By Scottsdale Mayor-Elect Lisa Borowsky
By every significant measure, Scottsdale is ready for its tomorrow, from a solid tax base to government resources to tourist draws to open spaces, on and on. We should succeed; we will succeed. The question is: What form will that success take?
As Election Day retreats to results, let’s pause for a moment and take stock of the underlying stakes that were in this race. Yes, it was about the usual issues facing local government, from transportation to housing to the budget, and more. But it was also about something bigger – its about how we envisioned the future of our city and our community, a vision that is not only about buildings and roads but also about the type of people we are as well as aspire to be, and how those aspirations will shape the place where we live.
Will we be a united city, with citizens participating in the discussion about our path forward? Will the people of Scottsdale feel empowered by our government, or disconnected from it? Will we build homes and communities that organically grow welcoming neighborhoods? Will we support our schools to best equip our students with the knowledge and tools they will need? Will we attract businesses and industries that add not only jobs but also contribute to our quality of life? Will we confront the rising risk to our natural resources, working independently as well as in concert with other cities and the state, fortifying our community?
More specifically, and perhaps more prosaically, how do we stop cost overruns and excess spending? How do we stick to projected costs and agreed-upon expenditures? How do we make sure government does what it says it will do, instead of pushing one agenda publicly and another quietly, out of sight from the public and the media? How do we make government more responsive, more reliable, more worthy of our trust?
There is a reason that this was a non-partisan race, because the future of Scottsdale does not belong to one faction or another, it belongs to its citizens. The issues are not political but practical–how can we build a better, stronger, more prosperous Scottsdale, prepared to take on any and all challenges? How do we ensure that Scottsdale is a place where its residents are best positioned to pursue their ambitions and fulfill their dreams?
The answer begins with coming together for the sake of our families, our community, and our future.
I asked for your support on November 5th, and I am grateful to have received it.