~The Editor Speaks.....

As the owner and publisher of the Scottsdale Activist which is a solely owned and operated website for those who care about the city of Scottsdale, it needs to be restated that we are not sponsored by anyone nor take any money or donations to keep this website alive. We have a volunteer staff that works on the Activist as we have time and the availability of solid information.

We have been very lucky to have many sources deep within the city who give us the "Nitty Gritty" on what's going on much to the chagrin of the likes of Lane, Richert, Eberhardt, Padian and others who want everything their way. We write and post this site at the pleasure and information of our readers which cannot be found in any publication available in today's screwed up world of bought and paid for media.

Information we are trying to get more verifiable information on:

• Which city council member reportedly was involved in a hit and run, was seen and reported by witnesses, was arrested a short time later for extreme DUI but apparently had that record expunged and never had to go to court or answer the charges?
   

• Why did David Richert resign? Was it a personal reason or was there something that went on within the city that could have got him in dire straits with some others?
   

• What do David Richert, Cindi Eberhardt, and Meredith Tesseir have in common if anything...................?????

• It has now been heard from three reliable sources that our buddy Dave (Opps, I was caught) Richert  is going around town telling people that if the “right people” (Klapp, Korte and Louma) are elected to Council he (Richert) will be back as City Manager in January! Really??? How does he plan to do that???? By Hook or by Crook????

• How many on any staff within the city have been arrested for DUI and have also had their records expunged??
   

• Why doesn't City Attorney Bruce Washburn retire and save the citizens the need to start an investigation into all of the above by the State or Federal Attorneys General?

From the words coming from deep inside, there has been some "hanky panky" going on within a number of departments and management types and all we have to do is get to the right people to fully expose the crimes and who supported or suppressed said crimes if they in fact occurred which we're told they did.

Jim Lane: Activities of a Mayor when you are an Elected Mayor:

~ You set the tone for the conduct of daily business. You don't bandy about the term "transparency" then close the community out of discussions.

~ You don’t hole up in your office and expect the world to come to you. You communicate; you go to the people your talk to everyone citizens and city employees. 

~ You do your own homework and don’t rely on administrative assistants to interpret concerns and solutions. 

~ You don’t forget the citizens who elected you and only listen to those who contribute big bucks to your “next” campaign and offer you copious photo ops.

 ~ You make sure staff listens and respects the community voices. 

~ You remember that the buck stops at your office. You don't get huffy when people disagree with you and you don't shut the door when there are questions you can't answer immediately. You find the answers and promptly.

~ You make sure that you communicate with all citizens and businesses, no matter how small, no matter where they live, no matter what  the issue.

~ You make sure that all of your boards and commissions are aware of and committed to the General Plan, city charter, or whatever document directs the daily function of government and serving the best interest of all of the residents.

~ You understand the need to build consensus, not shove things down the throats of tax payers without so much as a nod to their concerns.

We all want it finished, but how are we going to pay as much as $2 billion for it?

We are still working on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and we did purchase some more land, but there is still more land to be acquired.  And we are nowhere near agreement on where and what and how the Desert Discovery Center is going to be, what it will look like or even whether it will be built. Building consensus is not a concern for Mayor Lane. 

He has taken no hand in trying to bring all interested parties together. This was an important point for Lane when he ran in 2008.

None, but he sure fell in love with "roundabouts." And while at it, the city shut down the underused Loloma transit center and they still can’t figure out what to do as the property sits abandoned. We will finally get a transit station at SkySong, but how is that to serve the East West Valley Metro routes on Camelback, Indian School and Thomas Roads? Apparently, folks coming into Scottsdale to work on those routes can just stand in the sun or in the "artsy" bus shelters that don't do much to block the sun in the afternoon...but hey, they are Public Art.

No. If you are a big business or a developer the door is always open. If you are a small business owner, particularly in the southern part of Scottsdale, there has been no attempt to help promote your businesses or promote the area as a good place to live and do business. There is no attempt to reach out to small business owners when they apply for permits and licenses. 

 The City has refused to provide the matching funds program to southern Scottsdale small business that they provided for the Downtown businesses for many years. Those funds helped to improve store fronts improving curb appeal, help do minor building repairs, and those funds helped to provide advice on how to promote the business and increase community awareness.

One cannot deny that "red tape" and so called "bureaucratic roadblocks" were cut for some businesses. In the Downtown those "cuts" and "roadblocks" were what helped give us the mess we have today.  Some in City Hall tell us that all of those bars just sort of happened. 

 When a city decides to fast track businesses and ignore the policies and procedures that exist as checks and balances which are in place to protect the whole community, it creates more problems and increased costs for the whole city.

When administrators ignore their responsibilities to review and update policies and procedures, especially when they are brought home to rest as profoundly as they have been in the Downtown, they open the door wide for abuse of public codes and ordinances. 

Those reviews and updates should have immediately taken place for our Liquor License Application Policy and Procedures as things evolved in the Downtown. Those policies haven’t been reviewed in over 10 years and oddly enough the Mayor didn't think it warranted review after the Omnibus Liquor Law Updates in 2010. 

There wasn't even a public discussion with the City Attorney's office on the impact of that Legislation on our city's codes and ordinances. When citizens requested a discussion they were told it wasn't necessary.

When the term "Entertainment District" was brought to the table by the Downtown Task Force in 2010 city planning staff did not know what the business owners on the Task Force were talking about or where that "Entertainment District" was located. 

The fact is that the Downtown Plan has no definition for, or description of what an "Entertainment District" is, or how guidelines for its development.

