Guest Editorial: Don’t Let South Scottsdale Become North Tempe.

I grew up in North Scottsdale, and now my wife and I are raising our sons in South Scottsdale. So I have a unique perspective on a situation that happened recently.

Last Monday, Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Raoul Zubia and I sat on the same stage at the Arizona Republic Scottsdale City Council Candidate Forum. Michelle noted that Zubia, who lives near the border of Tempe and South Scottsdale, is pushing policies that would take Scottsdale in Tempe’s direction — high-density apartments, mass transit, tax hikes, homeless camps, and congestion. The Zubia campaign team is now twisting her observation to score political points.

Michelle and Raoul’s records on South Scottsdale issues tell a clearer story.

Michelle has been relentlessly attacked by developers for opposing high-density apartments. Raoul has repeatedly lobbied the City Council to rezone retail centers for thousands of apartments — like when he sided with developers to replace Lucky Plaza on Osborn Road with 300 unwanted high-density Greenbelt 88 units.

As a legislator, Michelle voted against the state override that stripped cities of control over short-term rentals. South Scottsdale is plagued by STRs, yet Zubia’s largest donor, the Realtors of Arizona Mega-PAC ($13,500), takes credit for blocking local control of STR’s at the state legislature.

Scottsdale Police endorse Michelle because she’ll protect neighborhoods from crime. Zubia lobbied to shoehorn a controversial $16M regional-intake homeless shelter on a South Scottsdale elementary campus.

Michelle has also helped expose the crime in the infamous Bar District that impacts South Scottsdale. Zubia has repeatedly accepted donations from one of the area’s major operators.

In South Scottsdale, we want peaceful neighborhoods, less density, and safe streets. Michelle and I will protect South Scottsdale from becoming North Tempe.