By Ronald Sampson It’s been a rough time for Governor Katie Hobbs. I’ve been plenty willing to levy complaints about her for a few different reasons starting with her campaign (especially her unwillingness to debate) and continuing into her initial inability to delegate responsibility effectively (read all the good and the bad here). She has earned plenty of legitimate criticism…which … Read More
Two People Filed Paperwork for Scottsdale City Council Campaign: Who Are They and How Might It Impact the Race?
We are just under one year out from next year’s elections, and while most eyes will be on different political races, three Scottsdale City Council seats (as well as the Mayor’s seat) will be voted on next year. The seats currently held by Councilmembers Tom Durham, Betty Janik and Tammy Caputi will be up for grabs, and we have a … Read More
Guest Editorial: Defending Scottsdale water is no vice
By Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega This week, two significant water-related issues made the headlines. First, Governor Hobbs acted to stop Fondomonte, the Saudi Arabia-owned alfalfa farm, to halt it from draining billions of gallons of Arizona groundwater. Secondly, the Rio Verde Standpipe District met state statutes and City of Scottsdale’s stringent requirements to operate, serving Rio Verde Foothills (RVF). Supervisor … Read More
A Match Made in Desert Paradise: Scottsdale Boosting Paradise Valley’s Tourism in a Big Way
Paradise Valley and Scottsdale may be geographically right next to each other, but in most other ways they can be worlds apart. Scottsdale is often known for its boisterous entertainment venues, and PV is known for its one-acre lots and space. Yet you probably didn’t know that Scottsdale and PV are partnered together on tourism through Scottsdale official tourist arms, … Read More
Can’t We All Just Get Along? Of Course Not…Treasurer Yee Gives Governor Hobbs the Cold Shoulder
By Alexander Lomax Heavy is the head that wears the crown for Governor Katie Hobbs. After a year of upheaval and obstructionism by Republicans writ large, a year where Jake Hoffman was doing everything in his power to deny her her department heads, she recently took the unprecedented (at least within this millennium) route of dropping all of her director … Read More
Arizona Coyotes Chairman and Governor Alex Meruelo Addresses Fans In A New Open Letter: A New Chapter Begins Now
In an open and candid letter to the Arizona Coyotes’ hockey fans and ticket holders, the Chairman and Governor of The Arizona Coyotes, Alex Meruelo, shares his unwavering commitment to the team, the sport, and The Valley. To read more – please see below: To our incredible hockey fans: Challenges. Obstacles. Setbacks. No Defeats. I have faced and overcome many stumbling blocks … Read More
A Near Miss for Serious Financial Improprieties with the Maricopa County Republican Party, and a Story of Two Local Parties
Local parties have long been a little bit more on the political fringes than their statewide counterparts. Their ability to fly under the radar more than their larger counterparts often leads to some more questionable decision-making, and with fewer eyes on them grifters will often see opportunities for exploitation. It wasn’t very long ago that we were talking about just … Read More
Guest Editorial: Statement from County Supervisor Thomas Galvin on Return of Reliable Water to Rio Verde Foothills
By Supervisor Thomas Galvin “I am grateful that water is once again flowing to Rio Verde Foothills (RVF), but I am still baffled why it took this long. After all, my solution to this unnecessary crisis has been on the table for the past year. Instead, there was ten months of unnecessary pain to the Rio Verde Foothills. And City of Scottsdale residents were not … Read More
A Next New Chapter in Maricopa County: Sheriff Paul Penzone Decides Against Running for a Third Term
The role of county sheriff has historically been one that never got too much attention, until former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio frequently made national headlines for audacious moves and a savviness for grabbing the media by the shirt collar. That savviness turned into a negative as court troubles and huge fines became his undoing. Those troubles led to Paul … Read More
Major Changes Potentially on the Horizon for Phoenix City Politics: Councilmembers Agree on Additional Districts
By Jessica Perez The city of Phoenix has exponentially grown over the last 13 years with approximately 198,000 new residents. Is it time to add more districts to the city of Phoenix? Last week’s Phoenix City Council meeting gave some intriguing insight as to where Councilmembers fall in the debate and foreshadow what is likely to become an important conversation … Read More