By Miller McCormick
He accused her of being a zoning attorney with a habit of approving massive apartment projects. She accused him of being a reckless spender of taxpayer dollars. The two candidates for Scottsdale Mayor, incumbent David Ortega and challenger and former councilwoman Lisa Borowsky, traded punches during a candidates’ forum at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on September 19th.
The candidates answered a long list of questions from the panel which included members of the media and the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce.
They disagree sharply when it comes to Props 490 and 491. 490 would provide funds for parks, open spaces and public safety. 491 would lift state spending limits to allow existing revenues to be spent.
Ortega supports both, citing massive public participation and the number of meetings involved in assessing the needs of city parks. He also claimed that Borowsky was a no show at those meetings. And he noted the spending limit measure was sent to the ballot by a unanimous vote of the City Council. 
Borowsky pounced on Ortega over this question saying she is against both measures because she does not trust Ortega to responsibly spend the money, nor does she think either measure is needed.
Ortega used the forum to highlight accomplishments such as job creation, cracking down on short term rentals, modernization of public safety, and consensus building.
Borowsky touted her past record on the council, fighting for responsible development and spending as a councilmember, and her defense of homeowners’ rights as a private sector attorney.
Borowsky attacked Ortega’s record saying Scottsdale development has become too dense and includes too many apartments. She bashed Ortega over a controversial homeless hotel proposal and his conflict with Maricopa County over Scottsdale water.
Ortega shot back calling Borowsky a development attorney who approved more than six thousand apartments during her time on the council.
Borowsky clearly was the aggressor in this debate, but Ortega kept his cool.
It is however a strange sight to see Ortega, who ran on a slower growth platform four years ago, running against someone who wants to see even less growth.
Neither candidate could claim victory in this debate. But both candidates showed that they could both throw punches, and take them.