Opinion Columns Accepted

Featured Editorials

Marketplace

Scrum

Conservative's Corner


PHOENIX – Attorney General Brnovich announced today that the Attorney General’s Office awarded nearly $400,000 in grants to community organizations that provide mental health treatment and services to first responders. The organizations will assist firefighters, emergency medical services, and law enforcement across the state.

Four different grants were awarded to organizations, including the United Phoenix Firefighters (two separate grants), EMPACT Suicide Prevention, and Marana Health Center. Over 2,000 first responders and first responder families are expected to be served statewide over the next year through direct treatment, mental health services, and training.Read More

PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey announced today $300,000 in funding from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund has been allocated to organizations across the state that support senior citizens, the homebound and those who are medically fragile. The funding will support organizations that have provided much needed aid to vulnerable populations impacted by COVID-19, by assisting with grocery shopping, meal deliveries, transportation to medical appointments, emergency errands and social interaction during a time of physical distancing.

“Arizona continues to focus on protecting public health, especially for those most at-risk like seniors and those medically vulnerable,” said Governor Ducey. “Volunteer and community organizations across the state are working day and night to provide support for those in their care through additional food deliveries, transportation and other services — and we’re proud to support their efforts. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund so we can protect at-risk Arizonans, and to everyone who has stepped up to help others.”

Recipients of the funding include:

  • Foundation for Senior Living (statewide)

  • Benevilla

  • Aster Aging

“We are so appreciative of this generous donation,” said Tom Egan, President and CEO of Foundation for Senior Living. “Our team has been working diligently to shift many of our programs to meal and food bag deliveries to seniors and adults with chronic health issues or disabilities. So far, we have seen our expenses increase by 25 percent and we’re anticipating the community will continue to need help throughout the summer. This donation will help offset our expenses and allow us to serve those in need.  We are so grateful to Governor Ducey and the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund!”

“We believe we are strongest when we work together,” says Joanne Thomson, President and CEO of Benevilla. “The support from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund Now will help provide much needed services to the most vulnerable population in our community. Working together we are able to help seniors with grocery shopping, emergency errands and more, we are able to provide support and friendship to caregivers who might feel overwhelmed and alone and continue to support families in our community during this time.”

“The support that Aster Aging has received from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund is truly making the difference for vulnerable older adults in the East Valley,” said Deborah Schaus, CEO of Aster Aging. “Requests for Meals on Wheels and our other basic need services have continued to grow as we strive to keep seniors safe during the pandemic.”

The AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund was established by Governor Ducey as part of the Arizona Together Initiative to provide financial support to non-profit organizations serving Arizonans most in need statewide. The AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund has collected more than $8.2 million to date. Arizonans can visit ArizonaTogether.org to learn more, donate and find volunteer opportunities.

PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey has announced that following a national search, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has selected Arizona for its new U.S. advanced semiconductor factory. The project will create over 1,600 new high-tech jobs and generate thousands of additional jobs in the state for suppliers and other companies within the semiconductor industry. TSMC’s total spending on this project, including capital expenditure, will be approximately $12 billion from 2021 to 2029.

“We’re incredibly proud that one of the world’s leading technology companies has chosen Arizona for this high-tech project, one with national and global significance,” said Governor Ducey. “TSMC could have picked any place in the world to build this advanced manufacturing factory. They chose Arizona for our unbeatable business climate, already thriving tech sector and ready access to an international supply chain. I’d like to thank TSMC Chairman Dr. Mark Liu for his commitment to Arizona. We are honored to be selected for this project and look forward to building a collaborative long-term relationship with TSMC. I’m very grateful to President Donald Trump for his leadership and tireless efforts to bring more manufacturing back to our shores. I’d also like to thank Secretary Ross, his team at the U.S. Department of Commerce including SelectUSA, and the Trump administration for their partnership.”

Arizona has long been a hub for the advanced manufacturing and semiconductor industries. The state’s skilled workforce, strong supply chain, strategic geographic location, commitment to pro-innovation policies and unmatched quality of life have continued to drive rapid industry growth and economic momentum. This new U.S. facility will enable TSMC to provide enhanced service to customers and partners and increase its ability to attract global talent.

The facility will utilize TSMC’s 5-nanometer technology for semiconductor wafer fabrication and have the capacity to produce 20,000 wafers per month. Construction is planned to begin in 2021 with production targeted to start in 2024. The Arizona facility will be the company’s second manufacturing operation in the United States.

Several sites in the City of Phoenix are still being evaluated for the location of the factory. The Arizona Commerce Authority will continue working with TSMC, the U.S. administration, the City of Phoenix and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council to finalize all aspects of the project.

PHOENIX — With Arizona food banks experiencing a spike in demand, Governor Doug Ducey today announced a $500,000 grant from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund for Arizona food banks to help fight hunger. Member organizations that are part of the Association of Arizona Food Banks/Arizona Food Bank, which is receiving the grant, supply a network of nearly 1,000 food pantries and organizations in all 15 counties in Arizona, some of which have experienced a demand up to five times greater than usual due to COVID-19.

“We want to make sure nobody goes hungry as we respond to COVID-19 and get people back to work,” said Governor Ducey. “With these dollars, Arizona food pantries across the state will be able to make more food deliveries and help more families, while implementing new protocols that prioritize public health such as drive-thru pick-ups. This grant is made possible because of the generous donations to the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund, and my thanks goes out to everyone coming together and pitching in to help Arizonans in need.”

The Association of Arizona Food Banks/Arizona Food Bank Network is comprised of five regional food banks, including:

  • St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance

  • Desert Mission Food Bank

  • United Food Bank

  • Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

  • Yuma Community Food Bank

The food banks will use the funding to address the spike in demand, including: meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities; acquiring more packaging materials to deliver food; securing additional storage space; implementing further adaptations to promote physical distancing among clients; coordinating convenient drive-through food pick-ups; and more.

“These unprecedented circumstances have created an increased demand for our services to support Arizonans who are struggling to provide the most basic needs for their families,” said Angie Rodgers, President & CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network. “This gift from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund will help to ensure small pantries in local communities stay open and ready for families in need during this time. We’re grateful for the support which will make a difference in our capacity to serve across the state.”

