Well, it certainly took the Scottsdale City Council long enough, but they appear to have found a terrific City Manager. Former Casa Grande City Manager Jim Thompson is the chosen one, after three rounds and eighteen months of interviews. The community will soon come to appreciate the erudite Thompson for his energy and purpose. He’s not one to belabor the … Read More

*Bob Littlefield still hasn’t called Jim Lane to congratulate him on the Scottsdale Mayor’s race.  And they’ve been together at events.  #Classless *Are the Democrats going to produce any sacrificial lamb to run against Doug Ducey in 2018?  Or just pass altogether? *A big light rail fight could be coming to Chandler, Arizona *Soon, Cave Creek Mayor Vince Francia will … Read More

Their monkey wrench gang vitriol and antics are almost enough to get even us to reverse our opposition to the Desert Discovery Center.  Almost.   But what can’t be denied is how swiftly the “NO DDC” group’s political stock has fallen since November 8th.   They went all in for Bob Littlefield in his challenge to Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane.  He got … Read More

*Dan Schweiker may take another run for the Scottsdale City Council in 2018.  All three incumbents – Linda Milhaven, David Smith and Kathy Littlefield – are suggesting they will run too. *As the Scottsdale City Manager saga turns . . .  it appears that new candidates will be interviewed in early December with a decision possible December 8th. *If lobbyist Jim … Read More

In Scottsdale even winners apparently whine too. After the Scottsdale Mayor’s “Laneslide” victory Tuesday night and subject council election results the Arizona Republic and Parker Leavitt properly interviewed candidates for a story. Expectedly Bob Littlefield didn’t congratulate Lane on a race well run. Indeed, he still to this day hasn’t had the class to call with congratulations.  Littlefield carped about … Read More

Part I:  City Manager Search A key rule in life and business is when something isn’t working don’t keep doing the same thing.  Change course.  That’s certainly in order now that the Scottsdale City Council has again failed to reach consensus on a new City Manager, which is long overdue. It’s confounding that the apparent direction from council is to … Read More

Winner:  Jim Lane.    The incumbent ran the best candidate campaign since Robert Pettycrew’s shoe-string council victory in 1994, one of Drinkwater’s waltzes, or perhaps ever.  He raised big money, the most in Scottsdale history.   That’s what good campaigns do.   He spent it wisely.  Lane messaged smartly and took it to Bob Littlefield, a name who had never lost a municipal … Read More

*He endorsed Trump, but he will likely be responsible for his demise.  He is Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, an impressive congressional nominee who is getting precious little help from national Republicans due to the GOP having to defend more seats than they had hoped this year.  Prediction:  If Babeu loses his congressional race look for him to move to … Read More

Public Opinion Strategies, the polling company to Governor Ducey, Senator McCain, NBC and the Wall Street Journal, among many others, just concluded a October 17-18 survey among Scottsdale voters. As they showed in their September survey Mayor Jim Lane maintains a big lead over former Councilman and failed State House of Representatives candidate Bob Littlefield.  Lane holds a 28-point advantage … Read More