In Women’s History Month, Women Lead the Scottsdale City Council – How Arizona is Ahead of the Curve

Credit: City of Scottsdale YouTube channel

March is Women’s History Month, and while there are plenty more publications and writers who can give a better homage to it and do it more justice, we at the Arizona Progress Gazette see a proper opportunity to highlight women leading here in our neck of the woods: in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and in Arizona.

In Scottsdale, this is highlighted very well by Councilwoman Tammy Caputi in her email here which links to a corresponding YouTube video here regarding a larger conversation about women in local leadership. Five of the seven voting members of the Scottsdale City Council are women and are carving a strong path of leadership, as likely two of them are rumored to be eyeing a run for Mayor, so the path of leadership may be even more female going forward.

A similar dynamic is in play in Paradise Valley as well. Currently, half of the non-mayoral town council members are female, and with Christine Labelle hoping to take Paul Dembow’s seat at the Town Council, and Julie Pace running for Mayor, that dynamic could shift further in 2023.

All of this is not a new trend for Arizona however; foras much as Arizona is known by many as politically regressive and “backward”, we have actually been trailblazers in that regard. Rose Mofford was Arizona’s first female governor back in 1988, and you will likely remember that we had female leadership in the 9th floor for three consecutive administrations, from Hull to Napolitano to Brewer. If the current gubernatorial favorites end up winning their respective primaries, we will have another female governor.

We also shouldn’t forget perhaps the most important Arizona export to American governance: Sandra Day O’Connor. The Arizona native was a national trailblazer, being the first female Supreme Court justice in the long and storied history of the court.

Here at APG, we recognize the value that women add to our governance, and how often they are a breath of fresh air in contrast to the frequent shortcomings that many men in politics bring to the table. We are proud to be forward-thinking in this regard and celebrate their contributions.