“Our deepest thanks to Governor Ducey and everyone who donated or raised money for the Arizona Coronavirus Relief Fund, making this gift to AzFBN possible. These dollars will help small food pantries statewide as they work to help Arizonans struggling with hunger,” said Michael McDonald, Chair of the Board of Directors, Arizona Food Bank Network, and CEO, Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. “These charities are doing all they can to meet the increasing need, and this financial help for them truly couldn’t have come at a better time.”

The AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund was established by Governor Ducey as part of the Arizona Together Initiative to provide financial support to nonprofit organizations serving Arizonans in need.

The AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund has collected more than $8.2 million to date. In April, the Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation donated $5 million to support the purchase of PPE including 1.1 million N-95 masks. Additional grant announcements will be made as disbursements are finalized.

Individuals and organizations interested in supporting the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund can learn more about how to contribute at ArizonaTogether.org.

PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey today announced that the Stay At Home order in Arizona will be ending on May 15 and replaced by new guidance for the next stage of economic recovery. The new guidance aligns with gating criteria issued by the White House and Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and aims to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 resurgence, protect vulnerable populations, and guide the reopening of businesses with enhanced physical distancing and safety measures in place.

Arizona’s new Executive Order, which takes effect on Saturday, May 16, builds on Arizona’s comprehensive efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health, including: ramping up testing availability and frequency; implementing tracking of key health metrics such as reported symptomatic cases and emergency room usage; standing up surge hospital capacity to be used as needed; expanding statewide contact tracing; bolstering supply chains for personal protective equipment for frontline medical workers and emergency responders; implementing enhanced safety protocols to protect those living and working in high-risk facilities such as nursing homes; and providing public health guidance for businesses and individuals to ensure continued physical distancing.

“Since the start of this pandemic, Arizona has taken a calm and steady approach to protecting health and slowing the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Ducey. “Today, our hospitals have capacity to provide care to those who need it; our businesses are implementing and adapting to new physical distancing measures; and data shows Arizona is headed in the right direction. It is time to move forward with the next steps of Arizona’s economic recovery — while continuing to make health and safety our number one priority. I’m grateful to all Arizonans for their partnership and cooperation during these trying times. By continuing to follow the data and recommendations of public health officials, we can continue to move forward safely and responsibly together.”

Governor Ducey also announced today an accelerated plan to test all staff and residents of long-term care facilities as well as individuals within Arizona’s prisons. As part of this plan, the Arizona Department of Health Services will partner with private-sector labs to expand testing to 147 long-term care facilities and provide antibody tests for correctional officers. Additionally, major league sports can resume limited reopening, without fans, this Saturday, May 16.

The Arizona Department of Health Services also released additional guidance for businesses and customers as more industries resume partial operations. This guidance includes:

  • Pools, with physical distancing and enhanced sanitation – can reopen Wednesday, May 13 (GUIDANCE)

  • Gyms & Fitness Providers, with physical distancing and enhanced sanitation – can reopen Wednesday, May 13 (GUIDANCE)

  • Spas, with physical distancing and enhanced sanitation – can reopen Wednesday, May 13 (GUIDANCE)

While never formally closed, many places of worship opted to temporarily change or suspend services in order to follow physical distancing guidelines. As they resume operations, the Arizona Department of Health Services released GUIDANCE for enhanced physical distancing and safety precautions.

View today’s Executive Order HERE.

View daily Arizona updates HERE.

Featured Editorials


It’s no surprise that Covid changed the economic dynamics of our world in a lasting way. E-commerce went from a dominant economic factor to THE dominant economic factor, millions of square feet of office space have been rendered null and void due to work-from-home and hybrid work policies, and delivery services became ascendent. 

One of the bigger questions vexing much of the real estate world: what should we do with the excess space? Should old buildings be sold at a significant loss? Or what about completely rethinking the space as it is and creating something new within it?

Enter the old Paradise Valley Mall; a victim of numerous circumstances. The expanded adoption of Amazon’s cost and convenience hurt shopping malls around the country, and like many others covid policies dealt a death blow. It was razed in 2021 but is now entering its next phase: a mixed-use housing development.

Granted, I think it would be the dream of nearly anyone of a certain age (think young Gen Xers and elder millennials) to have a mall directly repurposed as a residential complex. After all, what would you pay to be able to live in your favorite mall’s Hot Topic? Alas, redeveloping from commercial space to residential is not just a nightmare from a development perspective (your Hot Topic probably didn’t have any faucets, let alone the water hookups for showers after all) but from a rezoning perspective as well.

Korman Communities is instead starting from scratch with AVE Paradise Valley, a 400-unit luxury living space paired with “immediate access to an on-site Whole Foods plus tons of dynamic shopping, dining and entertainment options”, along with a fantastic location where PV, Phoenix and Scottsdale meet.

Prices are not for the faint of heart, and it would not be shocking if they are deemed a bit rich when the time to lease comes; studio apartments approach $1,700 per month, and three-bedroom units start at an eye-popping $5,300. Considering that that’s going to be far above a mortgage payment for a three-bedroom house nearly anywhere in the Valley, that feels like a stretch. But by all indications, the complex will have significant trappings of convenience and luxury, so perhaps there is adequate demand to buoy those prices.

So while it’s good to see an old landmark get a new life, we’re still waiting for the opportunity to be able to bunk in the old Spencer’s Gifts and walk over to the old JC Penney’s to have a drink and watch some games.

As we have covered recently, since the November election life has gotten harder for Governor Katie Hobbs. The Republican advantage in both the State House and the State Senate has expanded, meaning that the road to Hobbs bringing anything on her agenda to fruition got much longer and more difficult. We predicted that Republicans would be jockeying for position to take shots at her, and it didn’t take long.

Leading the fight last week was Scottsdale’s own Representative Alex Kolodin. Kolodin has long been a bomb-thrower, albeit one with what some could occasionally say comes with a somewhat tenuous grasp of the facts. So when he called out Governor Hobbs for essentially undercounting her budget by $350 million, eyebrows were certainly raised.

This comes after a tough few months for Hobbs, even leaving aside the unfortunate outcome of the November election. In November her Director of the Office of Tourism Lisa Urias was pressured to resign when merited allegations of self-dealing with a contract came to light. Even more salient to this current issue however was last week’s announcement that the Director for the Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting Sarah Brown would also be leaving. Kolodin’s tweet came only one day after that announcement.

