Beneath Paradise Valley, one of the greatest small towns in America, lies political acrimony. It’s surprising. In a community where so many are happy with its direction those who serve and help make it so are often at each other’s throats. Much of this in recent times was caused by council cancer Paul Dembow. He had a terrible relationship with Councilman Mark Stanton, was … Read More
Finally, the State Believes in Local Control, and PV Mayor Uses Opportunity to Stop STRs
As any regular readers on this blog or any civically engaged people in the Scottsdale area know, short-term rentals have been a persistent problem across much of the Valley. Due to very short-sighted legislation seemingly designed to benefit AirBnb and VRBO, the hands of local leaders were tied when it came to dealing with this issue. Indeed, the same politicians … Read More
Signs, Signs, Everywhere There’s Signs…Still
Political street signs are one of the most prevalent forms of political advertising, and simultaneously one of the most obnoxious. For half a year every high-traffic corner in the county turns into an arms race to see who can get the best placement, and as a result as many as a dozen signs crowd out every free square foot of … Read More
Paradise Valley’s Long Nightmare is Over: Paul Dembow is Out
In the immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice”. It took 12 years worth of arc, but Paradise Valley finally found its justice in the form of a thorough electoral spanking. After three terms as Town Councilman, Paul Dembow lost his bid for a fourth term, and … Read More
Sparks are Starting to Fly in Paradise Valley Race as Accusations Fly
Things certainly seem to be heating up in the race for Paradise Valley Mayor between incumbent Jerry Bien-Willner and current Councilmember Julie Pace. As we get towards the finish line (there will not be a run-off after the August 2nd race) things have gotten a bit testy, with significant accusations from Pace and shots back from Bien-Willner. The current ruckus … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Power of Teamwork in Protecting Paradise Valley’s Residential Neighborhoods
By Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner Dear Fellow Paradise Valley Resident: Tonight the Town is honored to publicly recognize and thank former Mayor Robert (“Bob”) Plenge, who is “retiring” as a Police Department volunteer after many decades of stellar volunteer service across many areas for our community. Here’s a quote from Bob about public service that stands out in my mind. “I … Read More
We Have a Race for Paradise Valley Mayor: Pace vs Bien-Willner
Paradise Valley politics have often been relatively similar to the nature of the town itself; a bit sleepy, not too much excitement happening (save a cross being stolen), just how its residents prefer. But that may be changing this year, as not only will we have competitive Town Council races, but it also looks like we will have a Mayoral … Read More
Former Paradise Valley Mayors LeMarr and Parker: Mayor Bien-Willner Deserves Our Thanks — and Another Term
By Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner Dear Friends, I wanted to share with you this guest column in the Town of Paradise Valley Independent written by former mayors Scott LeMarr and Vernon Parker. I’m proud to have their support and appreciate their kind words. By Scott LeMarr and Vernon Parker, former Mayors of Paradise Valley As former mayors of the Town of Paradise Valley, we … Read More
A PV Shake-up – A Mayoral Battle and New Entrant for City Council Race is Making Waves in Paradise Valley
Paradise Valley politics haven’t always been the most exciting, but recent events demonstrate that 2022 will be different, as new entrants for Mayor and City Council will likely mix things up significantly. Councilmember Julie Pace recently submitted paperwork to run for Mayor in what will certainly be a closely watched battle against incumbent Jerry Bien-Willner. The two have had a … Read More