We are not afraid to confront the short-term rental (STR) crisis here in Arizona. After the industry lobbied the state government heavily, the legislature essentially took away any local control and left municipalities toothless in their ability to fight back, After extensive public outcry, a partial reversal of those laws passed this past legislative session, which then prompted both Scottsdale … Read More
Scottsdale is Giving a Raise to Law Enforcement – Blue America Should Take Note
Many of us Arizonans have looked at the chaos, lawlessness and crime that has at times enveloped cities like San Francisco, Portland and Seattle over the last few years with a degree of derision, and for good reason. While instances of those issues are certainly trumped up by conservative media, there is certainly a strong degree of truth to them. … Read More
Guest Editorial: Why is Joseph Chaplik Insistent on Embarrassing Himself?
By Alexander Lomax I certainly understand the strategy; be as loud as you can, take risks with specious allegations, and attempt to become a darling of your political party. Joseph Chaplik has gone all in on this approach during his young political career as a two-term state Representative, and could prove to be even more successful if his ambition to … Read More
Scottsdale vs. Paradise Valley
It was a new story but precious few are aware of the import. The upscale Hermes brand will be opening a new store at Scottsdale Fashion Square. What’s the big deal? Well, Scottsdale Fashion Square has been engaged in a silent war for years to prevent momentum for the long-planned but long languishing Palmeraie shopping complex envisioned next to the … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Political Earthquake In Scottsdale No One Is Talking About . . .And Ramifications For The City’s Future
By Jason Rose I ran my first successful campaign in Scottsdale in 1994. Two years later I consulted on the campaign that elected the city’s first female mayor, Sam Campana. Ever since I have been heavily involved in the Scottsdale political scene leading elections for other mayors, hockey arenas and bonds to fund new infrastructure. I offer these credentials not … Read More
Intrigue in Local Development: Mayor Ortega Pulls Back Request for Review. Was It a Lack of Support?
While there is a degree of peril involved when you attempt to read between the lines, sometimes it is worth examining anyway. And a very subtle story that didn’t seem to make any waves at all is worth examining through that prism. A mixed-use development proposed for Old Town called The Goldwater was under review with the city of Scottsdale’s … Read More
The Super Bowl Will Likely Cost Scottsdale Taxpayers $2.3 Million? Should Scottsdale Be Subsidizing the NFL?
You may know that State Farm Stadium in Glendale will be hosting the Super Bowl in 2023. You probably didn’t know that Scottsdale will be on the hook to the tune of $2.3 million in taxpayer funds for it. When we saw this, we had questions, as you likely will to. First and foremost is the question: are we subsidizing … Read More
WalletHub Tells Us What We All Knew – Scottsdale Is a Great Place to Raise a Family
You must know by now that we love Scottsdale, as we are constantly shouting from the rooftops how great our city is, even if we don’t always agree with its leadership. Along with myriad options for recreation, beautiful scenery and a high standard of living, it’s also a great place to have a family. This is why we love it … Read More
More Signs of the Rental Crisis – Rent Heads Up Over $800 a Month in Scottsdale
You almost certainly know that we have been on the forefront of calling out the rental crisis in Arizona. Scottsdale is now in the top 10 nationally when it comes to rent increases with no sign of abatement. While it is easy to look at numbers and percentages and marvel from an academic perspective, when you look at real life … Read More
Scottsdale’s New Spending Plan: What’s In It, What’s Not
The City of Scottsdale recently released their spending plan, a robust $2.1 billion plan that partly came about as a result of unexpectedly strong revenue. Sales tax revenue is at $46.4 million above what was budgeted for the last two years COMBINED, according to City Treasurer Sonia Andrews, a strong indicator of the major bounceback that we’ve had in tourism, … Read More