Scottsdale Mayor David D. Ortega Files for Second Term

Editor’s note: this is the press release sent out by the Ortega campaign this morning The Right Mayor at the Right Time for Scottsdale Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega files to run for a second term. Under his leadership, Scottsdale’s reputation as a beautiful, safe, clean and health-driven, world- class community has been strengthened.  Mayor Ortega focuses on supporting public safety, … Read More

A Positive Development Comes at a Risk

It has long been spoken about on this blog and in other places the degree to which the unfettered development growth days are over with in Scottsdale. Instead, today’s ethos is leadership that requests a significantly higher bar for developers to hurdle over in order to earn a blessing from the council dais, and an engaged and active citizenry that … Read More

She’s In: Linda Milhaven Jumps Into Scottsdale Mayoral Race

She’s In Former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Linda Milhaven earlier this week filed the paperwork to officially enter the 2024 race against Mayor David Ortega. Lisa Borowsky, also a former Scottsdale City Councilwoman and Ortega’s final foe in 2020, has left little doubt that she also intends to run. Even more interesting is yet another former — thrice elected Mayor Jim … Read More

STRs Persist as Issue in Scottsdale, Will It Become an Election Hot-Button Again?

Short-term rentals (STRs) turned into a considerable campaign issue in 2020 as out-of-control parties became an issue in many Scottsdale neighborhoods, angering many constituents and igniting calls for change. It became one of the platform points for Dave Ortega’s successful run for Mayor that year, and while some changes have been made, it’s increasingly evident that it is still a … Read More

Mayor Dave Ortega and the Inevitability of his Re-Election

By Alexander Lomax It is nearly a year away from election season, and making predictions this far out is a complete fool’s errand nearly all of the time. And yet, here I am playing the fool with a strong degree of confidence: Mayor Dave Ortega is all but certain to win re-election. How can I say this so confidently? Of … Read More

It’s Official: Tammy Caputi Not Challenging David Ortega for Mayor

Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega will be facing what could be a tough re-election campaign next year, with a number of strong known and potential candidates looking to unseat him. However his path towards re-election looks as though it will be a bit easier with a recent announcement. In a reversal from what was long rumored but ultimately found to be … Read More

Flagstaff Elections Send a Direct Warning to Banner Health in Scottsdale

Regular readers know of the saga playing out in Scottsdale with Banner Health; they are attempting to shoehorn in an unnecessary hospital in order to supposedly address a non-existent need in the face of largely non-existent public support. But in what is a gigantic shot across the bow in a similar situation elsewhere in the state, public support seems to … Read More

Looking Forward: The Scottsdale Mayoral Race

Next year will present many interesting electoral races; along with a Presidential race, Arizona will showcase what is likely to be one of the most interesting Senate races in the country, as well as all of the countywide races. But there will also be a host of local races, and for those of us in Scottsdale, the headline municipal race … Read More

Unfortunate Requests for More Unnecessary Density in Scottsdale

By Ronald Sampson There has been a concerted shift away from the development hey-days of the past in Scottsdale, when it felt as though any interesting and well-financed idea conceived by developers would make its way through the city council with relative ease. More recently traffic, crowds (i.e. population density) and construction have made activists out of everyday people, and … Read More