One of the bigger surprises of the November election was the relative trouncing that incumbent Mayor Dave Ortega received at the hands of Lisa Borowsky. Most pundits figured it would be a close election but that the power of incumbency would win out; instead, the mayoral race mirrored a significant rightward shift across American politics, and Borowsky won by over 9,000 votes.
The new mayor and city council have made a point of putting their imprints on the city in a decided change of direction, and as such provides us a good point of comparison and contrast to look back on Ortega’s four years.
So how should Ortega be remembered? Perhaps he will best be remembered by the ruckuses he caused in defense of the city of Scottsdale. For instance, he was one of the most forthright voices speaking up against the excesses of short-term rentals (STRs), particularly “party houses” and the disruption they can cause. His lobbying at the State Capitol helped lead to incrementally more control for municipalities.
In the same vein was the pushback against water usage at the Rio Verde Foothills. While the action he took to cut off water to the “wildcat” development was unpopular amongst many other legislators (leading to notable showdowns with County Supervisor Thomas Galvin and state legislators), it was part and parcel of his approach of unapologetically fighting for Scottsdale.
Ortega would also be happy to tout the passing of the Scottsdale General Plan 2035, which he campaigned for. He also campaigned for the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance which also passed through a more liberal iteration of city council.
That said, what many will remember Ortega for is less flattering. While he had some traditional successes at the council dais, his demeanor at least partially became his undoing. While friends may consider him a man of strong opinions, detractors would call him obstinate, stubborn, and abrasive.
He was known for not stepping down from a battle and sometimes inflaming them, often publicly. In fact, he often seemed to relish going to battle, often with people who should be considered political allies (former Councilwoman Caputi comes to mind), often leaving him with few friends and allies. The soft skills of political influence were something that always seemed to evade him, often and easily abandoned in favor of attempts at political brute force.
So what will Ortega’s legacy be? Well, it’s complicated. But one thing that no one will ever take away from him is his love for the city of Scottsdale and willingness to fight for it. You may disagree with his approaches but no one should ever disagree with that.