Guest Editorial: Steady Leadership, Not Selective Outrage

Councilman Barry Graham leads with logic, patience, and courage. That’s why I was disappointed to see Councilwoman Solange Whitehead level inaccurate criticisms at him that are designed to promote her radical candidate for the 2026 Scottsdale City Council general election. Whitehead overlooks an important chapter in Scottsdale’s history: the period when Whitehead led the council majority that voted again and again for ~$150 million in cost over-runs. The very cost overruns that Councilman Graham helped bring to light and stop.

Today, Whitehead’s concerns about water security and the city’s AAA bond rating are being raised to revive a single controversial water program estimated at more than $250 million. Residents deserve transparency: Scottsdale is a leader in water reuse and has a diversification plan. The city is actively acquiring water rights, advancing wells, building storage credits, improving groundwater access, pursuing dam expansion, and is no longer approving the water-intense high-density units Whitehead supported. She has no response when our top water leadership confirms that Scottsdale’s water supply is reliable, secure, and actively managed.

Whitehead’s majority approved thousands of apartments, directed resources to her ideological projects, held excessive reserves that forfeited returns, deferred capital maintenance, and allowed our roads to decline. Our city faced its greatest pressures when Councilwoman Whitehead led the majority.

Her selective outrage also leaves out the progress made under the current council majority. Our City Manager Greg Caton and the current council majority are focused on you – our residents. We are delivering a high-quality city services to you for a low tax rate. For the first time in many years, there will be no property tax increase this year.

Scottsdale’s future rests on innovative and balanced leadership, not selective narratives. Your City Council remains focused on solutions that safeguard our water resources and financial strength—the approach Councilman Graham has demonstrated and is consistent with Michelle Ugenti-Rita’s legislative record. This election offers voters a clear choice between radical alarmism and selective outrage  – or – steady management that puts residents first.