A Recall in Search of a Reason

By Vanessa Rogers

The effort to recall Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas is still limping along, though nobody seems to know how strong it actually is. According to the Scottsdale Independent, the group has until September 2 to gather 12,800 signatures. Yet organizers refuse to disclose how many they have collected. That silence speaks volumes.

Jan Dubauskas. Photo Credit: Coalition for Greater Scottsdale

Remember, this is a councilwoman who cruised to victory as the only council candidate to win outright in the primary. Moreover, she was the highest vote-getter in the last election. There is no scandal here. Instead, there is a list of policy gripes dressed up as a crisis.

The Sour Grapes of Dan Ishac

So who is behind this? Dan Ishac, president of the Conservatives of Greater Scottsdale PAC, announced the recall at the May 5 council meeting. Notably, Ishac is also a failed former council candidate. The voters already rendered a verdict on his vision for Scottsdale. Apparently, he did not like the answer.

Dubauskas herself has called this what it is. In her words, it is a ploy by a failed candidate who wants to kick her off the council. Frankly, it is hard to argue with that read. When you lose an election, the democratic remedy is simple: run again and make your case. Instead, Ishac wants a do-over funded by donations and fueled by grievance.

Policy Disputes Are Not Grounds for Recall

Look at the actual complaints. Ishac objects to a city manager hire and an Old Town parking garage. Those are legitimate topics for debate. However, they are votes, not misconduct. Recalls exist for corruption, abuse of office, and genuine betrayals of public trust. They do not exist because one man disagrees with a parking structure.

Dan Ishac. Photo Credit: scottsdale.org

Furthermore, the whole exercise sets a corrosive precedent. If every contested vote triggers a recall petition, no councilmember can govern. Scottsdale has real challenges ahead, from water to development pressure. Meanwhile, this sideshow drains civic energy and money that could go somewhere useful.

Let the Voters Decide, Again, in Due Time

Dubauskas faces the voters again on the regular schedule. That is how accountability works. Until then, residents should recognize this recall for what it appears to be: a personal grudge wearing a civic costume. Ishac had his shot at the ballot box. Consequently, his refusal to accept the result says far more about him than it does about her.

If the signatures never materialize by September 2, nobody should be surprised. Scottsdale voters, after all, already made their choice. They made it emphatically.