Scottsdale Taxpayers Deserve the Record, Not the Spin

By Tom Kube Councilwoman Solange Whitehead used a Scottsdale Independent column to claim Councilman Barry Graham “killed” a $250 million water-recycling program and would eventually send costs to complete the program soaring. She voted for the budget herself, then closed by urging a vote for Raoul Zubia. Anyone who watched the meeting knows the city is waiting on updated environmental … Read More

Raoul Zubia Is Being Defined, Whether He Notices or Not

By Miles Cavanaugh Somebody Fills the Silence Every candidate gets defined by someone. The only real question is who gets there first. Right now, for Raoul Zubia, that’s Barry Graham’s coalition, and not necessarily because anyone cornered the market on him unfairly. It’s because Zubia hasn’t shown up with a competing version of his own. The story circulating about him, … Read More

What Listening Looks Like — and What It Doesn’t

By Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas Your Council majority listens to you, and as a result Scottsdale is doing more with less. We are lowering tax rates, catching up on deferred maintenance, ending cost overruns, accelerating capital projects, and fully funding public safety. We are getting back to core services. Our majority also stopped asking residents to fund ideological pet programs, stopped … Read More

Guest Editorial: Where Council Candidates Stand on Short-Term Rentals Matters

By Kristian Vial, Scottsdale resident  I have lived in South Scottsdale for many years. One issue that continues to concern me is what short-term rentals have done to our neighborhoods. Apparently, the city has roughly 4,000 of them, with many houses now are run like mini-motels, with noise, trash, and trouble,  including underage drinking and violence reported in the news. … Read More

Guest Editorial: Graham And His Allies Are Misleading Voters

By Raoul Zubia In an August 7th op-ed on this very website, Barry Graham attacked me over a $5,000 contribution from Axon President Josh Isner. The claim was that I said I hadn’t received contributions from Axon in a June 29th forum, and then two days later I received a donation from Mr. Isner. Yesterday, a new piece from a … Read More

Scottsdale Voters Deserve Accountability, Not Special Interests

By Terry Babb Scottsdale voters want candidates who answer to them—not special interests. With three candidates remaining for two City Council seats, I am increasingly concerned that residents are not the top priority for one of them. At a June candidate forum, Raoul Zubia assured voters that his campaign finance reports would show “there’s nothing that says Axon on it.” … Read More

Guest Editorial: Steady Leadership, Not Selective Outrage

By Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas Councilman Barry Graham leads with logic, patience, and courage. That’s why I was disappointed to see Councilwoman Solange Whitehead level inaccurate criticisms at him that are designed to promote her radical candidate for the 2026 Scottsdale City Council general election. Whitehead overlooks an important chapter in Scottsdale’s history: the period when Whitehead led the council majority … Read More

Guarantee: Michelle Ugenti-Rita Will Win One Of Two Remaining Scottsdale Council Seats Up For Grabs In November

By Hamilton With the surprising and some would say selfless decision by Bob Littlefield to withdraw from the Scottsdale City Council race, it leaves three candidates for two seats this fall: former state lawmaker Michelle Ugenti-Rita, incumbent Councilman Barry Graham and community advocate Raoul Zubia, who is making a more spirited run after an unsuccessful candidacy in 2022. But there … Read More