By Jeanne Beasley Elections have consequences. This week, Scottsdale families saw just how significant those consequences can be when the Governing Board voted 3-2 to close two more neighborhood schools. Copper Ridge and Laguna will join Pima and Echo Canyon as schools our community is losing. Four schools in less than a year. Behind every closure are students, teachers, families, … Read More
Op-Ed: Scottsdale Deserves a Council Member Above Suspicion. That Isn’t Graham.
By Susan Salvaterra Public office runs on trust. Barry Graham has spent that trust down to almost nothing. Graham is at the center of an Attorney General investigation into whether Scottsdale’s council violated open meeting law. According to the Arizona Republic, five of the six citizen complaints involve him. They allege that he used personal email accounts to coordinate talking … Read More
Former Scottsdale Planning Commissioner Christian Serena Weighing in on the Scottsdale City Council Race
I served on Scottsdale’s Planning Commission when Axon asked us to approve roughly 1,900 apartments at Hayden and the Loop 101. I read every page of the plans. I listened to the residents who filled our hearings. And I voted no. What followed was documented in a letter from the city attorney: pressure aimed at my private employer over that … Read More
Scottsdale Needs Real Control Over Short-Term Rentals
By Raoul Zubia I have lived in this neighborhood since the 1960s. For the past few years, I have been living in my childhood home to help my aging mother. In all those years, I had never heard gunfire on our street until early Sunday morning. Shots were fired in the front yard, the backyard and the street of a … Read More
Op-Ed: Scottsdale’s Future Depends on Getting Water and Growth Right
By Ana Landeros I’m proud to be a Scottsdale resident. I attended our schools here, graduated from Coronado High School, and now attend Scottsdale Community College. My family and I moved to Scottsdale because of its promise of community and opportunity. Now, at 18 years old, I know that the decisions made about Scottsdale today will impact my generation and … Read More
Old Town Farmers Market Move – A Success!
By Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas Scottsdale’s treasured Old Town Farmers Market has a vibrant new home at City Hall – and the results are better than anyone expected! The expanded site now offers seating, shade from trees and solar canopies, and more space for vendors and families. On opening day Oct. 3, the market drew an estimated 2,700 visitors—about 1,000 more … Read More
Op-Ed: Barry Graham’s Message and His Money Don’t Add Up
By John Ainley Barry Graham wants us to believe he is Scottsdale’s anti-development candidate. His campaign finances tell a different story. During his 2022 run, while presenting himself as a fierce opponent of development, Barry collected more than $20,000 from real estate and development executives. That pattern continues in this race. When Barry voted against The Parque project, which Raoul … Read More
Judge me on my record, not my opponents’ accusations.
By Raoul Zubia Christian Serena’s op-ed is a list of things I didn’t do. I didn’t write SB 1543, lobby for it, or vote on it. Every contribution to my campaign is publicly disclosed, and no one gets my vote for a check. I can’t control who funds Better Together or how it spends. Voters deserve consistency. My opponents have … Read More
Mr. Zubia: Stop telling residents the taps are dry so you can give the water to developers
By Robert Thompson Scottsdale stands alone as a leader of water conservation, recycling and storage. We have reused and recharged what we have for more than 20 years. This council is making record water investments, and is adding another plant once the costs and the health regulations are known. That means our taps aren’t running dry — and anyone telling … Read More
Guest Editorial: Choose a proven record, not a resume
By Councilman Barry Graham Every election, City Council candidates tout their resumes and make promises. However, I’m running for reelection on my record of putting taxpayers first and being accountable to residents. That helped me earn the endorsement of Scottsdale police officers and firefighters. For four years I have stood up for you against special interests. I have preserved our … Read More