Op-Ed: Barry Graham Is Getting Desperate. And It Shows.

By Raoul Zubia Barry Graham is getting desperate. And with Election Day approaching, his campaign’s increasingly bizarre tactics are raising serious questions about just how far he’s willing to go to hold onto power. Consider recent developments. First, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld Proposition 490, the voter-approved measure I helped develop to protect Scottsdale’s parks, preserve, and public safety. … Read More

What Happens With Scottsdale Water Impacts Greater Phoenix

By Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego Scottsdale is at an important crossroads for its water future, and the decisions its leaders make today will impact the entire Valley for years to come. The federal government has cut Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River water by 30 percent, with even greater cuts possible within the decade. In Scottsdale, that matters a lot: 70 … Read More

Re-Elect Maryann McAllen in 2028, and Yes, We Know It’s Early

Endorsing a candidate two years before she announces is unusual. Frankly, we don’t care. Scottsdale’s city council needs Maryann McAllen, and we see no reason to wait until 2028 to say so. Why is that? A Council That Can’t Stop Talking Over Itself The contention started early in her tenure. Yes, there would always be some degree of friction between … Read More

Old Town’s Next Act Is Coming

Old Town Scottsdale has had a rough year in the headlines. A brutal summer emptied sidewalks, and a string of Entertainment District shootings didn’t help. However, a flurry of big-money deals reported by the Scottsdale Progress suggests investors are betting heavily on the district’s future. That tracks with a recent In Business Magazine cover story featuring Kevin Burke, the city’s … Read More

AP&G Difference Makers: Oscar De las Salas

Difference Makers is our ongoing series spotlighting the people and organizations across the Valley who are quietly changing lives through their work. This installment turns the spotlight on Oscar De las Salas. Oscar has spent nearly three decades turning design into a form of civic leadership. A Colombian-born architect trained in Bogotá, Colombia and Salamanca, Spain, he went from designing … Read More

Op-Ed: Before You Vote, Read What the Scottsdale Progress Just Reported.

By Councilman Barry Graham Residents deserve to know who is trying to buy influence in our city elections. In last weekend’s edition, the Scottsdale Progress reported that the Axon-linked Better Together PAC is under investigation. State officials found a reasonable likelihood that the PAC violated Arizona campaign finance laws and referred the case to the Attorney General. The alleged violations … Read More

Handicapping the Elections: How Arizona’s Statewide Races Will Play Out

By Alexander Lomax Arizona’s ballot is long this year. Voters will choose a governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, schools chief, mine inspector and two corporation commissioners. For the first time, they will also elect a lieutenant governor, paired on a ticket with the governor. Early ballots are already coming back, so here is how we see each race … Read More

Op-Ed: Scottsdale Voters Spoke. The Courts Agreed. Barry Graham Was Wrong.

By Raoul Zubia Scottsdale has always been a community that thinks ahead. We protect our open spaces, invest in our neighborhoods, and understand that preserving what makes our city special requires more than promises. It requires planning and action. That’s why I’m especially proud of last week’s Arizona Court of Appeals decision upholding Proposition 490. As Vice Chair of Scottsdale’s … Read More