At our first Council meeting following the primary election, City Hall was filled to standing room only with residents from across Scottsdale and every political affiliation celebrating my outright re-election. The Mayor’s recognition of my victory and the residents’ applause were an incredibly uplifting way to begin the evening. Thank you to everyone who came to City Hall! Unfortunately, the … Read More
Two Proposals: Put Residents First, Fix the Political Sign Mess
By Solange Whitehead Monday, I will propose restoring public comment to the beginning of Council meetings. The Council’s decision to move citizen comments to the end of meetings effectively silenced everyday residents. Listening to the community is free, vital, and helps catch problems early—before they become costly. I will also propose a council meeting item to establish voluntary campaign sign … Read More
Guest Editorial: Steady Water Management, Not Campaign Rhetoric
By Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield Scottsdale residents deserve the real facts about our water future, not cherry-picked claims timed for an election. Councilwoman Solange Whitehead’s recent opinion piece attempts to cast doubt on the city’s water security to promote her preferred council candidate. The facts reveal a different picture. Scottsdale Water has planned for a possible drought for decades, carefully managing … Read More
Voting for Raoul Zubia safeguards Scottsdale’s AAA bond rating
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead The nation’s credit rating agencies just provided another compelling reason to elect Raoul Zubia to the City Council. In less than two years, the current Council majority has caused lasting damage including their unprecedented politicization of water and defunding of Scottsdale’s Advanced Purified Recycled Water program. These actions have dealt a dual blow to our community, … Read More
Too-Early-To-Call Results from Arizona’s Primary Election Day: Primary Validations, Shocks, and Comeback Stories in the Waiting
By Alexander Lomax The first election results dropped from the night, and absolutely nothing is set in stone at this moment, but there is definitely plenty of certainty and more than enough question marks to keep us hitting refresh on our browser constantly. First, Scottsdale. One councilmember is likely advancing and a few incumbents are fighting for their seats. Scroll … Read More
Solange’s Scottsdale Salience
By SongBird No matter how the elections turn out Tuesday for Scottsdale City Council, or in November, Solange Whitehead is a Hall of Famer. Amongst the contemporary rancor over Axon, out of state funding, apartments, development, transparency, elections and parking garages, one can forget her many, many contributions to the city over the past decade. That shouldn’t be. She serves with … Read More
Guest Editorial: Big Wins Achieved Together!
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead Thank you to all that have voted! Strong words of encouragement to those that have not yet voted. Please make your voice heard. Polls are open Monday and Tuesday until 7 pm. See link HERE.In eight years, we’ve sure gotten a lot done together. Below are just a few photos of our accomplishments. It really matters who … Read More
Complete BS
Here at the Arizona Progress & Gazette we support free speech to the fullest, and we are honored to give voice to a wide range of opinions. But free speech does not mean freedom from retort. We have a ton of respect for Betty Janik, who has earned that standing through a storied career of public service and honorable politics. … Read More
Guest Editorial: Photo Ops Won’t Secure Scottsdale’s Water Future
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead This week, a Council majority is staging a photo opportunity at Scottsdale’s Water Campus to reassure residents that Scottsdale’s water future is secure. It isn’t. The backdrop may be our award-winning Water Campus, but the reality is different. The experts who built Scottsdale’s nationally recognized water utility are gone. Funding for critical water projects has been … Read More
Guest Editorial: Scottsdale Apartments QnA
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead Protecting Scottsdale’s Character My job is to protect Scottsdale—not to cast meaningless “no” votes for political theater. My record of stopping bad development is unmatched. Just as importantly, I’ve negotiated better projects and helped transform blighted, crime-attracting properties into vibrant destinations. I’ve also changed rules and improved the baseline for development: Adopted building codes that reduce … Read More