Shoeleather Journalism in the Digital Age

Shoeleather Journalism
in the Digital Age

On the local campaign trail: The Scottsdale mayoral election

photo of Scottsdale mayoral election
Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega is seeking his second term as mayor of Scottsdale meanwhile former elected leaders Lisa Borowsky and Linda Milhaven say it is time for a change at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. (Graphic Illustration: Terrance Thornton/DigitalFreePress)

A Digital Free Press examination of the Scottsdale mayoral election

By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press

Some come to support and listen while others come to see and be seen — but all part of the Arizona political apparatus find themselves today entrenched in their element as Arizona voters are weeks away from a primary election with far-reaching local, regional and national implications.

Almost daily, Scottsdale political aficionados descend upon taprooms, bistros and coffee houses to hear from candidates seeking local, regional or national appointments opine what needs to change, where it needs to change and who is going change it.

The local political machine is alive and well in ‘The West’s Most Western Town.’

A key race this political season — one that is raising big dollars and big supporters — is the race for mayor of Scottsdale.

In the race for mayor of Scottsdale, there are three candidates: Lisa Borowsky, Linda Milhaven and David Ortega (incumbent).

Where does the money go? Read Campaign Finance Reports HERE

In the race for mayor of Scottsdale, there are three candidates. From left are Lisa Borowsky, Linda Milhaven and David Ortega (incumbent). (File Photos/DigitalFreePress)
The challengers & the incumbent

Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega is seeking his second term as mayor of Scottsdale meanwhile former elected leaders Lisa Borowsky and Linda Milhaven say it is time for a change at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.

Mayor Ortega continues to march his vision forward of what he believes is best for Scottsdale and with fundraising goals met and strong attendance of supporters during most recent election campaign events, Mr. Ortega says he is feeling energized.

“My re-election is gaining momentum, but, of course, is secondary to my official duties,” he told the Digital Free Press Thursday, June 27.

“I get out constantly for new businesses’ grand openings, meeting kids at the Barker Boys and Girls Club, visits to Desert Mountain Elementary, Desert Mountain Middle School and I even spoke at Saguaro High School graduation, so I really know the pulse of our city. We have had great success during my first term and there is more to expect in the next four years.”

It is hard to deny Mr. Ortega’s zeal for Scottsdale as his regular attendance of local celebrations is a testament to his community dedication but challenger Lisa Borowsky sees the role of mayor as more than a dog-and-pony show.

Ms. Borowsky says her concern with leadership at City Hall has been the ‘urbanization’ of Scottsdale.

“This is my No. 1 issue, the urbanization of Scottsdale is causing irreparable harm to Scottsdale,” Ms. Borowsky said during a campaign event held at the Living Room in north Scottsdale earlier this month. “This kind of rubber-stamp leadership is not what has made us the envy of the Valley — we are known for our rural, western heritage. We are not Phoenix, we are not Tempe — and we don’t want to be that.”

Ms. Milhaven, who spent 12 years as an elected leader at City Hall, contends she is the candidate with the most experience and best skill set for the top elected position in Scottsdale.

“I am really inspired when I get to talk to folks, it helps me to understand what is important to them, and I am always grateful for that,” she said in a June 26 phone interview. “It has been a great experience to meet with friends and supporters and we think all of our public gatherings went and are going really, really well, but they are, for the most part, about done.”

For Ms. Milhaven, who is retired now from Wells Fargo, says she sees herself as a prime choice for the station of mayor due to her expertise and experience.

“I am the most experienced, I have the most expertise and the most knowledge of how to do this job — and I am the most skilled candidate,” she said. “With my service on City Council and my community service, I believe I can do a good job as mayor. We have some financial challenges on the horizon with the city looking to fund new services and make reinvestment. This is a great community but we cannot rest on our laurels.”

The campaign trail: Scottsdale mayoral election

Mr. Ortega says he speaks with voters in daily professional and personal life.

“I encountered three voters picking up my dry cleaning yesterday, one said, ‘I voted for you. Good job.’ Another thanked me for opposing the hockey arena theme park, across from Grayhawk where he lives,” he said. “I responded that dumping 35,000 cars on our doorstep and waiving property and school district taxes and income subsidies for a billionaire are all wrong.”

When it comes to the urbanization of Scottsdale, Mr. Ortega says apartments are vital to long-term sustainability of the municipality.

