Guest Editorial: Why does Solange Whitehead have overwhelming support from Scottsdale residents?

I’ll tell you why.  Because she runs her campaign the same way she governs; effectively, with fiscal discipline and a vision for Scottsdale’s future.  Unlike other office holders and candidates, she doesn’t take advice from just a small group of advisors but listens and learns from everyone she encounters.

Solange wants to do what is best for our community.  She’s leading the effort to ensure that Scottsdale has a secure water supply far into the future.  She also fought to protect our McDowell Sonoran Preserve and helped pass Prop 490.  That initiative will revitalize our 44 city parks, protect and maintain our Preserve and support our Firefighters’ efforts to prevent wildfires.

Another area critical to Scottsdale’s health is our economic strategy.  Government does not create jobs but creates the environment which encourages solid companies to invest here and provide good paying jobs for our citizens.  That’s why Solange worked so hard to reach a fair compromise to retain Axon and thousands of jobs.  This company has created tools used by more than 1,800 law enforcement agencies and more than 100 countries.  Solange will never play politics with public safety or people’s paychecks.  That is why she earned the Police endorsement, while the other incumbent did not.

More than 400 contributors have joined her campaign thus far. That includes a very recent donation from an Axon executive who oversees employees whose jobs she saved. This was not pre-planned nor solicited, just someone who believes in her work and donated to her online. Solange also overwhelmingly led the field in signatures to qualify for the ballot and did not pay for them to be collected, unlike several other candidates.

Solange is a true community leader willing to go to the mat to retain our wonderful quality of life.  This explains her widespread support.  She has done an amazing job representing residents!  That is why I am supporting her re-election like so many others in Scottsdale.

Mary Manross    Former Mayor