and 491 in Scottsdale which happened on November 5th. We believe everyone in Scottsdale wins.

Proposition 490 will help revitalize and maintain Scottsdale’s parks, beginning with the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, and will provide ongoing care and protection for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.  It will provide funding to prevent and fight fires in and around the Preserve, and funds for increased police rangers for the parks and the Preserve.

Almost sixty years ago Scottsdale had the wisdom and foresight to create the Greenbelt and, thirty years ago, to create the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. They are two of Scottsdale’s greatest decisions and treasures. That wisdom and foresight are still with us today as evidenced by this vote.

Proposition 490 contains legal safeguards to ensure the money is properly spent. And we think these safeguards, and the benefits of the measure will win over many who voted no and maybe even some critics. Now that the voters of Scottsdale have spoken overwhelmingly in support of Proposition 490, we look forward to working with the new Mayor and Council to see that it is implemented properly and responsibly.Read More

By Carla (Carla), Preserve Pioneer

This year Scottsdale was fortunate when it came to wildfires. Next year we might not be so lucky.

As every summer gets hotter and drier, nature and human caused fires are a fact of life in Scottsdale and our Preserve. Thanks to the quick response and hard work of our Firefighters  – plus a little luck with wind direction  – we have avoided a catastrophic fire this year.

But next year, unless Propositions 490 & 491 pass, we won’t have as many tools to help prevent fires.

Year round our Fire Department does excellent outreach work with developments in Northern Scottsdale to address not planting invasive species and removing fire loads. They also work with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to get grants which provide for wildfire prevention. Specifically invasive plant removal and preventative measures along our Preserve boundary and major roadways.

But Scottsdale did NOT get a grant to fund this work in 2025!

Proposition 490 would add Fire Department funding to provide quicker response times; increased Fire prevention programs; a second Technical Rescue Team; and additional resources to better protect you and your neighborhoods.

Proposition 491 – which is not a tax increase or budget override  – would allow Scottsdale to spend the money it already collects on programs and services that residents want and need. Without its passage, city services will face cutbacks, including in public safety.

Please join the Firefighters, who dedicate their lives to protecting you,  in voting YES-YES on Props 490 and 491. It’s critical to Scottsdale’s safety and future quality of life.

Carla (Carla), Preserve Pioneer

Data Orbital, in conjunction with AZ Free News, is pleased to announce the results of its latest statewide, live caller survey of likely General Election Voters. The survey was conducted from September 7th 2024 – September 9th 2024. The survey measured support for candidates in Arizona’s Presidential contest. This survey was sponsored by AZ Free News.

For President, the Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris trails Republican former President Donald Trump by a slim 46.0% to 46.2% margin. 7.7% reported as being undecided or refused the question.

Speaking with AZ Free News about the Presidential race, George Khalaf, President of Data Orbital, stated “That 7.7% undecided number, I would say, is going to be one of two things: 1.) Either individuals that are saying that they are likely to vote but don’t end up voting or 2.) People that really are truly undecided. But I would be shocked if the true undecided number is in the high single digits”. Khalaf goes on to explain, “I would guess that right now, the true percentage of people that are undecided is maybe one or two percent, if that. This is a high-profile race and so most people have made up their minds. But I think a portion of people that are undecided likely will not end up making a decision on November 5th”.

By Jeanne Beasley
Candidate for Scottsdale School Board

As students return to school this week, let’s consider what we can do to help support and strengthen our local public schools. I am running for a seat on the Scottsdale Unified School Board on November 5, alongside Gretchen Jacobs and Drew Hassler, to serve our community positively.

We are parents, professionals, and community leaders who have had students in our Scottsdale schools and believe that strong communities should have strong public schools. Families shouldn’t have to look elsewhere for the excellent academic opportunities and well-rounded extracurricular experiences they desire for their children.

Our campaign, “Just Be Honest,” will bring a new era of transparency, accountability, and integrity to SUSD. Our mission is to ensure that every decision made is in the best interest of our students, families, and teachers.Read More

With just five days remaining until Arizona’s 2024 primary election, let’s take a closer look at how Republicans and Democrats are performing across the state.

Focusing first on the Republicans, a total of 1,156,580 GOP ballots have been requested. Of these, 1,089,498 are from registered Republicans and 67,082 from Independents. These numbers surpass the total requests from both 2020 and 2022, which were 1,035,288 and 1,059,348, respectively. Currently, Republicans have a 32.7% ballot return rate, while Independents have a 49.2% return rate, resulting in an overall return rate of 33.7%.

At this stage in the election, GOP ballot returns across the state are ahead of 2022 but are behind 2020. In 2020, returns at this time were 426,571, compared to 375,714 in 2022. So far in 2024, a total of 389,458 GOP ballots have been returned.

Now looking at the Democratic side, total ballot requests stand at 1,063,267, with 1,008,909 from Democrats and 54,358 from Independents. This exceeds the totals from both 2020, which had 1,044,288 requests, and 2022, which had 1,041,271 requests. Democrats are returning their ballots at a 29.4% rate, while Independents are returning at a 48.9% rate, resulting in an overall return rate of 30.4%

At this stage in the cycle, Democratic returns are lagging behind both 2020 and 2022. In 2020, Democratic returns were 439,383, and in 2022 they were 368,745. Both figures are notably higher than the current returns in 2024, which stand at 322,984.