Tearing Apart the Data of the Scottsdale Elections: Propositions 490 and 491

Scottsdale’s recent elections were interesting ones, with an incumbent mayor losing and two incumbent councilmembers losing their bids for re-election. And there was one (well, two) very clear winners in this election: Propositions 490 and 491. As a reminder, Proposition 490 served as an extension of the existing 0.2% sales tax which was expiring this year, reducing it to 0.15% … Read More

Cuatro Kudos

One of the best things that happened in Scottsdale Tuesday night was the decisive passage of Propositions 490 and 491 despite an odd conglomeration of opponents.  Both measures will meaningfully provide important funding of city parks, the spectacular Preserve, our great public safety and our significant “Central Park” that is WestWorld.   It will do so for generations. Though not as dramatic as … Read More

Guest Editorial: Prop 491 – A Straight Answer to Naysayers

By Councilwoman Betty Janik Prop 491 asks voters to approve a $22M adjustment to the base expenditure limit. This amount is calculated and regulated by the state. The ballot language (tagline text) with the $22M request is standard text used by Scottsdale in the past along with all other cities. Additionally, Arizona League of Cities and Towns provides this draft … Read More

Guest Editorial: Improved Parks and Better Public Safety with 100% Accountability are Good for Scottsdale and Our Economy.

By the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce The Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce urges you to please vote YES on Proposition 490, the “To Protect and To Preserve Scottsdale” ballot measure. This measure will take the place of an expiring city sales tax at a lower rate to fund improvements and increased maintenance for parks citywide, beginning in the aging … Read More

Scottsdale’s Dirty Little Secret: “Conservatives” and “Tax Increases”

By Ronald Sampson We’ve all seen this movie before in Scottsdale: when any sort of tax is mentioned in any capacity, so-called conservatives come out of the woodwork and tell you about how the money will be wasted, how it’s unnecessary, etc. Time and time again, regardless of the merits of the tax, lobbyists set the messaging and political candidates, … Read More

Guest Editorial: Happy 30th Birthday Sweet Lady

By Councilwoman Betty Janik Our beloved McDowell Sonoran Preserve turns 30 years old on October 3, 2024.  I applaud the vision of our city leaders who recognized the value of the McDowells and preserved it for posterity.  I applaud the wisdom of our citizenry who supported the land acquisition with their vote and dollars.  The Preserve has grown to over … Read More