Winners:  Kathy Littlefield, Guy Phillips & Solange Whitehead.  Phillips and Littlefield had opposed previous bond efforts.  Not this time.  Nor did newcomer Whitehead who frequently votes with either or both.  The three stood up for Scottsdale with integrity and independence and the community is the better for it. Winners:  Conscientious Activism.  There were many reasons for the landslide bond win.  … Read More

The plans have gone from bad to worse. Much worse. A really bad idea that won’t die goes before the Scottsdale Planning Commission Wednesday. The negative impacts to a north Scottsdale area would be profound. Not long ago we opined about a really bad idea to place a high density ‘senior living facility’ west of Thompson Peak on McDowell Mountain … Read More

Some time ago the City of Mesa so mishandled the acquisition of Bailey’s Brake Shop as it sought to redevelop a part of its downtown that it sparked a statewide uproar leading to a landslide victory to protect property rights known as Proposition 206. We can’t help but be reminded of that fight now as one of the weirdest rationales … Read More

While Citizens United was the notorious U.S. Supreme Court case ushering in one of the worst campaign finance eras in American history, permitting the use of “dark money,” it describes in Scottsdale a terrific accomplishment.  No, we are not talking about the impressively diverse coalition that has come together to promote Scottsdale’s infrastructure needs on the November 5th ballot. We … Read More

There’s bad.  And then there is comically bad. The latter arrived before the Scottsdale Planning Commission last night in the form of a “senior living facility” on McDowell Mountain Ranch Road on WestWorld’s eastern border. The application sought to supersize the currently entitled 5 homes on 5 acres into 161 units.  In presenting their case its lobbyist forgot or failed … Read More

The best political campaigns don’t just win, or reimagine how to do so. They are rewarding to those who put in the time, especially the volunteers.  New friendships are made.  Differences are put aside.  Laughter is frequent. And so is camaraderie. There becomes a special sense of teamwork for a greater good. By all indications that is what has happened … Read More

Anyone attending or listening online to the Museum Square hearing this past week in Scottsdale couldn’t help but be impressed by the progress made by merchants, the city and the project towards a positive resolution. To write a story about it, the capstone of which was a unanimous Planning Commission approval vote, would be straightforward, and the kind of reporting … Read More

While former Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman remains the best political cross-examiner we have ever seen, Scottsdale Planning Commissioner Larry Kush is challenging the ranking after his performance last night.  Neither suffer fools gladly and Kush deserves praise for peeling back abject hypocrisy.  It arrived via Scott Jarson of Jarson & Jarson Real Estate and AZ Architecture at the Scottsdale Planning … Read More

The Byzantine rules governing where medical marijuana dispensaries could locate has made it almost impossible for one to open in south Scottsdale. It created a “Dispensary Desert” in the southern city while residents in North Scottsdale enjoy easy access to legal medicine. Sunday Goods is determined to right this wrong and build a new upscale dispensary in the Winfield Scott … Read More

Once upon a time, we are not sure when, the Scottsdale City Council approved a 150’ office tower next to what is now Neiman Marcus at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Intentionally or unintentionally it was the die casting downtown Scottsdale’s future. Years later the owners of what became known as the Scottsdale Waterfront convinced the then Scottsdale City Council, which included … Read More