The timing of this departure is very odd indeed; normally such announcements would be timed for the end of the year for a more orderly-appearing process. This announcement, followed directly by a charge of an additional $350 million request, gives the appearance that Brown was involved in some way in the need for that additional request, and that she was pressured to fall on the sword. All of this is speculative, but timing is very rarely accidental in politics.

Hobbs is of course attempting to point the finger back at Republicans for politicizing everything. In her January 13th speech, she stated, “For too long, politicians have been focused on the wrong things – chasing headlines, playing politics, and looking toward their next election or their next office rather than standing up for the people we represent.” And she’s not wrong. It is clear that the next two years will be chock full of gotchas, of moments designed to demonize the other side (and this goes for both sides, even if the Republicans have more opportunities to use the bully pulpit.

But it does feel like Kolodin did key in on something important: a significant degree of financial malfeasance, albeit likely more a result of incompetence than ill intent. It seemed for a while that Hobbs’s nightmare honeymoon period of poor delegation choices at the start of her term was over, but Kolodin’s charge makes me believe that it went deeper than just a bad first few months.

By Ronald Sampson

What was long a cherished event for the Valley has recently given itself a black eye. The Waste Management Open: it has always been a party. The 16th hole has long been known as one of the craziest atmospheres in all of golf. It has always been different. But in the last few years and especially last year, that vibe has turned darker. Different turned into the tail end of a frat party: ugly, sloppy, and a mess.

It would have been difficult for the Thunderbirds, the planners of the event, to have not gotten the message. Negative headlines pervaded, some went across the world, and something needed to be done.

Enter “Better, Not Bigger”, the theme for this year’s event. So what does that mean? For starters, a larger police presence walking the grounds looking for problematic attendees. That would certainly be an upgrade, and simply a larger more visual presence may be enough to keep some people in line to some degree.

Next is a whole new entrance; a chaotic bottleneck was a problem during the weekend of last year’s event, with a significant amount of gate-crashings taking advantage of the lack of order and getting in without paying. A new entrance should not only minimize that bottleneck but also allow for better monitoring of potential gate-crashers and adjust accordingly.

Next are day-specific tickets. Frankly, it is strange that this is only now being implemented, as nearly all large multi-day events have day-specific passes. Without this, the actual attendance was nearly impossible to predict, and as such appropriate law enforcement staffing and presence was nearly impossible to project. 

Lastly, they are at least talking a bigger game about stronger enforcement of out-of-control activities. And this is where a fine line needs to be better drawn. No one wants to turn this into a typical golf tournament, but running across holes when they are in play and being loud during a player’s swing should be clearly set on the wrong side of that fine line.

If jail time for bad behavior was a real option, or if lifetime bans for people who act like fools and materially distract away from the golf were implemented, perhaps the bleeding would be materially stemmed and we could collectively chart a better path forward.

We could say a lot of positive things about our home state: great weather much of the time, great place to start a business, beautiful landscapes, abundant recreation options. One thing we don’t rarely hear much about is whether or not it’s a good place to raise a family however. 

This Monday we ran a piece about a WalletHub survey that showed Scottsdale as the ideal place to be seeking a job. Well now we have another WalletHub survey, but this one is significantly less rosy. It has ranked Arizona in the bottom 10 states to raise a family, AT THE #41 spot.

As we stated with the job-seeking ranking, the methodology that is used is critical to understanding the value of the survey. After all, such rankings could easily be swayed with weightings of any categories. Much like the job-seeking survey, this one has many, many different criteria, but they are all within five different categories: family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability, and socioeconomics.

For family fun, Arizona was ranked at #10, but that’s where the good news ends. While near the middle of the pack in the socioeconomic category, it ranks at #40 and below for the other three categories, with a paltry #48 ranking for both education and child care and affordability.

For education, our public schools’ issues and low ranking here shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to anyone; despite attempts to increase funding we still sit 3rd-to-last on a per-pupil spending basis. Daycare quality and costs also weigh heavily into the rubric. 

As for the affordability category, anyone who has lived here long enough can tell you that the days of Arizona being cheap are long, long gone. That said, the majority of the metrics have less to do with cost of living and more with items such as debt levels and healthcare costs. Does that invalidate their importance? Not necessarily, but items like collective mortgage debt do speak to the difficulty of homeowning for young families in what has been an extremely robust housing market.

That said, if these sorts of items don’t necessarily apply to you, if you make a good income, don’t have outrageous debt, and are in a good school district or have the means for a great private school, then feel free to disregard and expand your family!

As with every January, it’s the start of a brand new legislative session at the State Capitol. And this year portends to be a bit of a departure from recent years, as Republicans have extended their leads in both chambers at the legislature. So what should you expect?

First, there will be precious few issues where both parties get along, and while Republicans have a majority in both chambers, Katie Hobbs’ veto pen as governor can make purely partisan bills difficult to pass, so issues where both parties agree will likely be a priority. Republicans could relatively easily pass through whatever they like, but they do not have enough of a margin to override that veto, as shown by the fact that only 15.6% of bills introduced last year were signed into law.

Both parties agree that the cost of housing is too high, and both parties agree that water is a critical issue. Republicans are hoping to tackle both issues at once by rescinding a groundwater offset rule that developers are beholden to. Nothing is a given with this subject though, because even a bipartisan bill last year limiting municipalities’ ability to set restrictions on housing was vetoed by Hobbs.

One other potential solution that aims to address both problems? An “ag to urban” bill that will incentivize farmers to sell their land for the sake of home development. While the devil is always in the details, in this case likely how much that incentive would cost, it seems like something that on its face both parties could agree on.

The agreements from the parties may more or less end there however. In the state’s most hot-button issue, immigration, it’s clear that the caucuses are far apart. While Republicans want to have a sanctuary city ban and want active compliance with the Trump administration’s actions, the Democratic caucus has come out against even relatively common-sense bills such as the Laken Riley Act.

Education will also be a point of focus as the funding provided by Proposition 123 is set to expire midyear. Republicans will aim to add additional protection to funding for school vouchers, which is almost certain to be a non-starter for Democrats and Governor Hobbs, which is likely to set up a high-stakes game of chicken with a non-insignificant amount of school funding to hang in the balance.