Rather than revisiting the Downtown Plan to correct that problem the Mayor took on the little issues, litter, public urination, and noise abatement in closed door meetings with the individuals involved and never brought recommended changes to the public hearing process for discussion and appropriate implementation. 

Policies and procedures were ignored and now there is nothing to provide oversight of the changes made, ordinances amended or programs proposed. Nothing was put into place to provide opportunities to update any of the changes to make sure concerns were addressed.

In fact, by bypassing the city's legal boards and commissions Mayor Lane has left the city vulnerable to legal challenges and increased liability on the things that have been instituted without due process.

Appeasement of the bar owners and developers was the main focus of attention, while giving residents the feeling that they were being heard. There is a vast difference between hearing and understanding and the Mayor doesn't get it.

There is an adage "Promises are made to be broken." So it goes full bore with Mayor Lane. On the one hand we have his efforts in the Downtown, bandages for the real problem, but, yes, the appearance is that "residents" were involved.

Fact is those residents were hand-selected and even they weren't allowed to effect real change in the way things have been handled for redevelopment and  economic revitalization either in the Downtown Character Area, or the surrounding Southern Scottsdale Character Area. Those two areas will rely on one another for infill development. No mechanism for resident dialogue has been created. No process of oversight exists.

No person, board, commission, or policies are in place that would provide for efficient and timely communications with residents and with developers and business owners.

Good government requires doing "general housekeeping" and that includes reviewing whether boards, commission, programs and policies are functioning today as they were intended to function when they were created.  City Council ordered an audit of the boards and commissions which was helpful. But it pretty much stopped there. Other than making sure that all of the boards and commissions held to the same working policies (terms of service, by laws, liaisons, postings, forms of agendas and minutes) it is still business as usual.

Two bodies were merged to form the new Neighborhood Advisory Commission, but some of the most important changes that sworn board and commission members sighted as important were ignored. 

The most important of these was/is better communications between the boards and commissions and council; and boards and commissions communication with one another. All boards and commissions serve in advisory capacity to Council key to that is communications.

The Mayor and Council provide boards and commissions with next to know dialogue. In years past under Drinkwater and Campana, mayor and council members held dialogues at least once a year on topics of concern to the community, now there is nothing. It is safe to say that individual board and commission members meet with, call and email council individually, but there is no opportunity for a formal group discussion of concerns from either side.

What is more, there is no opportunity for boards and commissions to discuss concerns when things overlap. Infill development and the infill incentive district for example impact several areas of policy:   housing, transportation, neighborhood revitalization (site planning, pedestrian friendly, landscaping, etc.) and neighborhood safety and character area development to name a few.

There is no chance for the Planning Commission to dialogue with the Transportation Commission, the Development Review Board, the Neighborhood Advisory Commission or the Environmental Quality Advisory Board to make sure that all of the tenets of the General Plan and the Character area plans are scrutinized and employed to retain the quality of life for all residents. This leaves us without implementation for all of the elements of the General Plan which of course makes it easier for developers to get zoning amendments.

Board and commission members asked to have such opportunities included in the work plans created after the Audit. The Mayor said, during discussion at a City Council meeting, that he only wanted the boards and commissions to talk to him.

If we are to have "real long-term planning" then the idea of allowing endless zoning amendments to take place needs to stop. And the attitude of "cutting through red tape" needs to change. If you have a real, valid, thoughtful General Plan that lays the guidelines for future development then you cannot waive those requirements for the whim of every developer who decides they want to color outside of the lines on the basics. Developers do have people creative enough to know how to make a project in compliance.

Our General Plan needs to be citizen driven and leadership must accept that fact while conducting the business of the people.

Spot development has created costly problems that will take a long time solve and it does not lend itself to long term economic revitalization.

Everything that this Mayor has done has been reactive. There has been no attempt to provide an orderly process or policies to address the future. The most glaring things are the creation of the Infill Incentive District and the failure of the General Plan Update. 

Both processes were heavily flawed because the citizen voice was stifled. No thought was given to a vision of the future. When the voters defeated the General Plan Update, leadership did not know what to do or how to do it. And so we wait on the Mayor to figure it out.

The biggest waste we have seen was the buy-out of employees seeking to retire as the city downsized staff. Not that those employees weren't due their fair share, but the exorbitant packages that some walked away with when we have been in a serious budget crunch, have hurt the city's ability to compensate current long time employees appropriately.

Loosing numerous long time department heads and middle managers means that experience and history working in and with the community in an efficient manner. Every department has seen problems arise that are repeats of old problems. Problems that this growing community had met and solved, but now must figure out how to address efficiently and effectively again with fewer people with experience.

One would think that with the financial mess of 2008 that the mayor would have had a comprehensive plan in place to guide all departments and city programs rather than the "Big Budget Bust-up" that goes on for months every year and gives little idea of what the heck to expect.

Fine words, but this has not happened and won't happen without the previously mentioned dialogue.

The Scottsdale brand is determined by ALL of the citizens and protecting it is the responsibility of ALL citizens.

No special interest group or individual should be allowed to alter that brand and the vision that created. These are things established by the community Vision set forth in the General Plan. Every decision that the Mayor and individual council members make should, and must, be based upon comprehension of the brand and the General Plan and the Visioning process that created it.

Words, noble and politically correct, but there is little to show of solid worth, for the last four years of Mayor Lane's leadership(?). 

The Downtown problems haven't been solved for the long term. The southern Scottsdale redevelopment has not been addressed. Big residential projects are good, but there is nothing else to show following the McDowell Corridor Task Force. 

