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
Guest Editorial: Scottsdale’s Budget Priorities
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead Scottsdale’s 2025–26 tentative budget is poised for unanimous approval. With some notable exceptions, it funds long-standing community priorities. The fiscal discipline of past City Councils and voter-approved funding streams make this budget possible. In my six years on Council, we’ve reduced police retirement debt by $60 million, built a $120 million reserve, and lowered taxes. Our … 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
An AP&G Exclusive: Our Interview with Scottsdale City Councilwoman and Vice Mayor Jan Dubauskas
Councilwoman, thank you so much for your time. We know that our readership would love to learn more about you and appreciate that you’ve given us the opportunity to show them. For any newly elected official, there is always some disconnect between what they thought the position would be and what it actually is. What has been a pleasant surprise … Read More
Guest Editorial: Tears for Tolerance
By Betty Janik On February 11, 2025, Scottsdale City Council was asked to vote on Ordinance 4662 which ensured COS employees are hired and promoted based on merit and to discontinue DEI programs. Once again, certain members of Council fabricated a problem that does not exist in the halls of Council and concocted a solution that was totally unwarranted, but … Read More
Guest Editorial: Saying Goodbye and Thank You & Happy New Year!
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead As we wrap up our four years together, I am writing to thank my outgoing colleagues Mayor David Ortega and Councilmembers Betty Janik, Tammy Caputi, and Tom Durham. Together we set Scottsdale on a winning trajectory that will deliver results for decades to come. I am so honored to have worked with all of you and wanted to highlight some of … Read More
Tearing Apart the Data of the Scottsdale Elections: City Council
In our series where we break down the election results from Scottsdale, we have already looked at the mayoral race as well as the ballot propositions. For our third of three pieces, we will take a look at the Scottsdale City Council races, typified by major upheaval as both incumbents on the November ballot were ousted (after newcomer Jan Dubauskas … Read More
Guest Editorial: Thank You Scottsdale
By Councilwoman Tammy Caputi The results of the general election are complete, and the outcome is disappointing. We never let up after the primary, talking to residents and businesses all over the city. We maintained a positive, forward-thinking, Independent message and refused to get drawn in to negative campaigning, but unfortunately this was an anti-incumbent cycle that seemed to value … Read More
Repost: Finally, an Arizona politician does the right thing. He quits.
By EJ Montini (original article can be found here) Scottsdale City Council member Tom Durham did something Thursday night that anyone who follow politics on any level would find to be shocking, even bizarre. It’s called … the right thing. I know. I had a hard time believing it myself when I read the article by The Arizona Republic’s Sam Kmack. Durham … Read More
Guest Editorial: Prop 490 No Longer in Limbo
By Councilwoman Betty Janik Prop 490, the sales tax measure to protect and preserve open space, will be on the November Ballot. It has been a tortuous path. The Goldwater Institute filed suit late in the game on behalf of Mayor Lane, Yvonne Cahill, and Susan Wood to block it from the November ballot alleging misleading information. The lower court … Read More