With all that said, while numerous things will be different around the Capitol, one thing will be very much the same as the last few years: Governor Katie Hobbs will have a brutally difficult time advancing anything in her agenda, and she will be taking shots from Republicans all around the state. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Taser manufacturer Axon had to go on the offensive when it faced a campaign that appears to have succeeded in putting its controversial 1,900 apartment project, in what appears to be the largest multi-family entitlement in Arizona history, to a vote of the people. Now it is facing a campaign finance complaint for failing to account for the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars it spent on petition blockers who tried to stifle the signature drive. This article in the Scottsdale Independent has the details.
https://www.yourvalley.net/scottsdale-independent/stories/campaign-finance-complaint-against-axon-filed-with-scottsdale-city-clerk,559639

Days after the complaint was filed the Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association weighed in on the project basing its opposition on how a massive influx of new residents, and a concentration of apartments in one part of town could put a strain on public safety services.  That’s as rough as it gets if the issue actually goes to an election. The Scottsdale Progress has details of that story.
https://www.scottsdale.org/city_news/firefighter-union-raises-axon-concerns/article_3384d576-daad-11ef-bed8-bfe67070696c.html

And just today, Maricopa County confirmed it had validated a whopping 82% of the record setting number of referendum signatures that were submitted in December.

As an employer, Axon is used to feeling the love. As  a developer it is now feeling the burn.

Photo Credit: YourValley.net

Scottsdale is a city that prides itself on low taxes and small government; it’s a big reason why companies routinely move their headquarters here and new residents continue to flock here. So when unexpected costs hop into the budget it tends to raise a few eyebrows, as a recent development did.

Scottsdale’s employees racked up $25 million in overtime costs last year, an 11% increase over its cumulative salaries. The majority of this additional pay was racked up by law enforcement officers, with firefighters in second place. 

This is absolutely not simply a Scottsdale problem. Chicago racked up over 20-times this amount last year, and 16 individual New York Police Department officers accrued over $100,000 in overtime each. But this is almost to be expected in cities with progressive leadership, where adding to the number of law enforcement officers often encounters significant pushback.

Obviously, the answer to this problem is hiring more officers, and thankfully Councilman Adam Kwasman is asking the right questions and facing this issue head-on. But a new development is making this issue a bit more difficult than simply just hiring people.

Scottsdale’s Chief of Police Jeff Walther will be assuming a new role shortly, and it won’t involve a badge. He has been brought on by interim City Manager Greg Caton to be the interim Assistant City Manager. A truly unique, outside-the-box choice to help him lead the city; obviously he understands the public safety component of city management like no one other, but one has to wonder what else he brings to this role.

In this role, Walther will actually be staying on as Chief of Police, he will simply be taking on additional roles within the city while an interim head is found and eases into the role. One has to wonder how precious little time he will have to focus on increasing the headcount within the department. However, one could also say that his direct link to city management may make for a stronger, more coordinated voice to speak up for increasing headcount.

Regardless of how quickly and effectively this is handled, we should be thankful that we have leadership that both wants to trim costs but also sees hiring more officers as a reasonable way to do so. Not all cities are so lucky.

On January 14th, I was honored to be sworn in as your Scottsdale City Councilmember, with my son by my side—a moment that holds deep personal significance and one I will cherish forever. Thank you to every voter who placed their trust in me. Your belief in my vision of a “Families First” Scottsdale inspires me to serve with dedication and purpose daily.

From our very first council meeting, my colleagues and I have been hard at work ensuring Scottsdale’s future remains as bright as its legacy. Together, we are safeguarding what makes our city extraordinary while building a foundation for future generations. Here’s what we’ve accomplished so far:

  1. Budget Review Commission: We established a citizen’s commission to advise the Council on Scottsdale’s operating and capital budgets, including revenue forecasts, taxes, and fees. This ensures transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility while prioritizing the needs of our residents.
  2. Community Safety Subcommittee: A three-member Council Subcommittee was created to analyze public safety initiatives, regulations, and enforcement actions, focusing on reducing public nuisances and enhancing safety across our city. This committee is critical to enhancing policing and public safety in Scottsdale.
  3. Sustainability Task Force: To promote Scottsdale’s long-term viability, we repealed the previous overreaching and unrealistic Sustainability Plan and directed the formation of a Sustainability Task Force. This group will address key fiscal, population, and conservation challenges to keep Scottsdale thriving.
  4. Updated Council Procedures: We amended the Council’s rules to ensure greater focus and professionalism during public meetings.
  5. Interim City Manager Appointment: We welcomed Greg Caton as Scottsdale’s Interim City Manager, ensuring strong leadership as we search for a permanent appointee.

Celebrating Leadership

Congratulations to Mayor Lisa Borowsky and my fellow new council members Jan Dubauskas and Maryann McAllen. I look forward to collaborating with them to make Scottsdale the best it can be.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I remain committed to upholding the trust you’ve placed in me and to delivering on our shared vision for Scottsdale. Together, we’ll protect what we love about our city while embracing its future.

Visit my official website: Councilman Adam Kwasman

Email: akwasman@scottsdaleaz.gov

Office Number: 480-312-2550

Location: 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Adam Kwasman

Scottsdale City Council Member

For more information about Adam Kwasman’s plans for Scottsdale, visit www.adamkwasman.com.

Why yes, we did just finish an election, and the new president (same as the old president) was just recently inaugurated. But a good portion of the electorate is already hoping to fast forward four years, so why not take a far-too-early look at what 2028 might look like? Thankfully, recent polling takes a look at how things might play out.

First, it’s worth noting that barring an amendment to or the complete disregard of the Constitution, we will see a new president after the 2028 general election. As a reminder as per the Constitution, presidents are limited to two terms, and they don’t need to be consecutive. While many progressives seem to be afraid of Trump disregarding that and anointing himself Forever King, this concern likely sits somewhere between weird and unhinged.

Notable in this poll is the “if the 2028 primaries were held today” question. Democrats apparently are comfortable with losing yet again, as 41% of voters said that they would vote for Kamala Harris. Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg and Tim Walz are all next, getting between 6-8% of the vote. In all likelihood, most voters likely weren’t extremely familiar with anyone except Harris, so Harris was the default choice. 16% were unsure.

On the Republican side, the exact same dynamic is at play, with JD Vance getting 39% of the vote. Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, and Ron DeSantis came in the next three positions, getting either 8 or 9% of the vote. 18% were unsure who they would vote for.

