Op-Ed: Scottsdale Voters Spoke. The Courts Agreed. Barry Graham Was Wrong.

By Raoul Zubia

Scottsdale has always been a community that thinks ahead. We protect our open spaces, invest in our neighborhoods, and understand that preserving what makes our city special requires more than promises. It requires planning and action.

That’s why I’m especially proud of last week’s Arizona Court of Appeals decision upholding Proposition 490.

As Vice Chair of Scottsdale’s Protect and Preserve Task Force, I helped develop Proposition 490 because I believed our city needed a responsible, long-term commitment to protecting our parks, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and public safety.

In November 2024, Scottsdale voters agreed. Proposition 490 passed with nearly 60% support.

But not everyone supported that vision. My opponent, Barry Graham, opposed Proposition 490 and worked against the measure. While we were building a plan to protect Scottsdale’s future, others were fighting an investment voters ultimately embraced.

Now, the courts have affirmed the voters’ decision.

The Arizona Court of Appeals rejected the legal challenge, determining that Proposition 490 was not subject to the referendum supermajority requirement asserted by its opponents.

This ruling is about more than a court case. It’s about respecting voters and recognizing that Scottsdale’s greatest assets don’t protect themselves.

Our parks need maintenance. Our Preserve requires stewardship. Our public safety priorities demand sustained attention. These responsibilities don’t disappear because they’re politically inconvenient.

I believe leadership means bringing people together, identifying solutions, and doing the hard work necessary to deliver results.

Proposition 490 is an example of that approach. I was proud to help build it, proud to advocate for it, and proud that Scottsdale residents supported it.

As we consider Scottsdale’s future, I hope we remember this lesson: protecting our quality of life means planning beyond the next election.

The voters spoke. The courts agreed. Now let’s keep moving Scottsdale forward.