There once was a woman in England that had this nickname. It’s appropriate for Scottsdale City Councilwoman Linda Milhaven too. Next month will be the first time in 12 years the dais will not benefit from her determination, grit and smarts. Term limits are the culprit. Milhaven is the type of person every City Council needs. Learned. Unafraid. She has been an indefatigable proponent for … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Political Earthquake In Scottsdale No One Is Talking About . . .And Ramifications For The City’s Future
By Jason Rose I ran my first successful campaign in Scottsdale in 1994. Two years later I consulted on the campaign that elected the city’s first female mayor, Sam Campana. Ever since I have been heavily involved in the Scottsdale political scene leading elections for other mayors, hockey arenas and bonds to fund new infrastructure. I offer these credentials not … Read More
Allies, Alignment & Alexander
Once upon a time Jason Alexander and Solange Whitehead were allies. They worked smartly and effectively on the same team to defeat the ill-conceived Desert Discovery Center a few years back. In many ways Alexander’s indefatigable leadership paved the way for Whitehead’s election in 2018. But a split has developed between the two, largely on policy lines. This recent Facebook exchange about a … Read More
Scottsdale’s Impact Of Activism
While Scottsdale has always had an engaged electorate, what happened in 2018 supercharged it. The ramifications are now becoming clearer, importantly and insightfully. Three years ago about this time the “Desert Discovery Center” proposed for the Gateway in the city’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve was on its way to a landslide defeat at the ballot box. Years of wrangling … Read More
#LocalBuzz: Q&A With Scottsdale City Councilman Tom Durham
By Scottsdale Pinetop It’s been over five months since Scottsdale welcomed its newly elected city council members, who all earned their seats at the Nov. 3 General Election, including Councilman Tom Durham who gathered 58,194 votes in last year’s election. Mr. Durham and his wife have lived in Scottsdale since 2015. He became interested in local politics in 2018 during … Read More
Know Your Audience
There have been some recent stories in local media about the Goldwater Institute jumping into a Scottsdale issue about access to its public swimming pools. The organization is intervening on behalf of a for-profit Valley-based swim company called Neptune. Neptune argues, as does Goldwater, that Scottsdale should basically commercialize its pools to favor it, over Scottsdale schools and local non-profits … Read More
Scottsdale’s Most Powerful & Persuasive Pol And The City’s Very Good Week
We’re not sure how certain even she was of victory when she ran for Scottsdale City Council in 2018. But when you are relentlessly positive and have a wave issue like opposition to the Desert Discovery Center to ride things can, and did, turn out well for Solange Whitehead. Two years later, after smartly and deliberately taking her time to … Read More
Back By Popular Demand
It must be frustrating to talk so much but never really speak. Or to impact anything. Or to be routinely laughed at and about. Such is the life of resident Scottsdale ignoramus Rod Pritchett. While tempting and appropriate to ignore someone who is as wayward as he is weird — we failed to do so on one occasion last year. … Read More
Impressions on Scottsdale’s Council Candidate Debate – Part II
By Scottsdale Pinetop With early voting starting in a couple of weeks for the November 3rd General Election, the political attacks are flying more frequently. And yesterday’s city council candidate debate was no exception. Moderated by Chris Haines from Scottsdale Community College, here are key impressions and highlights: *Development, density and economic growth continues to be the #1 issue in … Read More
Sam Campana: Scottsdale’s First Woman Mayor
By Scottsdale Pinetop Known for her dedication and passion for the arts and environment, Sam Campana has been a leader in many quality of life issues in Arizona and a trailblazer for Scottsdale women in politics. She served on the Scottsdale City Council for 12 years and Mayor from 1996-2000, becoming the first female Mayor in Scottsdale history. She previously … Read More