Perhaps one of the most interesting dynamics captured in this was the ever-changing landscape of how people consume information. 23% of voters reported getting information about Donald Trump from podcasts or livestreams, and a whopping 72% of those people saw him on the Joe Rogan podcast. 30% of people who saw him on a podcast or livestream said that it influenced their vote a great deal. While the numbers for Harris were significantly less (likely because her handlers dissuaded her from going on the podcast with the most reach in the world), it’s clear that 2028’s contenders will have to navigate new media more deftly than Harris did.

Another notable outcome is favorables versus unfavorables, and on the Republican side Marco Rubio seems to be on top in that regard, at least insofar as government positions go. With 39% in favor of him in a leadership role within the administration versus 30% against, his +9% is the best in that field, and his role as Secretary of State will set him up for significant visibility (but he would very likely have to fight JD Vance to get the ring however).

That said, four years is a long ways away, and so many things can change in that time. But for those who were unhappy with how the electorate voted and may want to use any reason to think about four years, here’s at least your first glance.

If you had paid attention to the myriad advertisements and mailers distributed up to last year’s election day, you might have been confused into thinking that Scottsdale is in a downward spiral of sorts, with serious fiscal and social issues threatening to take the city down. To oust an incumbent you need to make a case that things are going in the wrong direction, which many of the city’s new leaders effectively did; according to 2024 polling, Republicans were nearly split on whether the city was going in the right direction and the wrong direction.

That said, data doesn’t lie (although it can be manipulated), and recent data implies that Scottsdale is absolutely exemplary in at least one category as per a recent report.

According to a recent report from WalletHub, Scottsdale is the top city in the country to find a job. In a testament to the state’s currently robust hiring market, both Chandler and Tempe are also in the top 10.

As with any ranking, the methodology is a crucial component; are they using the right metrics? Are they weighing them correctly? In this case the metrics are extremely varied and even but with job opportunities, employment growth, the employment outlook and the unemployment rate having a higher weighting. Various socioeconomic metrics are also weighed, albeit to a lesser degree.

With 31 different metrics at play and most of them equal-weighted, one could pick apart the methodology and consider it too watered down and without an emphasis on important items. That said, no one could call it lazy or thoughtless!

And it’s not hard to see how Scottsdale ranks this high. It has managed to become a bit of a small scale tech hub of sorts, with numerous companies moving their headquarters and hundreds, if not thousands of jobs, to the city. With a low tax level, a light, business-friendly regulatory framework, an educated workforce and an excellent lifestyle, the city (and the state more overarchingly) has become an ideal place to move your business.

While the new set of city leaders may have won their seats because of purported discontent, it appears as though they find themselves in the enviable position of fixing a city with very few things wrong with it, least of all the economy. Not a bad spot to be in.

Data Orbital is pleased to announce the results of its latest mixed-mode survey of likely 2026 Republican Primary Election voters in Arizona. The survey was conducted from January 18th to January 20th.

Survey results reveal that Congressman Andy Biggs leads the field of prospective candidates with 31.7% compared to 12.4% for Karrin Taylor-Robson and 7.4% for Kimberly Yee. 45.0% were undecided.

In a statement to AZ Free News, Data Orbital President George Khalaf said, “Congressman Andy Biggs has a commanding lead over potential opponents Karrin Taylor Robson and Treasurer Kimberly Yee, bolstered by his extensive history of earned media and established public leadership. His support is particularly robust among self-identified strong conservatives, capturing 45% of this key demographic.”

This survey was sponsored by AZ Free News. The link to their article can be found here.

This poll of 500 likely Republican Primary election voters was conducted through a combination of live phone survey and text-to-web that collected 33.3% of the results from live caller landlines, 33.3% from live caller cell phones, and 33.3% via text-to-web. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.47% with a 95% confidence interval. Respondents were weighted on a number of different demographic figures based on prior primary election voter turnout figures. The poll was conducted from January 18th 2025 – January 20th 2025. The questions released are verbatim from the survey provided to respondents. Toplines and demographic data can be found here. Crosstabs for this survey can be found here.

Photo Credit: ABC15.com

One of the biggest knocks about Phoenix is a lack of history, especially insofar as architecture goes. If it’s more than a couple decades old, it’s due for a tear down and a rebuild. In the process a good amount of history can be lost and the character of the city is chipped away, bit by bit.

That said, not everything that is old is worth preserving. Sometimes what emerges from the rhetorical ashes can be both more useful and more beautiful. And that is precisely the case with a recent development.

Enter the “Punchcard Building”, an office building in central Phoenix so named because it looks like a punchcard from the ancient days of computing. What was once an ode to modernity is now beyond dated and simply, if we can be frank, pretty ugly. And not only that, but it has remained mostly empty for years as its previous government tenants abandoned it long ago.

The building is soon to be reinvented and reimagined; New York development firm Left Lane intends to turn it into a mixed-use “urban resort oasis” consisting of 209 hotel rooms and 143 multifamily units. However, instead of simply turning it from empty office space to a residential space, it is also planning a second structure complete with a rooftop deck and spa.

It’s worth noting that this is far from coming to fruition. The project is currently in the planning phase and still needs to navigate the maze of municipal approvals, and groundbreaking is likely at least a year away. But as we move further away from the global pandemic, the working world’s approach to work-from-home policies has mostly stabilized, and it’s safe to say that demand for office space will not return to pre-pandemic levels for a long time. Repurposing office space should be a focus in municipalities around the country.

Reimagining an unattractive and largely unused building and creating something attractive and functional is the ultimate win-win. Here’s to this hopefully being the first of many such instances of this in the Valley, as there are plenty of other buildings that could use a similar revamp.

By Doug Ducey

A Fresh Start

I want to start off by congratulating President Trump on his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States. It’s time to turn the page on the last four years and get back to an America where opportunity and prosperity are abundant.

I was in Idaho ahead of Governor Brad Little’s State of the State speech to talk about Arizona’s success in igniting the school choice revolution. Every student deserves the opportunity to go to a great school that fits their family’s needs and I am happy to see Governor Little embracing school choice.

The Common Sense Institute Arizona held their annual Free Enterprise Summit earlier this month. I had the opportunity to join my friend Arthur Brooks for a discussion on how free enterprise empowers Americans to live happier, more fulfilling lives. It was a great event.

Arizona’s lowest-in-the-nation flat tax has been attracting new residents to our state for a few years now, but it just brought us a very high-profile new resident. One of the best pitchers in the MLB and Cy Young Award winner, Corbin Burnes, just signed with the DBacks. He was offered more money by teams in California and Canada — but Arizona’s low taxes made the difference. I’ll be looking forward to seeing him on the field this upcoming season.

