By Alexander Lomax If this recent election taught us anything, it’s that the economy and immigration were major subjects that the larger electorate sought out change for. And immigration as a priority issue is nothing new for us Zonies; it might be the one singular evergreen issue that we have as a border state. And Democrats, at least at the … 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
Can Laurie Roberts Keep Her Complaints Straight? Her Wrong-Headed Approach to Education Spending
By Alexander Lomax Laurie Roberts is perhaps the local media’s most prominent and prolific crap-talker. Her style is one of consistent bear-poking; you will almost never read her give kudos to politicians, but instead take them to task about some perceived injustice. And there’s a role for that; politicians are good enough at spinning their supposed successes and hiding their … Read More
Potential Civil War with Arizona Democrats Brewing? Governor Hobbs May Have a Serious Primary Challenger
By Alexander Lomax All’s fair in love, war, and politics, but there are typically a few axioms that keep people in line and keep order in what can otherwise be a cutthroat, back-stabbing industry. One of those is that when your party holds a significant seat, you do not give them a tough primary. Sure, you can prevent some fringe … Read More
What I Wish for the New Year
By Ronald Sampson Here we are yet again…another trip around the sun, another year of wins and losses, of mistakes and corrections, or joy and regrets. I prefer not to make resolutions, because I don’t want the accountability and expectations put on myself. I don’t need anyone reminding me of what I thought I should be doing months before. I’m … Read More
As Kyrsten Sinema Prepares to Leave the Senate, What Should We Think About her Legacy?
By Alexander Lomax In politics, “one and done” is almost universally a negative. Never in my lifetime has a President chosen not to run for re-election after their first term save the emergency scramble to pressure Biden not to, so a “one-term President” means electoral failure. A one-term Congressman barely has enough time to ditch a map of the building … Read More
AP&G Exclusive: An Interview with Scottsdale City Councilwoman Tammy Caputi
Thank you for taking some time out to chat with us, Councilwoman Caputi. It’s been a great four years in Scottsdale, and your leadership played a big role in that. When you look back on the last four years, what are you most proud of? The city is better today than it was 4 years ago by every metric, and … Read More
Is This the Kind of History Scottsdale Wants to Make?
Scottsdale is a city that prides itself on being refined, on being a leader in luxury. It has culturally led the way in the state by consistently holding high standards and not bending them. The result has been a city that is a national leader in tourism and a destination within the state. Recently however, Scottsdale has been redefining its … Read More
AP&G Exclusive: An Interview with Councilman-Elect Adam Kwasman
Thank you Mr. Kwasman for taking some time to chat with us, and congratulations on your victory. It was quite a year for change with a near complete upheaval at City Hall. Why do you think voters decided on this new direction? Scottsdale residents rightly realized that this city was on the wrong track. Voters overwhelmingly stated that their elected, … Read More
What is Solange Whitehead Doing??
By Ronald Sampson When following elected leaders, you have to be used to disappointment. They need to make myriad decisions on votes and even the best of them have to make difficult and sometimes bad decisions. It’s a part of life…you can never expect perfection. But what this lame-duck iteration of the Scottsdale City Council has done has been beyond … Read More