No neighborhood revitalization efforts, infrastructure upgrades are incomplete (some hanging fire since the 2000 bond), no help for small businesses that have struggled and remained opened for almost 10 years, no efforts to promote the neighborhoods around SkySong as a good place to live and do business, no outreach to residents to address their neighborhood concerns and ideas for improvement.

• What we have is a Mayor who has turned his back on the people who worked so hard to elect him.
   
• A Mayor who has totally ignored his promises to make sure that the citizen voice was heard as an important part of redevelopment and economic revitalization.
   
• What we have is a Mayor who has stepped away from the people and the promises he made for transparency in government.
   
• A Mayor who has capitulated to special interests and quick fix schemes.

I have been a small business owner in the McDowell/Scottsdale Road corridors for over 20 years and this guy Luoma had never been on the radar.  Just because his mom and dad own a florist shop in north Scottsdale and he was a member of the Scottsdale Leadership program run by the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce does not endear him to those of us who have worked just as hard as his parents to keep our businesses and the city going.

Besides that, there isn't one of my neighbors who has had him knock on the door and talk about what concerns they have and find out how he is willing to protect our mature neighborhoods.

None of the things that he has been involved in or speaks out about have anything to do with neighborhoods, quality housing, workforce housing, the City's Housing Strategy, the Southern Scottsdale Character Area Plan, the Downtown Character Area Plan, the Airpark Character Area Plan, the General Plan or the long term economic revitalization of the McDowell/ Scottsdale Road Corridors. But hey, he is a Charro and he sits on the  Scottsdale Active 20/30 Club (for whatever that’s worth to the residents and taxpayers)

Except for his love of the "infill incentive district" that is allowing taller and more massive buildings to built on our borders with the Downtown and his love for the “entertainment district” that is defined no where in city planning language. Yep this guy is following in lock step with the Chamber of Commerce, the developers, Kidder, and Korte and all those who take direction from the Chamber Executive Board.

Oh, and he claims to advocate for  City of Scottsdale Fire & EMS Committee (Is he one of those who let that fire station on our northern border sit there for two or three years in a mobile building infested with rats that the County Health Department said had to shut down? The same station where fire trucks have no garage and sit in the sun and the dust storms and equipment has to be replaced long before the normal due dates? Way to advocate Mr. Luoma.) 

He has served on the Greater Phoenix Boys & Girls Club Executive Council. Does he know that Scottsdale does have the Greater Scottsdale Boys & Girls Club and they can sure use volunteers, too?

Where is Louma's support for the Scottsdale home grown Boys and Girls Club???

Mr. Louma, come down to our southern neighborhoods and get to know us. We aren't as fancy as the neighborhood you grew up in, but we are real people working every day and trying to help our neighborhoods stay safe and our help our fellow businessmen and women continue to function.

We are not the first ones to say it, but dang do we kinda miss Mary Manross just a little tiny bit. Did we really just say that???

(Return to Top)

~ The Orange Coalition???

The sense of loss set in almost as soon as Lane finished taking the oath of office.

When we elected Jim Lane we didn’t realize that we installed the ORANGE Coalition and the Goldwater Institute in the Mayor’s, office too.

The Goldwater Institute is fairly well known, but what is the ORANGE Coalition? Well this is taken from their website:

Purpose

To protect the rights of private property owners, including commercial, residential and business property owners as well as farmers, ranchers and other land owners.

To proactively promote public policies and laws that support protection of private property rights through education and advocacy. (Especially the rights of developers)

The ORANGE Coalition will engage the public when local government encroaches on private property rights, including misuse of eminent domain. The Coalition will inform and educate citizens to:

You may see Mayor Lane with his handlers Ray Torres (the Orange Coalition) and Steve Twist (a founder of the Goldwater Institute and Vice President and General Counsel for Services Group of America, a privately-held corporation with industry-leading companies in food-service, real estate and other services) and (yep, his son is the Mayor's administrative assistant) close at hand.

This gives you an idea as to how the Downtown problems were allowed to grow and grow and grow......and this is how Scottsdale has lost its vision and direction and respect for the quality of life of all of it’s residents.

Don’t be fooled by all of the talk about economic recovery. There has been a lot of dirt bought and sold in this city, but we are still waiting to see bricks and mortar.

• Scottsdale Healthcare, Osborn or Shea, nothing yet.
   

• BlueSky, nothing yet.
   

• Solis, odd that the owner of the property actually picked it up at auction when his lenders foreclosed and auctioned it off.
   

• Keep your eyes peeled for another round of "Lets move the SRP Sub-station and build a high-rise luxury condo project. That project started out to include workforce housing options but we are seeing that commitment drift away according to a recent article written by Brian Kearney, a strong supporter of Mayor Jim Lane and former executive director of the Chamber of Commerce Virginia Korte.

Mr. Brian Kearney, of the development company that has proposed BlueSky wrote a truly mean spirited article casting Baby Boomers as inconsequential. 

As we see it, Mr. Kearney reminds us of the 3 monkeys.

Even more important is that he is now casting this project, that was approved by the Planning Commission and City Council as having "workforce family" options that could accommodate "fire fighters, teachers, secretary's, medical workers and police officers". And as having "monthly rents that are exceeding that of a typical mortgage payment, (for folks who will have) income levels that will undoubtedly exceed median or average income levels in the community) states that his apartments are geared for "Gen Y" members, who are more involved in the community than anytime since the 1940's."