Photo Credit: Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Our analytics tools don’t give us this level of granularity of information, but we’re going to guess that you’re a football fan to some degree. You are an American (or at least 99+% of you, but Ni Hao to our 50 or so Chinese readers per year), and football is the de facto national pastime after all.

And if you were varying degrees of glued to your couch last weekend, specifically on Sunday evening, you might have seen it in real time: the match between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. A stand-off between the two leading MVP candidates, a battle between two of the best teams in the league. The game that was pitched as the game of the year up until that point.

And if you watched it, there might be one singular moment that stuck out to you most…a dropped pass.

Baltimore was on the precipice of completing a significant comeback, a two-point conversion away from going to being down 11 points at halftime to tying the game with around 90 seconds left in the game. And a perfectly good pass from Lamar Jackson went right to the gut of one of the best tight ends in the game, Mark Andrews…and he couldn’t make the play.

For anyone who is passionate about football, it was an unfortunate moment. But why are we writing about it? Because Mark Andrews’ roots are right here…in Scottsdale.

Andrews was born right here in Scottsdale, and he cut his football teeth at Desert Mountain High School, where he was (predictably) a standout, tallying 3,674 yards and 48 touchdowns in only three years. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this is that he did so after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age, an affliction that he still has to deal with multiple times during games, typically getting his blood sugar levels tested after each offensive drive.

Our local hero parlayed his Desert Mountain high school career to a starting role at the University of Oklahoma, and then to the Baltimore Ravens. He has been a three-time Pro Bowler including a 1st-Team All-Pro designation in 2021. Regardless of one bad game, he has been one of the best in the world at his craft.

To be honest, this might not be an easy one to rebound from. It’s an unfortunate truth that many pro athletes are known more by their worst moments than their best ones. As it stands, he’s already received death threats and some of the worst of humanity is showing themselves on social media.

But the guy that was pushed through type 1 diabetes to become a world-class athlete has shown that he has the strength to overcome this. And much like how Bills Mafia rallied around him and donated over $32,000 to his charity of choice after hearing about the death threats, we as a community owe it to him to lift him up and help him power through.

He could use your positivity. Along with a positive note, please consider joining Mark Andrews in his fight to defeat type 1 diabetes through his charity of choice, Breakthrough T1D. You can find the link here.

By Alexander Lomax

If this recent election taught us anything, it’s that the economy and immigration were major subjects that the larger electorate sought out change for. And immigration as a priority issue is nothing new for us Zonies; it might be the one singular evergreen issue that we have as a border state. And Democrats, at least at the federal level, have gotten the message.

Take the Laken Riley Act. It is a bill named after a girl who was murdered at the hands of an illegal immigrant, and mandates that illegal immigrants who are charged with theft be detained by authorities. Considering that someone who is in the country illegally is highly unlikely to show up for any court dates, and considering that their status makes them detainable even without committing a crime, it is about as common sense a bill as possible.

You would think so at least. Both Senators Kelly and Gallego are staunchly in favor of the bill, as are all Congressional members from Arizona.

But who is staunchly opposed to such a no-brainer? Democratic leadership in the State Capitol. State Senate Democratic leaders Priya Sundareshan and Flavio Bravo proudly and forcefully came out against the bill, stating that it would open the door to widespread discrimination.

I’m sorry, but is there an epidemic of people being wrongfully detained for theft in this country? Is there now some newfound risk of brown people being wrongfully accused of this? As if people are going to risk the consequences of filing a false report with next-to-no evidence because something something racism?

And to that I ask…what are the state’s Democrats smoking?

And this is perhaps the biggest weakness of Arizona’s Democratic leadership: they’ve gone to the pro-immigration well so often that they’ve trained themselves into thinking that ANY restrictions on illegal immigration are inherently racist. Are you an immigrant that’s stealing? Trafficking drugs? Trafficking people? Murdering? Well if you acknowledge what’s in front of your face then you’re racist.

Yes, there is a need for immigration. Yes, most immigrants are decent people trying to make a better life for themselves. But if you think that 100% of them are good people and add something positive to our country, then you need to put down the Kool-Aid.

And this is why Democrats will not take control at the State Capitol any time soon: they’re simply in a different world than the voters.

(Scottsdale, Ariz.) Taser manufacturer Axon likes to brag about being a friend to law enforcement. These days Axon is gaining fame for flouting the law.

Axon is believed to have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, in a failed attempt to stop a petition drive that will put its controversial and unpopular 1,900-unit apartment proposal to a public vote.

Not only did that effort fail, but Axon also failed to file a campaign finance report as required by law. As a result, a complaint has been filed with the Scottsdale City Clerk.

Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions or TAAAZE is leading the effort to oppose the unwanted apartment proposal that is too dense, too tall, and would create too much traffic.

TAAAZE followed the law and filed a campaign finance report disclosing its spending. A complaint against Axon has now been filed for failing to do the same.

That complaint reads in part:

“The citizens of Scottsdale have a right to know (1) how much money Axon spent in its unsuccessful effort to stand in the way of their right to direct democracy and (2) how Axon spent it. Arizona law and public policy demand that. But rather than be transparent about its opposition and the significant resources it expended to engage in questionable tactics, Axon is hiding in the shadows and blatantly circumventing campaign finance laws.”

The complaint was filed by attorney Andrew Gaona from the firm Coppersmith Brockelman on behalf of TAAAZE.Read More

By Ronald Sampson

Photo Credit: Scottsdale Independent

Scottsdale voted for change in this past election; it rejected a couple sitting councilmembers and the incumbent mayor. And it only took about one week, but Scottsdale is already getting a strong whiff of that change.

Last week was a very busy one at the council dais, and the new iteration of council is setting its sights on undoing aspects of the last one. It was a packed house last week for what ended up being a highly contentious start to the new council, and dozens of citizens showed up for a vote that would end up repealing the city’s Sustainability Plan. In a 4-3 vote, council ended up repealing the month-old vote for the non-binding plan.

To call it contentious might actually be underselling it. The vast majority of public comments were in favor of keeping it, and apparently sensing pressure towards keeping it in place the conservative majority cut off comments from fellow councilmembers, a move that Linda Milhaven called “one of the most disrespectful displays I have witnessed in 30 years of watching City Council meetings.”

Ouch.

