In advance of the Iraq War and facing profound domestic opposition, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair shied away from no one, including his fiercest critic in the media. He stood his ground and defended his position. Whether one agreed with it at the time it showed confidence, command and leadership.
We feel the same way about Scottsdale City Councilwoman Linda Milhaven. While we may disagree with her on support for the Desert Discovery Center, she is Tony Blair on a local level.
Milhaven is pro-business, pro-arts, pro-downtown and pro-preservation. Responsive to all, she seems to relish engagement on the toughest issues. In many ways she is the constitution of what makes Scottsdale great, and where the majority of citizens are, as reflected in the 2016 mayoral election. And Milhaven has a resume to match. Banker. Former head of the Scottsdale Cultural Council. Public service.
A recent Scottsdale Republic article revealed her as the only certain incumbent or potential challenger to run. That’s great news for Scottsdale. Our jury is still out when it comes to the others (Councilman David Smith, Counwilwoman Kathy Littlefield and NO DDC chieftain Jason Alexander). It’s not if Mayor Jim Lane ally Bill Crawford decides to run in 2018, or 2020.
But for now it’s not too early to celebrate, and endorse a class, impressive act named Linda Milhaven.