Scottsdale said goodbye this week to one of its defining architectural voices. Vernon “Vern” Swaback, founder of SWABACK Architects + Planners, died July 5 at age 87. He was one of the last living apprentices of Frank Lloyd Wright. His firm helped shape decades of Scottsdale’s built landscape, and his civic fingerprints run through some of the city’s most consequential … Read More
Getting to Know Your Candidates: AP&G’s Exclusive Interview with Scottsdale Councilman Barry Graham
We reached out to all Scottsdale City Council candidates with the same questionnaire but with two questions personalized for each candidate at the end. The submissions have been posted in the order they were received back. Do you support the Axon development as originally proposed, including up to 1,900 residential units, or the compromise proposal of around 600 units? If … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Truth About Axon
By Christian Serena Axon Enterprise, the Scottsdale maker of Tasers and body cameras, wanted one of the largest apartment developments in Arizona history — roughly 1,900 units beside its own campus near Loop 101 and Hayden Road. As a member of the city’s Planning Commission, I studied the proposal, listened to residents, and voted no. When I refused to knuckle … Read More
Better Together’s Latest Trick: Laundering the Money Trail Through Virginia
A Campaign Finance Report That Answers Nothing Better Together wants Scottsdale voters to believe it has nothing to do with Axon. Its second-quarter campaign finance report shows no ties back to Axon, at least not directly. Every dollar the PAC raised this quarter came from a single source: National Horizon Inc., a self-described conservative super PAC based in Alexandria, Virginia. … Read More
Complete BS
Here at the Arizona Progress & Gazette we support free speech to the fullest, and we are honored to give voice to a wide range of opinions. But free speech does not mean freedom from retort. We have a ton of respect for Betty Janik, who has earned that standing through a storied career of public service and honorable politics. … Read More
Guest Editorial: Photo Ops Won’t Secure Scottsdale’s Water Future
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead This week, a Council majority is staging a photo opportunity at Scottsdale’s Water Campus to reassure residents that Scottsdale’s water future is secure. It isn’t. The backdrop may be our award-winning Water Campus, but the reality is different. The experts who built Scottsdale’s nationally recognized water utility are gone. Funding for critical water projects has been … Read More
Former Scottsdale City Manager Jim Thompson Returns Home to Join SEG Leadership Team
After Decades in Local Government, Thompson Brings Public-Sector Perspective to Growing Phoenix Firm Former Scottsdale City Manager Jim Thompson is heading home to Arizona for a new chapter in the private sector. Following 40 years in city government, Thompson will join the Sustainability Engineering Group as president and chief growth officer starting July 1, 2026, bringing decades of experience in … Read More
Handicapping the Elections: Contested Primaries in Statewide Races
By Alexander Lomax The Arizona Governor’s Race Narrows to Two (plus Hobbs) Karrin Taylor Robson’s exit in February cleared the Republican gubernatorial field down to Andy Biggs and David Schweikert. Both are sitting members of Congress. Both will face off on July 21. Biggs holds a commanding financial edge. His campaign reports roughly $2.7 million raised for the cycle and … Read More
A Bar Fights City Hall Over Parking Spots, and Wins. What Does It Say About Doing Business in Scottsdale?
A Long Fight Over a Simple Expansion Old Town Tavern just won something that should not have taken months to get: permission to expand into the empty space next door. The Scottsdale City Council approved the permits this week, clearing owner Paul Mitchell to grow his bar and restaurant. Mitchell called himself “ecstatic.” He had reason to be relieved as … Read More
Mayor Borowsky leads effort to review data center development standards in Scottsdale
Scottsdale City Council unanimously approved a request from Mayor Lisa Borowsky last week to begin examining how the city’s zoning ordinances apply to data centers and whether more specific requirements are needed as the industry continues to expand nationwide. Scottsdale City Council directed the city manager and city attorney to agendize a work study session focused on current data center … Read More