Perhaps even more oddly, they directed the interim city manager to “to establish a sustainability task force to look at the long-term sustainability of the city by examining fiscal, population and conservation needs.” But the sustainability plan they just rescinded did just that except the fiscal aspect.

There were references to concerned citizens as to why those councilmembers voted to repeal it, and we will take them at their word, but when it came time to actually discuss it the comments were strongly in favor of keeping it, so it does seem to be a case of councilmembers listening to what they wanted to hear.

One standout in this instance? Mayor Lisa Borowsky, who voted in favor of keeping it because of the public support of it. She wanted to represent the will of the people even if she may ideologically side with those who wanted to repeal it, and while she may have been given cover due to the four votes to repeal, it is a heartening start to her time as Mayor.

For the rest of them? Thoughts on the plan aside, it’s not a good start to their time in office, silencing the votes of their colleagues. That is the sort of behavior that many of them rightfully criticized former Mayor Dave Ortega about. We deserve better.

By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead

Councilmember Solange Whitehead

As we wrap up our four years together, I am writing to thank my outgoing colleagues Mayor David Ortega and Councilmembers Betty Janik, Tammy Caputi, and Tom Durham.

Together we set Scottsdale on a winning trajectory that will deliver results for decades to come. I am so honored to have worked with all of you and wanted to highlight some of our many accomplishments.

Protected Your Tax Dollars and Delivered World Class Services

      • Lowered tax rates, reduced the budget, expanded amenities & services
      • Paid down ballooning police & fire pension liabilities
      • Doubled financial reserves
      • Maintained a AAA-bond rating, reducing tax dollars spent on interest.
      • Delivered on voter-approved bond projects despite historic inflation and without added taxes as other Valley cities have done.
      • Passed Prop 491, increasing an expenditure limit that had not been updated in18 years which threatened vital services.
      • Adopted financial policies that will protect our city’s financial security for decades to come.

    Public Safety: Top 10 Safest City in the Nation

      • Restored competitive pay for police and fire and filled vacancies.
      • Started a new ambulance service
      • Opened a Fire & Police training center and a crime lab.
      • Welcomed 11 million visitors without any significant safety issues.
      • Improved street safety by successfully advocating for stricter DUI laws for ride share drivers.
      • Protected the Preserve and homes against a record number of wildfires
      • Passed Prop 490 securing wildfire mitigation funding for 30 years; the urgency ever more evident with LA’s tragic fires.
      • Earned recognition as a Top 10 Safest City in the Nation

    Protecting Scottsdale’s Character and Our Residents

          • Ratified the voter-approved General Plan 2035, a first in almost 2 decades, increasing protections for neighborhoods and open space.
          • Stopped legislative bills to end single family zoning from becoming law.
          • Updated the Old Town Character Area Plan lowering heights and requiring open space.
          • Limited multifamily development to commercial areas, with setbacks, robust landscaping plans, and meaningful community investments such as a 2-acre public park.
          • Eliminated the Infill Incentive District which allowed more height and lower building design standards.
          • Adopted a non-discrimination ordinance.
          • Implemented the toughest Short Term Rental ordinances in Arizona and successfully advocated for more local control.
          • Adopted parking codes that protect neighborhoods and small businesses.
          • Adopted a suite of new building codes to improve safety and efficiency.
          • Launched a community college scholarship program.
          • Increased tourism and expanded the number of free and ticketed events at every venue including WestWorld, Civic Center Plaza, Museum of the West, and Scottsdale Stadium.
          • Earned national and international accolades including “Healthiest City”, “Best Place to Retire”, and Conde Nast’s “one of the best travel destinations in the world”Water for our Future
          • Ended the export of Scottsdale water to the unincorporated Rio Verde Foothills region
          • Protected residents by keeping Tier 1&2 water rates flat despite the City paying steeper costs.
          • Adopted new building codes that are projected to significantly reduce water usage in new construction.
          • Became the first city in Arizona to prohibit winter overseed requirements by HOAs saving one HOA 1,200,000 gallons in its first year.
          • Began operation of a 5.4-billion gallon/yr water treatment plant bringing contaminated water up to drinking water standards.
          • Recharged 225,000 AF* of recycled & Colorado river water into aquifers.
          • Increased turf removal rebates by 450%.
          • Installing citywide meters that detect leaks and notify homeowners in order to save water and reduce bills.
          • *1 acre ft = 325,851 gallons
          • Parks, Preservation, and Environmental Wins
          • Voter approved Prop 490 will provide 30 years of funding to protect, maintain and invest in the City parks and Preserve
          • Adopted the 2021 International Green Construction building codes, one of the first cities in the nation, in order to reduce urban heat and pollution, increase shade, conserve water, and lower utility bills.
          • Dedicated new parks, completed the construction of two sports complexes and an ADA-accessible playground, and authorized two additional parks currently under construction.
          • Planted many hundreds of trees and began work on a Tree Canopy Plan.
          • Approved the city’s 1st Sustainability Plan
          • Completed a parks master plan engaging many hundreds of residents.
          •  Added public open space as a requirement for larger developments.
          • Expanded pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
          • Stopped a road from being built within the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
          • Reduced the hefty costs of sending food waste to the landfill by composting food waste at city facilities. The July 4th WestWorld event composted 3,640 pounds of food waste this year.

        Yep!  It has been an amazing and exhausting four years.  We worked side-by-side through a global pandemic, record setting inflation, and tackled an increasingly hotter and drier climate. We debated, collaborated, and sometimes passionately clashed in order to deliver the best for today’s residents and those that live here in the future.With deepest appreciation, thank you for your service and friendship!

         

By Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas

Dear Friends,

THANK YOU! It was an honor to be sworn in on Tuesday as your new Scottsdale City Councilwoman!! Scottsdale is an incredible city – the jewel of the American southwest. From our spark of Western spirit, our thriving business and tourism economy, and our beautiful preserve – we are blessed to live here and I am honored to serve YOU. Thank You!!

In our first meeting as your new Scottsdale City Council, I am proud to report you:

Promises Made – Promises Kept! Together, we:

1) Appointed Greg Caton as Interim City Manager. Mr. Caton is a recent addition to the Scottsdale team and has over 10 years of experience as a City Manager. I am confident he will lead with fresh eyes and a shared vision for the city of Scottsdale.

2) We created the Budget Review Commission which will examine the fiscal expenditures of the city to ensure that your dollars are spent wisely.