Well, please produce those Gen Y'ers right now. Those that volunteer where needed, not those who volunteer where it is politically expedient and a good way to promote their businesses. Scottsdale Leadership trains many of those folks and they are geared to volunteering as a way to promote their businesses and to change the city to the way the Power Brokers want it, Gee, does greed and selfishness ring a bell here???

Oh, and by the way Mayor Lane, you lied to the Housing Board during two presentation in 2010 and 2011 because we asked and you assured us that there would be affordable workforce housing options available at BlueSky. You even promised to provide funding for a period of 15 years for housing programs such as emergency repairs and senior housing adaptations for low income seniors living on fixed incomes. Apparently the Planning Commission and the Council majority thought Public Art was more important because that is where the money went.

These are not the folks who know all Scottsdale, understand all of Scottsdale's neighborhoods and all of the needs of the community. They don't get down and dirty building, cleaning up or offering a helping hand to someone who needs food right now, a bath and clean clothes, or just plain water on a very hot day.

If Mr. Kearney's intent was to promote apartment living then he should take a look at the subject of "aging in place." That of course would mean that he would have to understand the Character Area Planning of Scottsdale and the needs of the Boomer generation he so denigrates in his Scottsdale Republic article of August 11, 2012. Don't look for the article on line, because they don't publish "My Turn" articles online.

Small businesses popping up in our Downtown continue to be bars. We tear down bars to build.... more bars. I refer you to the new Triyar project at Indian Plaza. Les Corieri and Shawn Yari tore down Myst and Suede to build the Beach Club. They assemble that whole area parcel by parcel buying some up by paying the outstanding taxes. It is legal. Is it ethical or is it being a civic mined Gen Y’er citizen with the best interest of all residents at heart? We think not: Again, outright greed and selfishness rule handily........

This is not long term revitalization....bars last a couple of years and then they need a new concept, something new to draw the crowd because the crowds and their money, drugs, and gang bangers move on often.

Our art galleries in the downtown are suffering thanks to the bars, and no effort being put into how the two could be compatible in the future. Our arts district has been treated like the red headed stepchild when it was the art district that was the primary draw for decades.

There have been zoning amendments that have gone with the buying and selling of the dirt. What one developer has proposed doesn’t mean a new owner will has to build it. The project may meet the zoning requirements, but have a different site plan, more intense massing of buildings, different landscaping and different use. 

Remember that Mayor Lane had a chance to protect our quality of life and approve an ordinance stating that "zoning goes with the project and not the dirt" and if the developer did not start construction with in two years the zoning reverted back to the original designation. If the developer sold the property the zoning amendments did not automatically go to the new owner. The new owner would have to reapply with his proposed project. 

Lane then underscored his disregard for neighborhoods and the Downtown and Southern Scottsdale Character Area Plans by enthusiastically supporting the Infill Incentive District zoning that was rammed through Council in July of 2010.

This Infill Incentive District is apt to happen in the Bell Road Corridor, the Shea Corridor and the McDowell/Scottsdale Road Corridors. There is nothing on the books to disallow it and in fact one rezoning has already take place outside of the Downtown Planning Area where the IID was to have been confined.

The Planning Commission? What is up with that?

If any of the boards and commissions should be scrutinized carefully it is the Planning Commission and lately that seems to be more important.

Commissioners Erik Filsinger (the commissioner who said the citizens voting to defeat the General Plan Update did not know what they were doing) and Chairman of the Planning Commission, Michael D'Andrea, have had to recuse themselves from deliberations on projects before the Planning Commission because "they work for the developer."

Yes good people of Scottsdale, this is why many question the wisdom of having only architects, engineers, builders and developers on the Planning Commission. It never used to be that way until we got into this "spot development" situation.  

Recalling late Mayor Herb Drinkwater's oft spoken words and his choices for appointment, you know that the voice of the people is very important on the Planning Commission. 

This is why he worked on creating a commission to deal with all things pertaining to neighborhoods, from code enforcement and property maintenance and rehab and remodels, to impacts of infill development on mature neighborhoods throughout the city.

For the last 8 years we have had Councils that completely ignore these things and the voice of the neighbors. This is not just impacting southern Scottsdale and the far north but it will be coming to an area close to McCormick Ranch very soon.  

by JOHN WASHINGTON on AUGUST 11, 2012

Jim Lane got a little aggravated at me at the North Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce debate Wednesday at Grayhawk. His hot button is apparently the budget. He’s a former CPA, so it SHOULD be a hot button for him.

He brags constantly about bringing a more business-like approach to city government. Ironically, I got dressed down by one of his supporters last week for saying something just like that, and this fellow said,

Anyone who says they want to run the city like a business would soon find themselves in jail.

Jim’s biggest objection seems to be my observation that we have an $8 million deficit. Jim has never actually SAID we don’t have a  deficit. He has SAID we have a “balanced budget.” More on that choice of words in a moment.

Meanwhile, here’s an explanation from Wikipedia:

Deficits occur when a government’s expenditures exceed the revenue that it generates.

From the budget presentation by the City Treasurer on June 5, the difference between planned expenditures ($250.3 million) and projected revenue ($242 million) is about $8 million. I happen to believe the revenue projections are irresponsibly optimistic and the actual deficit will wind up being larger, but that’s another subject.

Jim has also taken me to task for my concerns about the city’s debt. He doesn’t disagree with the number, but he says that most of the debt is from voter-approved bonds. Does that make it any less of a debt?

This definition (again from Wikipedia) of debt also brings to light another issue,

The meaning of ‘deficit’ differs from that of ‘debt’, which is an accumulation of yearly deficits.

