By Recker McDowell — Arizona is going to be a top election battleground not only for President Donald Trump’s bid for a second term in November but also in the Democratic presidential race. Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) are already setting up beachheads in Arizona for the March Democratic primary. There will … Read More
Guest Editorial: Chandler Has Ingredients For Next Cool Downtown
By Recker McDowell — Restaurants have been a big real estate, economic development and consumer spending driver throughout the current economic cycle. New cool restaurants filled empty and foreclosed properties right after the Great Recession. That helped Culinary Dropout and others sprout on Seventh Street in Phoenix. Restaurants have been the linchpin of the growth and popularity of Gilbert’s Heritage … Read More
Guest Editorial: Remote Jobs Show Scottsdale, Gilbert Strengths; Need for Forward-Thinking Developments, Land Use
By Recker McDowell — Scottsdale and Gilbert rank among the top cities in the U.S. for remote workers. Scottsdale ranks 2nd and Gilbert ranks 3rd among mid-size U.S. cities for the percentage of workers doing their jobs remotely, according to software firm Volusion. Only Frisco, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) ranks higher for remote jobs. The high rankings show the … Read More
Guest Editorial: Why Debbie Lesko Is Very Much the Face of Donald Trump’s GOP
By Recker McDowell — U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Arizona) has seen her regional and national profile rise via her full-throated defenses of President Donald Trump and jabs at Democrats during the impeachment hearings. Like it or not. Good or bad. Lesko, a former state lawmaker representing the West Valley, is very much a face of the Republican Party in Arizona … Read More
From Vote Janik for City Council in 2020
December 2019 To my friends and associates, I want to notify you know that I will be running for City Council in 2020. I made my decision after much thought about the future of Scottsdale. My deep concerns were triggered in October when I received my weekly notice from P & Z Link (Planning and Zoning requests) from the City. … Read More
Santa’s Gift To Paradise Valley
If Airbnb is treating Paradise Valley roughly these days, others like Ritz-Carlton and Five Star Development are not. The emerging resort at Lincoln and Scottsdale Roads will be Santa’s greatest gift to the tony town in 2020. In previous years skepticism seemed to be the project’s yuletide sonnet. But not this one after the project’s developer, Five Star, opened up … Read More
Statement from Councilman Sal DiCiccio: Phoenix Politicians Set to Drive Out Uber and Lyft from Sky Harbor Airport
By Sal DiCiccio — In what can only be described as a Waterloo moment for Phoenix politicians, Phoenix is about to be known as an anti-business city. Phoenix politicians are set to pass a massive tax increase on ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft. These companies have sent a letter saying that if Phoenix imposes this tax increase, they will leave … Read More
Guest Editorial: Get Ready For More ‘Car-less’ Apartments and Other Outside The Box Development Plans
By Recker McDowell — A planned $140 million development in Tempe is being touted as a first in the U.S. for a ‘car-less’ apartment complex. The Culdesac Tempe apartments are being proposed without parking. The complex is on the Metro light rail and the San Francisco developer building it plans on offering discounts on Uber and Lyft rides and transit. … Read More
Quite The Scottsdale History Maker
It’s hard for a developer to lose once at the Scottsdale Planning Commission. But twice? Unheard of. Yet, this week that’s what happened to one of the worst development applications in recent memory. Seeking to supersize an entitlement an apparent out-of-state developer sought permission to change zoning for 5 homes on five acres near WestWorld on McDowell Mountain Ranch Road … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Risk in Phoenix Imposing Higher Fees on Uber, Lyft Rides to Airport
By Recker McDowell — The Phoenix City Council is scheduled to vote next week on proposed hikes to fees charged for Lyft and Uber rides to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The peril for Phoenix are the messages the higher rideshare fees convey to innovative and creative companies, workers and entrepreneurs. The issue could go well beyond airport … Read More