“I was informed by city management today, after a 65-day investigation, that Chief of Staff R. Lamar Whitmer, has been terminated. To be clear, I do not condone inappropriate workplace conversations, did not witness them and would not tolerate them. Furthermore, I fully believe workplace rules should be followed, public trust should never be abused, and this has been fully … Read More
ParkingGate 2.0: Scottsdale’s $100K-Per-Spot Garage Just Won’t Quit
By Alexander Lomax Just when you thought Scottsdale’s most dramatic parking saga might finally find a spot to rest, the city went ahead and unveiled its grand vision for the Brown Avenue Parking Structure Expansion: a four-level, Western-style garage that will set taxpayers back a cool $18 million, or roughly $100,000 per parking stall. Yes, per stall. Let that marinate. … Read More
A Career Built on Service: Jeff Walther Announces Retirement from Scottsdale
After 32 years of service to the City of Scottsdale and a career arc few could have scripted. Assistant City Manager Jeff Walther announced this week that he will retire on April 3, 2026. In a letter shared with city staff, Walther reflected with characteristic grace on a journey that took him from patrol officer to the highest ranks of … Read More
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky applauds surging sales‑tax revenues and calls new financial data ‘A Mandate to Keep Moving Forward’
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky is celebrating a fresh wave of positive economic news following last Tuesday’s financial update from the City Treasurer’s Office. At its quarterly update, the City Treasurer’s Office is reporting the city’s sales‑tax revenues are outperforming revenue projections through the second quarter of this fiscal year. New data presented to the City Council shows General Fund revenues … Read More
Mayor Borowsky blasts draft Colorado River plan, urges adequate protection for Scottsdale’s future
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky is calling on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to revise its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for post‑2026 Colorado River operations, warning that the current proposal fails to protect cities like Scottsdale that depend heavily on the Central Arizona Project (CAP) for its water supply. Mayor Borowsky submitted a detailed letter to the Bureau of Reclamation … Read More
Mayor Borowsky Statement: Scottsdale doubles down on firefighter health with unanimous City Council vote
Scottsdale City Council is moving forward with a state-of-the-art, cancer‑screening program for Scottsdale firefighters, an initiative that has garnered the full support of Mayor Lisa Borowsky. On the heels of the Feb. 10 City Council meeting where the effort received unanimous approval, Scottsdale is entering into an annual contract with Vincere Physicians Group at a cost of $400,000 per year, … Read More
Is David Ortega set to take another run at Mayor?
By U of A Lefty Stay tuned….
Guest Editorial: We’ve Only Just Begun
By Bob Littlefield Dear Friends: For over a year coverage of the attempt by Axon to build a massive apartment complex in Scottsdale has dominated local media. Yet despite all this attention there is a huge amount of misinformation in the publics’ mind about what is the status of that situation. This misinformation is coming from the proponents of the … Read More
Scottsdale honors Black History Month
Today, Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky issued a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month, honoring the history, culture and achievements of the African American community. “This proclamation highlights the significant role African Americans have played in shaping the social, cultural, economic, and civic landscape of the United States,” Mayor Borowsky said. Black History Month serves as an opportunity for communities … Read More
The Elephant That Wasn’t in the Room: What Mayor Borowsky Didn’t Say
Mayor Lisa Borowsky delivered her State of the City address last Thursday with plenty to say about internal turmoil, staff departures, and the need for a Charter Review Committee. She spoke of accountability, transparency, and honoring the authority of voters. What she conspicuously didn’t mention? The single most contentious issue that has dominated Scottsdale politics for the past year: the … Read More