Today, the Scottsdale City Council will be at a crossroads with a critical vote; it will decide if it will proceed with litigation against newly-created state law that stole our ability to determine our own fates. You may remember how Axon decided to circumvent your desire and the desires of the over 25,000 voters who wanted to bring their apartment … Read More
Shots Fired Yet Again: Barry Graham Strikes the Best Kind of Blow Against Axon
by Alexander Lomax I’ll be honest: I’m not always a fan of Scottsdale Councilman Barry Graham. I’ve been critical of him before and will continue to do so when it’s warranted. But I’m also fair and will give credit where it’s due, and I will always give credit to a good judo move in politics. Judo seems like a pretty … Read More
Guest Editorial: Residents deserve value for their tax dollars.💵
By Councilman Barry Graham
How Creepy is Cringy Josh Isner?
By Ronald Sampson When it comes to public faces of corporations, many of us know of Rick Smith, CEO of Axon. You have probably read many pieces about his unwanted apartment megacomplex in Scottsdale and his push to circumvent the will of the people to get his wish (you can read our coverage here). But there has been a significantly … Read More
Scottsdale Budget Concerns: Political Theater or Fiscal Reality?
By Ronald Sampson 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 … Read More
Guest Editorial: Doing My Job Working For You
By Councilmember Barry Graham
Will Scottsdale Leadership Kowtow to Goldwater? A Ritzy Banquet May Offer Clues
By Ronald Sampson Perhaps I’m biased, but Scottsdale voters have a pretty good track record when it comes to voting on propositions. There are very few that I believe we collectively made the wrong choice on. This past cycle was no different, as despite a very vocal minority the citizenry voted with a large margin to fully fund and expand … Read More
Guest Editorial: The importance of passing ideology-free budgets in Scottsdale
By Councilman Barry Graham City government works best when it’s anchored in its essential responsibilities: keeping residents safe, maintaining the city’s infrastructure and preserving public open space. That’s why I’m proud of the FY2026 budget that the city council is currently working on — a return to fundamentals that one of my colleagues calls “public safety, potholes and parks.” There’s … Read More
Our Leaders are Fighting for Our City, and We Should Be Thankful
By Alexander Lomax Checks and balances are important in life. We need checks and balances in our government, checks and balances in our interpersonal relationships, and checks and balances within the corporate world. Complete overregulation is bad, but a world where corporations have no checks on their power isn’t any better either as the industrial revolution taught us (if you … Read More
The New Sheriffs are in Town: Scottsdale Shows a New Direction with Sustainability Plan Repeal
By Ronald Sampson Scottsdale voted for change in this past election; it rejected a couple sitting councilmembers and the incumbent mayor. And it only took about one week, but Scottsdale is already getting a strong whiff of that change. Last week was a very busy one at the council dais, and the new iteration of council is setting its sights … Read More