As with every campaign, it’s easy to say that you’re running for office; you can even file some paperwork to make it official. However actually getting on the ballot is a very different matter, involving the collection of a significant number of signatures from voters. Since the signature deadline has now passed, unless a candidate’s signatures are challenged we have … Read More
Guest Editorial: Protect Scottsdale’s Zoning
By Solange Whitehead Scottsdale’s Zoning Under Threat AZ Leg Bill HB2674 will Override City Zoning Scottsdale’s value is the product of good zoning. Our zoning tilts the playing field in favor of quality developments and has enabled Scottsdale to protect our unique character and open space. That will all change if HB 2674 becomes law. According to the AZ League … Read More
Guest Editorial: Successes, Goals & Enthusiastically Seeking Re-election
By Solange Whitehead It has been a packed few years at City Hall. Since 2018, we’ve expanded open space, approved new parks, dramatically raised the bar on development, protected neighborhoods and funding for vulnerable populations, took care of seniors, and welcomed everyone with a non-discrimination ordinance. Aligning City Hall policies with citizen priorities led to the passage of crucial, tax-neutral … Read More
Allies, Alignment & Alexander
Once upon a time Jason Alexander and Solange Whitehead were allies. They worked smartly and effectively on the same team to defeat the ill-conceived Desert Discovery Center a few years back. In many ways Alexander’s indefatigable leadership paved the way for Whitehead’s election in 2018. But a split has developed between the two, largely on policy lines. This recent Facebook exchange about a … Read More
Scottsdale Votes Yes on Proposition 463
As you are likely aware, yesterday was Election Day, and aside from some big-ticket bellwether races across the country, Scottsdale cast its vote for or against the Scottsdale General Plan 2035, or Proposition 463. While votes are left to count, it appears to be on its way to victory. After the first batch of votes counted, which typically includes nearly … Read More
Guest Editorial: Scottsdale Deserves the Best, Vote YES General Plan 2035, Prop 463
By Solange Whitehead Scottsdale’s allure was built on exceptional design standards, world-class amenities, and an expansive amount of protected open space. However, Scottsdale’s current general plan is decades old and is no longer protecting us. General Plan 2035 was written with input from hundreds of residents and tackles today’s issues. On development, General Plan 2035 creates a “Scottsdale premium” that … Read More
Guest Editorial: Why You Should Vote YES on Scottsdale General Plan 2035
By Councilmember Solange Whitehead Scottsdale, let’s get this job done! On October 6th, ballots for Scottsdale’s General Plan (GP) will be mailed to voters. I am enthusiastically endorsing a YES vote to ratify General Plan 2035 and protect all that we love about Scottsdale. Scottsdale’s General Plan 2035 has been a collaboration between the City and the residents. Working side-by-side … Read More
Scottsdale’s Impact Of Activism
While Scottsdale has always had an engaged electorate, what happened in 2018 supercharged it. The ramifications are now becoming clearer, importantly and insightfully. Three years ago about this time the “Desert Discovery Center” proposed for the Gateway in the city’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve was on its way to a landslide defeat at the ballot box. Years of wrangling … Read More