“Accumulation of yearly deficits,” has an ominous ring to it. And at the Wednesday night forum hosted by the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors, Jim actually said, “We don’t have a sustainable budget.” I’m not sure how he reconciles that against his previous statements that we don’t have a deficit, however.

To the point of “Deficit” vs. “Balanced Budget,” I believe that there’s been some nuance applied to this argument. We have “balanced” the budget by transferring money out of reserves and into the General Fund account to cover the deficit. However, that does NOT mean we do NOT have a deficit!

If we keep this up until we run out of reserves, we are eventually going to have to increase revenue (not likely in the near future), borrow to make up the difference, raise taxes, and/or cut services.

Bottom line: This year’s budget is $7 million more than last year, and it includes an $8 million deficit which will add to a $1.3 billion debt.

Editors Note: John Washington is the ONLY viable candidate for Mayor in the opinion of many!

1. Ruben Alvarez,

2. Co-founder and managing partner of The Molera Alvarez Group (MAG) a business development and consulting firm specializing in government affairs, public relations and community outreach. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

4. Lyle Anderson,

5. Developer based in Scottsdale: Desert Highland's; Desert Mountain; Superstition Mountain; and The Reserve: Eco Resort; and other developments in New Mexico and Hawaii as well as Loch Loman Golf Club in Scotland which ran into financial difficulties and they divested. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

7. Tom Anderson,

8. Owner Upperdeck Sports Bar and Grill; owner Club Tropican (Papago Plaza McDowell and Scottsdale Rds.- Type (genre):Bar, Dance Club, Live Music, Outdoors / Patio, Special Events. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

9. Music: Latin, Reggaeton, Bachata, Merengue, Rock en Espanol, Salsa

10. Inside Info: Status: Open

11.  

12. Dave Andrea,

13. Restaurant broker for 3 DOWNTOWN Scottsdale restaurants with liquor licenses. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

15. Joe Arpaio,

16. Maricopa County Sheriff

18. Reg Ballantyne,

19. Senior corporate officer Vanguard Health Systems

21. Jane and Bill Barker,

22. American Gem Trade Association

24. Will Barnow,

25. Nominee for AirPark Advisory Commission not, appointed; Maricopa Co. Intergovernmental representative.

27. Phillip Bell,

28. Development & Acquisition P.B. Bell has developed over 2,500 apartment units in 15 communities in the greater Phoenix area. Four P.B. Bell communities including Reflections at Gila Springs, High Desert Village, Desert Parks Vista at DC Ranch and most recently Ashton Pointe have won Arizona Multi-housing awards for best development project over a multi-year period. In addition, High Desert Village won the prestigious NAA Paragon award for best garden style community developed nationwide in 2001. Chuparosas Luxury Apartments was the recipient of The City of Chandler's architectural award in 2007.

29. Led by CEO Philip Bell and President Chapin Bell, the development and acquisition division directs all service as it pertains to these two areas. Philip and Chapin oversee the planning and execution of all acquisitions, new development and rehabilitation projects. Their vast array of services includes market analysis, pro forma development, financial analysis, project design, entitlement process coordination and project construction management.

30. P.B. Bell's continued success in development led to the birth of sister company MT Builders, formed in 1995 with Michael Tarver and Philip Bell as principals. CEO Mike Tarver and many of the staff members have more than 30 years of experience in the Arizona construction industry and have completed over ^$500 million of construction work. MT Builders provides exceptional general contracting, construction management, and design-build services for multi-family and senior living communities, retail centers, churches, schools, and office/industrial buildings.

31. MT Builders is recognized as one of Arizona's top contracting companies. They have been included multiple times in the Phoenix Business Journal's list of top commercial contractors, the ACE Awards for the largest privately owned companies in Arizona, and Ranking Arizona's list for best multi-family builders. In addition, several of the projects they have built are recipients of local and national awards. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

33. Mike Bidwill,

34. Speaks for itself. Pres. AZ Cardinals and Immediate Past Pres. of Greater Phoenix Economic Council

36. Susan Bitter-Smith,

37. Executive Director, Arizona-New Mexico Cable Communications Association, owner of Technical Solutions public relations consulting who has worked closely with many businesses, builders and land owners in the Bar district and the downtown Scottsdale area. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

39. Michael Blaire,

40. Owner Diamondback Drugs and candidate for state Legislature, Dist. 8

42. Michael Block,

43. Co-founder of the BASIS Scottsdale and BASIS Tucson charter schools.

45. Eric Borowsky,

46. President of Sun West Holdings, father of Todd Borowsky (Bar district bar owner) and Scottsdale City Councilwoman Lisa Borowsky. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

48. Barry Broome,

49. Pres. and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economics Council

51. Drew Brown,

52. Founder and chairman of the board, DMB master planned community developers: One Scottsdale, Silverleaf, DC Ranch, Center Pointe on Mill, Superstition Springs, Verrado, Power Ranch. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

54. Kurt Brueckner,

55. Founding partner Titus, Brueckner & Levine, PLC; several positions on Board of Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce

57. Jim Bruner,

58. Exec. VP of Mutual of Omaha Bank, founding member Museum of the West. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

60. Doug Bruhnke,

61. Founder and CEO of Growth Nation, international marketing, Scottsdale Sister Cities, World Affairs Council, Scottsdale Cultural Council. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

63. Issac Bunney,

64. Stock broker with UBS Global Asset Management - Swiss Global financial service company, Basel and Zurich home offices.

