Op-Ed: Scottsdale’s Future Depends on Getting Water and Growth Right

By Ana Landeros

I’m proud to be a Scottsdale resident. I attended our schools here, graduated from Coronado High School, and now attend Scottsdale Community College. My family and I moved to Scottsdale because of its promise of community and opportunity. Now, at 18 years old, I know that the decisions made about Scottsdale today will impact my generation and generations to come. 

That’s especially true when it comes to water. 

Scottsdale needs leaders who are thinking decades ahead about our water supply, infrastructure and growth. That is one reason I appreciate Raoul Zubia’s focus on water and his approach to Scottsdale’s future. Raoul knows we can’t overdevelop and that any growth must be responsible, but unlike his opponent Barry Graham, Raoul doesn’t have the unrealistic expectation that if we stop funding water projects, development will stop and everything will be fine. That’s just wild to me 

Much like what attracted my family to Scottsdale, growth can bring jobs, opportunity, and economic investment, but overdevelopment has consequences. Our leaders must ensure new growth can be supported by our water resources and infrastructure. Protecting our quality of life, safeguarding our natural resources, and maintaining a strong economy aren’t mutually exclusive, but rather go hand in hand. 

Raoul brings that balance to the conversation. His professional background in banking gives him an understanding of economics and responsible investment, while his years of involvement in Scottsdale have given him an appreciation for what families want to protect and what my generation will inherit. 

For younger residents, these aren’t abstract debates. The decisions made about water, development and infrastructure today will shape the Scottsdale where we build careers, start families, and hopefully remain for decades. 

As a Scottsdale student, I understand why people care so deeply about this community. We should preserve what makes it special while preparing responsibly for the future. 

That starts with protecting the resource upon which everything else depends: our water. 

Ana Landeros is an 18-year-old Scottsdale resident and a 2026 high school graduate who plans to graduate from college in 2030.