By Ronald Sampson
Photo Credit: Arizona PBS
It has been quite the turbulent first half of the first year for Scottsdale’s new mayor and newest iteration of city council, and somehow the hits keep coming for this crew, with the latest point of contention being fiscal.
Scottsdale’s 2025-26 budget has sparked significant controversy despite its superficial appearance of fiscal responsibility. While city officials tout a 4% decrease in the overall budget, critics warn of concerning trends beneath the surface that expose fundamental contradictions within the city’s self-proclaimed “conservative caucus.”
The budget concerns raised by former city treasurer David Smith appear valid and concerning. His warnings about “unsustainable financial imbalance” are backed by concrete numbers: a 16% increase in operating expenses and a 20% depletion of reserves. The city plans to spend $30 million more on labor costs alone, including $12.5 million in salary adjustments that the Budget Review Commission specifically recommended eliminating.
These fiscal realities are particularly problematic given that three newly elected officials, Mayor Lisa Borowsky, Jan Dubauskas, and Adam Kwasman, campaigned explicitly on cutting wasteful spending and restoring fiscal sanity. Their approval of significant spending increases while depleting reserves could certainly be seen as campaign promises colliding with governing realities.
The political implications are significant. The conservative coalition that swept into power now faces credibility issues as they’ve essentially embraced the spending patterns they previously criticized. Former Mayor David Ortega’s characterization of the roundabout cancellation as a “$62-million blunder” provides ammunition for future challengers, while former Councilwoman Tammy Caputi’s pointed criticism about spending “like a weekend in Vegas” suggests brewing opposition.
Most telling is the chaotic budget approval process itself, which Councilwoman Solange Whitehead described as reflecting “the most toxic council in multiple media outlets.” This dysfunction, combined with substantive fiscal concerns, is certain to leave potential electoral opponents already writing up their critiques and ready to go on the offensive.
The budget debate reveals a deeper truth about local politics: conservative rhetoric often yields to practical pressures once in office. Scottsdale’s residents, who voted for fiscal restraint, are instead witnessing accelerated spending and depleted reserves: a disconnect that may reshape the city’s political landscape in future elections.