66. Kelly and Charlie Byxbee,

67. Principals in McDowell Windgate Holding LLC recently purchased at auction state trust land at Bell Road and Thompson Peak Parkway to complete development of Windgate Crossing area. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

69. Sam Campana,

70. Former Scottsdale Mayor

72. Les Corirei,

73. Owns and/or co-owns Axis Cigar Bar, Myst, Suede, RnR, The Mint. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

75. Susan and Don Cogman,

76. Chairman of PulsePoint Group, public affairs and crisis issues management; vice chair Scottsdale Cultural Council. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

78. Eric Crown,

79. Investor at Global Cabling Concepts (venture capital & private equity)

81. John Dawson,

82. President and managing director of Scottsdale Plaza Resort, LLC.
    Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

83.  

84. Mike Dee,

85. Arizona Foothills Magazine, President and publisher

87. Mario Diaz,

88. President of Mario E. Diaz & Associates, full-service government and public relations firm that serves a client base of political candidates, government entities, corporations, non-profit and labor organizations

90. Patricia DiRoss,

91. Intergovernmental rep Salt River Project

93. Jeff Dunn,

94. Co-founded Olley Trolley. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

96. Margaret Dunn,

97. Olley Trolley owner. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

99. Steve Ellman,

100. Invested in many investment considered failures of many to the best of our knowledge, Skysong, Westgate, Coyotes and others.

102. Eric Filsinger,

103. Planning Commissioner

105. Royce Flora,

106. Maricopa County Finance Manager

107. President of Integrated Web Strategies

109. Elliott Glasser,

110. Real estate development, investments, (bought Scott Toyota property got rezoning; done nothing yet)

111. Glasser owns properties up and down McDowell Road (and the downtown area, too).

112. Gets rezoning and then sits on the property.

113. Properties owned: Scott Toyota site at 6850 E. McDowell Rd.; old El Camino Theatre site on Scottsdale Rd. and others. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

115. Tom Frenkel,

116. Commercial real estate management and development Scottsdale.ax Fose, Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

118. Sasha Glassman,

119. Attorney, Tucson, Arizona

121. Barry Goldwater, Jr.,

122. Chairman of the Board Studio One Media, Inc. general entertainment

124. Max Haechler,

125. Swiss Consul for Arizona, real estate

126.  

127. Sharon Harper,

128. Chairman and CEO of Plaza Companies (developers[?] of SkySong). Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

130. Jim Hayden,

131. President and CEO, Jim Hayden & Associates; past positions Regional Vice President at Rural/Metro Corporation; Regional vice President Southwest Ambulance. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

133. Mike Hoffmann,

134. Executive Vice President Arizona Benefit Plans

136. Randy Kendrick,

137. Retired lawyer (resident of Paradise Valley)

139. Suzanne Klapp,

140. City councilwoman, owner of frame shop in Scottsdale, member of the Scottsdale Area Chamber?

142. Trif Kupanoff,

143. CEO of Phoenix Woman Magazine

145. Scott LeMarr,

146. Mayor of the Town of Paradise Valley

148. Alex Malatesta,

149. Owner of Paradise Valley Property Maintenance

151. David Maniatis,

152. Attorney

154. Mike Manson,

155. Retired Vice President of Johnson Bank and Treasurer for Lanes 2008 election campaign.

157. Pat McGroder,

158. Attorney; member of Scottsdale Silverado Golf Club, a public/private partnership with the City of Scottsdale. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

159.  

160. Cora and Paul Messinger,

161. owner Messinger's Mortuary. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

163. Steve Moak,

164. Vice President of Sales for Powerchalk

166. Jaime Molera,

167. Former state School Superintendent, found member of Alvarez Molera (see first name on list)

169. Sean Noble,

170. Former chief of staff for John Shadegg

172. Ryan O'Daniel,

173. Associate partner at Kyle Moyer & Company, corporate and political consultants. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

175. Jonathan Ornstein,

176. Chairman and CEO Mesa Air Group, Inc.

178. Dean Riesen,

179. President Riesen & Company, investments. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

181. Dennis Robbins,

182. Scottsdale City councilman, owner of Midas Muffler shops, and Scottsdale Area Chamber member

184. Jordan Rose,

185. Attorney; President of Rose Law Group. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

187. Jason Rose,

188. President of Rose + Moser + Allyn Public and Online Relations, political consultants, reportedly for Jim Lane. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

190. Tom Sadavary,

191. CEO Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

193. Matt Salmon,

194. Former Congressman; attorney, lobbyist

196. Bret Sassenberg,

197. CEO of Ground Up Development, (Scottsdale Waterfront). Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

199. John Shadegg,

200. Former Congressman; Senior Fellow at Goldwater Institute

202. Billy Shields,

203. Former Pres. of Phoenix Fire Fighters Union; lobbyist; and a boat load more this one needs more investigation

205. Larry Sifert,

207. Brian Sperber,

208. Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber has been named as the No. 7 power broker by MVP Magazine in the second annual list of Top 30 Power Brokers in the Valley’s sports market

210. Ray Torres,

211. President, Torres & Associates, LLC, boutique business consulting, technology, and communication solutions firm to small to med-size companies. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

213. Steve Twist,

214. Father of Lane's chief of staff, J. P. Twist; VP and General Counsel at Services Group of America, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona Area Food & Beverages industry; He is a founder of the Goldwater Institute, Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, and the Arizona Economic Forum. He served as a member of the State Board for Charter Schools, also serving as its President, and the Arizona Juvenile Justice Commission, both gubernatorial appointments. He serves on the board of two charter schools, Basis, with schools in Tucson and Scottsdale, and e-cademie, a school operated by the Goodwill of Central Arizona.

