In our legal system equality is supposed to preside.  Black or white.  Rich or poor.  Powerful or not.  Yet, there is a belief that the elite, including politicians, can be above the law. We’re about to find out, courtesy of the Scottsdale City Attorney’s Office.  It is apparently deciding whether to charge embattled Paradise Valley Councilman Paul Dembow with a … Read More

Maricopa County has been in the news a lot lately.  Some supporters of former President Trump don’t like the outcome of its 2020 election even though it appears to have been smartly and ethically performed by county officials. Now, there’s something else Maricopa County deserves credit for: updating its billboard ordinance.  Certainly not as controversial or newsworthy as a hotly … Read More

Rewind to last spring.  It was thought Scottsdale would be among the most brutally hit Arizona cities by a once-in-a-century pandemic.  Instead, it not only survived but thrived.  Much of that had to do with Scottsdale’s municipal point guard, its City Manager Jim Thompson.  It was not easy to walk the fine line of looking after public health while still … Read More

Can anyone think of a more decrepit thing for a politician to do than to remove a memorial cross to a dead person in the community he represents? Yet, that is what Paradise Valley Councilman Paul Dembow was recently accused of doing by Judith Brown whose father was killed by Dembow’s daughter in a car accident. When asked if it … Read More

Scottsdale Independent Police: Probable cause found to charge Paradise Valley councilman with theft. Click here to read the full story.

There are numerous, good arguments for and against term limits for politicians.  The ongoing actions by long-time Paradise Valley Town Councilmember Paul Dembow, real and alleged, make a strong case for the policy.  That’s because when someone has been in office too long they can start doing strange, dumb and even unethical things.  They get too comfortable in the job … Read More

By Alexander Lomax The honeymoon of Mayor Dave Ortega’s first year in office has continued, as one of his campaign talking points is now coming to the forefront: the City Council will soon be considering regulations on short-term rentals. Many homeowners know this problem first-hand; out-of-towners renting a home in their neighborhood to get away and enjoy our good weather … Read More

By Alexander Lomax During the 2020 Scottsdale city elections, development was a common theme. The winning candidates, most stridently Mayor Dave Ortega, campaigned strongly against developments that may have been more focused on whether or not they could do such projects instead of whether or not they should. Southbridge 2 was a prime example, and was one of the topics … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop As many successful political campaigns know, whether it’s a candidate race or ballot measure, it isn’t just about “how to win” but also identifying how you can lose. Campaigns are all about learning from others and understanding accomplishments and mistakes when putting your best foot forward. In just five short months Scottsdale voters will be asked to … Read More