By Recker McDowell Arizona is projected to add 159,000 new jobs over the next two years. That comes after the state has added 350,000 new private sector jobs since 2015. Most of Arizona’s job gains happen in metro Phoenix with its large labor pool and friendly business climate and costs, especially compared to cities in California and the Pacific Northwest. … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Real Grassroots in Scottsdale
By Recker McDowell Development, density and how Scottsdale grows are the front and center issues in the race for Mayor and three City Council seats. Candidates will line up and be cast as pro-growth, slow growth and no growth. That will be the politics of the Scottsdale races for three council seats and to succeed Mayor Jim Lane, who is … Read More
“Two Littlefields Too Much?” Past Almost Certainly Prologue In Scottsdale
After being defeated in the Republican primary for a State House seat in 2014, former Scottsdale City Councilman Bob Littlefield decided to run for Scottsdale Mayor in 2016. He lost to Mayor Jim Lane in a landslide. Yet, only two years later, Bob’s wife Kathy didn’t just win re-election to the City Council but was the race’s top vote-getter. There … Read More
Guest Editorial: Solar, Shade and Sustainability Rule the Development, Design Roost
By Recker McDowell Scottsdale is considering the vision and future of its popular Old Town area. Tempe is looking at building more urban and creative neighborhoods. Other cities — including Phoenix, Chandler, Goodyear, Mesa and Gilbert — are all looking to take their downtowns to the next level including more residents, offices and restaurants. Communities, in particular Scottsdale, are also … Read More
Guest Editorial: Scottsdale Is The Number One Place To Move To in U.S.
By Recker McDowell — Scottsdale is the top place to move in the U.S., according to a new report. Scottsdale had 108 percent more inbound moves than outbound moves in 2019, according to U.S. Census Bureau research compiled by HireAHelper.com. That is the most of any city in the country. Durham, North Carolina was second with 71.7 percent more inbound … Read More
Guest Editorial: Real Leadership
By Recker McDowell Tonight, we will see President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Phoenix and Democratic presidential hopefuls from Bernie Sanders to Michael Bloomberg face off in a debate in Las Vegas. Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Mark Kelly are jockeying in their expensive U.S. Senate race and local candidates in Scottsdale are lining up for Mayor and … Read More
Guest Editorial: Arizona, Phoenix In The Spotlight For Trump, Democrats
By Recker McDowell — President Donald Trump will be in Phoenix for a campaign rally and on March 15 Democratic presidential hopefuls will have a debate in Phoenix ahead of the March 17 primary. The events show the importance Arizona and Maricopa County will play in the 2020 election landscape. That includes the Democratic presidential race and Trump’s bid to … Read More
Fact & Political Reality Check
Bob Littlefield is Scottsdale’s Bernie Sanders. He says the same thing so many times you start to respect the persistence. And he certainly can be a fun conversationalist when he is not feeling so ornery. Despite losing badly for Mayor in 2016, following a loss for the Arizona House of Representatives in 2014, Bob Littlefield has decided to seek the … Read More
Guest Editorial: Stark Contrasts and Choices
By Recker McDowell — The New Hampshire primary this week is whittling down the crowded Democratic field after the debacle in Iowa. The Democratic field offers primary voters a distinct choice between ‘progressives’ such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and ‘moderates’ such as Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bloomberg, Amy Klobuchar and Joe Biden. Whoever the Democrats pick will offer a … Read More
Guest Editorial: Bring More Technology, Broadband to Rural Areas, Small Towns
By Recker McDowell — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey wants to invest $60 million to install new broadband and fiber optic cable in rural Arizona. The technology infrastructure would go along the rural corridors of Interstates 40, 17 and 19 as well as in Page, Payson and Bullhead City. The overwhelming majority of jobs being created in Arizona are in Phoenix … Read More