215.  

216. Tommy Walker,

217. Pres. Arizona Business Aviation Association; General manager Scottsdale AirCenter (aeronautical services: fueling, chartering and maintenance. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

219. George Weisz,

220. Co-owner, Wolfley’s Neighborhood Grill & Majerle’s Sports Grill. Scottsdale Area Chamber member?

221.  

222. Chad Willems,

223. Russell Pearce's political consultant; Summit Consulting; runs Arpaio's re-election campaign.

224.  

225. Jess Yescalis,

226. Development Director Goldwater Institute; political consultant

Kathy Littlefield
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260

Why is our Planning Commission only made up of architects, developers, engineers and construction people? Other communities across the country include neighborhood leaders, small business owners, members of HOA’s and just plain residents who know about and care about their neighborhood and the community at large?  I am a college student home for the summer and studying city government policies and procedures. I am working towards a degree in urban planning and Scottsdale seems to be so out of step with other growing cities of comparable size?

J. Schneider
Tempe, Arizona (attending ASU)

My friends and I spend a couple of hundred dollars a night on drinks and food. It would be nice to know Scottsdale cared about our safety. 

Dear Friends:

Like all of you I am concerned that the current majority on the Scottsdale City Council is taking our city in the wrong direction. While I will continue to fight to preserve Scottsdale’s high quality of life and economic vitality I am pretty much a minority of one at this point on the Council and I need your help.

The only way to fix this problem is to change the membership of the City Council in the upcoming elections. Fortunately, we already have two resident-friendly candidates in the race, Guy Phillips,  Chris Schaffner and "Copper" Phillips. Electing them to the Scottsdale City Council will go a long way to getting our city back on the right track and I support them both wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately, as resident-friendly candidates, Guy, Chris and "Copper" will be facing a Tsunami of special-interest money, not to mention the opposition of our local establishment newsletter posing as a newspaper. That means we are going to have to work hard to help them be elected, and at this stage of the campaign that means contributing money to their campaigns.

While a candidate does not need to have the most money to win, they do need to have enough money to get their message out to a very large number of potential voters.

So, all of us who care about Scottsdale’s future need to dig deep and send Guy, Chris and "Copper" some money. In this election cycle contributions are limited to ^$430 for individuals, ^$860 for couples.

Here is the info you need to contribute to their campaigns:

Please make checks out to:

Committee to Elect Guy Phillips

7131 E. Cholla St., Scottsdale, AZ 85254

www.scottsdaleadvocates.com 

Schaffner for Scottsdale

7346 E Sunnyside Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85260

www.schaffnerforscottsdale.com 

Joanne "Copper" Phillips

7451 E. Via Dona Rd,  Scottsdale, AZ 85266

 http://copperphillips.com/

I know money is tight, but this upcoming election will probably determine whether Scottsdale stays a special place to live or becomes just another bland Phoenix suburb. So, please support Guy and Chris as much as you can.

I will certainly appreciate your help.

Bob Littlefield
Scottsdale City Councilman
602-228-9145 mobile

www.boblittlefield.com 

Honesty and Integrity:

I am committed to doing what is right for Scottsdale. I understand Scottsdale’s issues and I am pro-active in enforcing responsible, open, transparent and efficient city government.

I was recently inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame for my life’s work in health and fitness. My wife Debbie and I are downtown residents and have been downtown business owners since 1997.

Years of volunteer service in the Sheriff’s office, search and rescue teams and firefighting. I support public safety as the number one priority of every municipality.

I have been involved in multiple community issues resulting in action and change. I am dedicated .I have invested the time and has a proven track record for getting things done. Scottsdale Republic’s “2011 Who’s Who”…A key personality for solving problems in the entertainment district.

I am a concerned mediator for the community, I am not afraid to confront any issue. I am responsive and proactive towards compatibility issues city-wide. I am the founder and president of the Association to Preserve Downtown Scottsdale’s Quality of Life.

I am a supporter and advocate for local and new business, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, downtown compatibility, the McDowell Road revitalization, the Scottsdale Airpark, transportation improvements, education, tourism, the arts, the equestrian community and our unique character and lifestyle. I will support our diverse citizenry with responsible compatible change that will enhance our quality of life and maintain our valuable 60 year brand.

The choice is clear. Involvement! I lead by example, not promises. My accomplishments in life indicate what I will do when elected to the Scottsdale City Council.

As a 35 year business owner, I have always donated valuable time to community service including the US Olympic Committee, mountain rescue, volunteer fire fighting chamber boards, Scottsdale Symphony, Starshine Academy, Council Districts for Scottsdale, the US Navy, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Posse, The Association to Preserve Downtown Scottsdale’s Quality of Life and more.

I have been a constant in discussions concerning multiple Scottsdale issues since 1997, and I continue to be pro-active in community affairs. My actions bring results. I don't just offer criticism, I bring solutions.

As a community leader and a powerful voice who has been engaged in a hostile conflict in the bar district, I am honored to be a champion for citizens, protecting quality of life. As I continue to shield residents and businesses from undesirable consequences of incompatible zoning and conditional use permits, I am unyielding when it comes to maintaining my position on high ground, on the right side of critical issues, protecting residents, property values, businesses and jobs city wide.