3) We established the Council sub-committee on Public Safety. To date, Scottsdale has not had a Council sub-committee on Public Safety and this committee will give us an opportunity to ensure that our residents, visitors, and community members are safe at all times.

4) By 4 votes (Littlefield, Graham, Kwasman, and Dubauskas) we repealed the Scottsdale Green New Deal that was passed in the December lame duck session. And in this vote, we established a new Task Force that will expand the scope to examine the city’s long-term fiscal, population, and conservation needs.

5) Finally, we addressed the Scottsdale Rd & Dynamite roundabout by asking the Interim City Manager to examine the opportunity to make a signalized light. We expect to hear on that soon!

Our best days are ahead of us!

For Scottsdale,

Jan Dubauskas

2020 Scrum


By Mary Manross, Former Scottsdale Mayor and Chairwoman for Vote YES YES Scottsdale PAC
and Carla, Preserve Pioneer and Campaign Coordinator for Vote YES YES Scottsdale PAC

In most campaigns there are winners and losers. Not when it comes to the passage of Propositions 490 and 491 in Scottsdale which happened on November 5th. We believe everyone in Scottsdale wins.

Proposition 490 will help revitalize and maintain Scottsdale’s parks, beginning with the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, and will provide ongoing care and protection for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.  It will provide funding to prevent and fight fires in and around the Preserve, and funds for increased police rangers for the parks and the Preserve.

Almost sixty years ago Scottsdale had the wisdom and foresight to create the Greenbelt and, thirty years ago, to create the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. They are two of Scottsdale’s greatest decisions and treasures. That wisdom and foresight are still with us today as evidenced by this vote.

Proposition 490 contains legal safeguards to ensure the money is properly spent. And we think these safeguards, and the benefits of the measure will win over many who voted no and maybe even some critics. Now that the voters of Scottsdale have spoken overwhelmingly in support of Proposition 490, we look forward to working with the new Mayor and Council to see that it is implemented properly and responsibly.Read More

By Carla (Carla), Preserve Pioneer

This year Scottsdale was fortunate when it came to wildfires. Next year we might not be so lucky.

As every summer gets hotter and drier, nature and human caused fires are a fact of life in Scottsdale and our Preserve. Thanks to the quick response and hard work of our Firefighters  – plus a little luck with wind direction  – we have avoided a catastrophic fire this year.

But next year, unless Propositions 490 & 491 pass, we won’t have as many tools to help prevent fires.

Year round our Fire Department does excellent outreach work with developments in Northern Scottsdale to address not planting invasive species and removing fire loads. They also work with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to get grants which provide for wildfire prevention. Specifically invasive plant removal and preventative measures along our Preserve boundary and major roadways.

But Scottsdale did NOT get a grant to fund this work in 2025!

Proposition 490 would add Fire Department funding to provide quicker response times; increased Fire prevention programs; a second Technical Rescue Team; and additional resources to better protect you and your neighborhoods.

Proposition 491 – which is not a tax increase or budget override  – would allow Scottsdale to spend the money it already collects on programs and services that residents want and need. Without its passage, city services will face cutbacks, including in public safety.

Please join the Firefighters, who dedicate their lives to protecting you,  in voting YES-YES on Props 490 and 491. It’s critical to Scottsdale’s safety and future quality of life.

Carla (Carla), Preserve Pioneer

Data Orbital, in conjunction with AZ Free News, is pleased to announce the results of its latest statewide, live caller survey of likely General Election Voters. The survey was conducted from September 7th 2024 – September 9th 2024. The survey measured support for candidates in Arizona’s Presidential contest. This survey was sponsored by AZ Free News.

For President, the Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris trails Republican former President Donald Trump by a slim 46.0% to 46.2% margin. 7.7% reported as being undecided or refused the question.

Speaking with AZ Free News about the Presidential race, George Khalaf, President of Data Orbital, stated “That 7.7% undecided number, I would say, is going to be one of two things: 1.) Either individuals that are saying that they are likely to vote but don’t end up voting or 2.) People that really are truly undecided. But I would be shocked if the true undecided number is in the high single digits”. Khalaf goes on to explain, “I would guess that right now, the true percentage of people that are undecided is maybe one or two percent, if that. This is a high-profile race and so most people have made up their minds. But I think a portion of people that are undecided likely will not end up making a decision on November 5th”.

By Jeanne Beasley
Candidate for Scottsdale School Board

As students return to school this week, let’s consider what we can do to help support and strengthen our local public schools. I am running for a seat on the Scottsdale Unified School Board on November 5, alongside Gretchen Jacobs and Drew Hassler, to serve our community positively.

We are parents, professionals, and community leaders who have had students in our Scottsdale schools and believe that strong communities should have strong public schools. Families shouldn’t have to look elsewhere for the excellent academic opportunities and well-rounded extracurricular experiences they desire for their children.

Our campaign, “Just Be Honest,” will bring a new era of transparency, accountability, and integrity to SUSD. Our mission is to ensure that every decision made is in the best interest of our students, families, and teachers.Read More

With just five days remaining until Arizona’s 2024 primary election, let’s take a closer look at how Republicans and Democrats are performing across the state.

Focusing first on the Republicans, a total of 1,156,580 GOP ballots have been requested. Of these, 1,089,498 are from registered Republicans and 67,082 from Independents. These numbers surpass the total requests from both 2020 and 2022, which were 1,035,288 and 1,059,348, respectively. Currently, Republicans have a 32.7% ballot return rate, while Independents have a 49.2% return rate, resulting in an overall return rate of 33.7%.

At this stage in the election, GOP ballot returns across the state are ahead of 2022 but are behind 2020. In 2020, returns at this time were 426,571, compared to 375,714 in 2022. So far in 2024, a total of 389,458 GOP ballots have been returned.

Now looking at the Democratic side, total ballot requests stand at 1,063,267, with 1,008,909 from Democrats and 54,358 from Independents. This exceeds the totals from both 2020, which had 1,044,288 requests, and 2022, which had 1,041,271 requests. Democrats are returning their ballots at a 29.4% rate, while Independents are returning at a 48.9% rate, resulting in an overall return rate of 30.4%

At this stage in the cycle, Democratic returns are lagging behind both 2020 and 2022. In 2020, Democratic returns were 439,383, and in 2022 they were 368,745. Both figures are notably higher than the current returns in 2024, which stand at 322,984.