By Councilwoman Betty Janik I urge you to re-elect Mayor Dave Ortega for a second term on Scottsdale City Council. Much has been accomplished in his first term. He was instrumental in passing the General Plan, he has been the regional leader in controlling short term rentals, he has kept city finances in the black while increasing reserves and reducing … Read More
Early Election Results: Potential Shocks, Numerous Surprises
By Alexander Lomax The initial primary results have come in, and at the time of writing there are still a few questions but also a number of answers. There were a couple shocks, some more surprises, and increased clarity as to how the November elections will shake out. First off, Republican turnout was robust both locally and throughout the county; … Read More
Government Matchmakers: What if Scottsdale Followed Japan’s Lead?
For all the single people out there, would you like your government to help you find a mate? We’re going to garner a guess that nearly 100% of the responses would range from “No!” to “Hell no!”. But that is precisely what parts of Japan are doing to help stem their population decline due to low birth rates. Scottsdale has … Read More
Former Mayor Jim Lane, Misguided Opponents to Popular Scottsdale Initiative Get Smacked Down in Court
By Ronald Sampson Regular readers and most Scottsdalians are aware of Proposition 490, the Protect and Preserve Initiative that will expand maintenance and upgrades for our city’s many parks while simultaneously reducing our collective tax burden, a situation that’s as much of a win-win as you will ever find in government. But of course, you will never make 100% of … Read More
Sparks Fly in Recent Scottsdale Mayoral Debate
As you almost certainly know, Scottsdale voters will decide on July 30th whether or not to give David Ortega a second term. Former councilmembers Lisa Borowsky and Linda Milhaven are taking him on and attempting to make it to a run-off election in November, and a recent forum demonstrated both that the knives have officially come out, and what specific … Read More
Will Mayor David Ortega Win Outright on July 30th?
Amongst the many partisan primaries that will be decided in the July 30th election, Scottsdale will also have its municipal races on that same ballot, both mayoral and city council races. While perhaps one city council candidate will avoid a run-off and win outright in July (Tammy Caputi has the best chance with an enormous fundraising lead), the mayoral race … Read More
Scottsdale Politics: How is the Mayoral Race Looking?
This year’s Scottsdale mayoral race won’t be anywhere near as wild as it was in 2020. Back then there were five competitors, including five current and past city councilmembers, vying for an open seat. This year it is much more tame, with an incumbent running against two former councilmembers. As is often the case in politics, the campaign finance reports … Read More
Who is the Heck is Mason Gates?
Scottsdalians who use social media have almost certainly been confronted with Mason Gates; he is a Scottsdale city council candidate who has seemingly come out of nowhere, spraying digital ads throughout the city, highlighting videos of him speaking and what he touts as an army of kids willing to do his bidding. While digital political ads are nothing new, his … Read More
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
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