Scottsdale is a very special place for me. It’s where my wife, Debbie, and I have lived and worked happily for over 15 years. But the need for new leadership and ideas has never been more apparent than now as Scottsdale must work to preserve its quality of life and to embrace change. While some believe this will be difficult, I believe it’s imperative we support our diverse citizenry with responsible change that actually enhances quality of life. This is why I’m running for Scottsdale City Council and asking for your vote.

For 35 years, I’ve had the privilege to own and operate my own fitness business. Recently, I was humbled by induction into the National Fitness Hall of Fame for my lifelong contribution to health and fitness. My passion for fitness is equal only by my desire to give back to community. I have served on The U.S. Olympic Committee, the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, a volunteer fire department and multiple civic organizations. I volunteer with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Posse on mounted search and rescue missions and armed dignitary protection assignments.

Over the past year, as founder and president of The Association to Preserve Downtown Scottsdale’s Quality of Life, I have advocated for downtown neighborhood residents and businesses, resulting in improvements to parking, lighting, noise and littering ordinances and an increase in law enforcement oversight. My work is not finished, and I need your help.

Your vote to seat me on city council is extremely important to ensure citizens have a voice to protect and preserve their quality of life and to promote economic vitality that honors Scottsdale’s heritage and builds a strong future. I am always committed to doing what’s right for our city.

Character. Honesty, integrity, conviction, justice, charity, volunteerism and open government.

Public Safety. History in law enforcement, search and rescue and fire fighting.

Quality of Life. Advocate of fitness, equestrian and The McDowell Mountain Preserve.

Business. 35 year business owner. Supporter of tourism, arts and employment opportunities.

Development. Advocate of quality compatible growth enhancing quality of life.

As a longtime community leader, I have brought awareness to many Scottsdale issues city wide. Over the years I have written more published My Turn columns on Scottsdale issues than anyone. I have influenced action and change from the appointment of a city treasurer to the McDowell Mountain Preserve and the equestrian center. I am a powerful voice for residents and businesses. Downtown, in less than one year as an outsider to city government, I have accomplished much:

I can accomplish even more with your vote. My presence on city council is vital to protect and preserve Scottsdale’s quality of life and promote business compatible with Scottsdale’s valuable brand. This is a serious campaign and the stakes are high for Scottsdale. You can help me with my effort. I have invested the time, dedication and I have the proven track record for getting things done. Your vote is crucial. Visit my Website to learn more. May I please have your vote!

Just once it would be nice to know that the Scottsdale Republic was paying attention to Neighborhoods and the way the "City was doing the business of the people,” in that regard.

Neighborhoods are of absolutely no importance to Lane even his poorly designed campaign mailers couldn’t come up with anything positive that he has done, even referring to the bar district and surrounding neighborhoods. 

 There is no entertainment district in the General Plan, either by definition or location. It only appears on a commercially produced tourist map. Those bars have had a negative impact on the single family residential neighborhoods surrounding the Downtown, as well as the older multifamily complexes outside of the so called entertainment/bar district and not just due to the noise factor. 

Lane goes on about toughening litter ordinances, noise ordinances, public urination ordinances and parking permits, but none of those ordinances and amendments have followed the board and commission process nor have they gone through the appropriate public hearing process that allows establishing enforceable ordinances. 

That means that there is room for offenders to challenge the city on citations and fines. We just love to go to court in this city. 

What Lane gave neighborhoods is the “infill incentive district zoning” for the Downtown that so far has seen high-rise apartment projects approved for the fringe areas bordering with the Southern Scottsdale Community Planning Area's residential neighborhoods. And that can be amended to be used in other parts of Scottsdale.

Some staffers were instructed to keep quiet about the “IID” unless asked. Public meeting notices were sent to many addresses in the Villa Monterey Historic Neighborhood area while folks were on vacation (it was June, 2010). The City chose to use an antiquated notification system that staff recommended updating 10 years ago. 

And wouldn’t you know it. As soon as the Council passed the Infill Incentive District that night in July 2010, by a 4 – 3 vote with Lane in full support. Jason Rose (a fund raiser for Lane and a campaign advisor) reached over Nancy Cantor’s shoulder with his business card so that he could make an appointment for the representative from Gray Development’s, Scottsdale and Camelback Roads, BlueSky project, to chat about what they wanted to build. 

We are asking for responsible, respectful long term economic development. 

No more carte blanche for whatever a developer wants and the residents be damned. 

We need a responsible, informed Council and Mayor, making the decisions impacting our neighborhoods, not developers and their attorneys. We need a City Attorney that understands our General Plan and the amending process and doesn’t have to ask the applicants attorney for interpretation of our General Plan. 

From Code Enforcement to infill development we need more than election year grandstanding. We need commitment to the existing vision for our neighborhoods stated in the General Plan 

The future of Scottsdale’s economic vitality includes healthy, safe neighborhoods and a sound General Plan.  

Don’t look to Lane for that leadership. 

This letter is signed by: 

George Knowlton, 31+ year resident and past member of the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission, and long time city activist who deeply cares about Scottsdale,

Joe Campodallorto, Born and raised in Scottsdale, and past Chairman of the Housing Board (two terms) and Neighborhood Advisory Commission, past member of the Environmental Quality Advisory Board, past member of the Building Advisory Board (eight years) who deeply cares about Scottsdale,

Patty Badenoch, Life long Scottsdale resident, and past member of the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission (two terms), and long time city activist who deeply cares about Scottsdale,

Nancy Cantor, 57 year resident and past vice chair of the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission (two terms) and Housing Board (two terms), and long time city activist who deeply cares about Scottsdale,