“Frequently, I hear the complaint, ‘Stop the apartments and traffic is bad because of them!’ I must remind voters that over 23,600 apartments were approved before I took office,” he pointed out.

“Over a 12-year period, Mayor Lane in cahoots with Councilwomen Borowsky and Milhaven upzoned over 23,000 multi-units and changed the low-profile character of Scottsdale. As mayor I slashed height and density, which was gifted by my opponents to voracious developers — City Council has worked together to unwind the Lane-era debacle.”

Ms. Borowsky has a different perspective.

“Many describe themselves as conservative — I really am,” Ms. Borowsky told the Digital Free Press. “I have heard people tell me if we don’t build more apartments we will die, that is not the case. How does the Town of Paradise Valley thrive with zero multifamily developments? I will tell you: It’s the leadership.”

Ms. Borowsky, a Scottsdale litigator by profession, served as an elected leader at City Hall during the Great Recession and says that experience taught her how to make a limited government model work.

“That used to be our model,” she said of the limited government model where service and staff match real-time revenues. “We need to restore that model because as I look at the tens of thousands of apartment units approved I see that they don’t age well — I am running so we can put an end to these rubber-stamp approvals.”

Ms. Borowsky is also calling into question that at-times combative nature of public input at City Hall.

“The lack of citizen involvement and the suffocation of input has been brought to my attention,” she said. “Just because things are going so well, we don’t need to be wasting taxpayer money.”

For Ms. Milhaven, she oftentimes find herself curating definitions of the term ‘quality development’ — and how to get more of it in the city of Scottsdale when meeting with local voters.

“What does quality development mean? What is that level of detail we are looking for in the proposals that come to us,” she asked? “When you ask about what voters are talking to me about it is usually about water and traffic.”

Ms. Milhaven says all development has do take the scarcity of water into account, especially in the years to come.

“When we look at quality development is the use OK? How much would the traffic use be at this site?” she asked of her own evaluations. “We talk proudly about this ‘no apartment’ mantra, but it may not be as simple as that. How long do we want to look at that vacant building? The office market is not robust. We can create housing in commercial areas and we can cut down on neighborhood traffic.”

Mr. Ortega says availability of water is something vital to the future of Scottsdale.

“I always get a thumbs up for protecting our water resources against dry-lot houses in the county,” he said. “When I took office, I was shocked to learn Mayor Lane and Councilwomen Borowsky and Milhaven knowingly squandered our water by allowing bulk tankers to haul it away.”

A view of Scottsdale City Hall. (Photo: Arianna Grainey/DigitalFreePress)
The Scottsdale political narrative

The station of mayor in Scottsdale is a position of power with regional implications.

“I represent Scottsdale at the federal, state and county level, but I also deeply care about neighborhoods and business districts — especially about noise, traffic, glaring lighting and I fully funded public safety,” Mr. Ortega said of how we tells voters about his role atop the local dais.

“Scottsdale has 2,500 employees and 3,780 volunteers who work side-by-side. We have a portfolio of 48 city parks, the Green Belt, multi-purpose trails and the McDowell Preserve. I fully support the Protect and Preserve ballot measure and my opponents do not. As mayor working together, we can make sure our rich Scottsdale legacy and Western heritage thrive into the future.”

The Goldwater Institute Tuesday, June 18, filed a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court against the city of Scottsdale claiming the municipality is using ‘objectively false or misleading information’ while using public resources to influence the outcome of the .15% sales tax question set to appear on the November 2024 general election ballot.

In little over a year, the sales tax in question — originally meant to fund land purchases and the creation of new trailheads within the McDowell Sonoran Preserve — will sunset within municipal bounds, but city leaders have come to terms on a November ballot question asking voters to replace the expiring sales tax with a .15% sales tax to be installed for the next 30 years.

Filed on behalf of former Mayor Jim Lane and Scottsdale residents Yvonne Cahill and Susan Wood, the Goldwater Institute alleges, the city of Scottsdale is:

  • Communicating ‘objectively false or misleading information’ as the Goldwater Institute alleges the municipality cannot describe the new sales tax as a continuation of the an expiring tax meant for a different purpose set by voter approval; and
  • The Goldwater Institute alleges the city of Scottsdale is seeking to influence the outcome of the November 2024 vote because certain published election FAQs ‘omit key information and use rhetorical strategy designed to influence the election outcome.’

The remedy? The Goldwater Institute is asking for the city of Scottsdale to remove the .15% sales tax ballot question from the slate of November election items for voters to decide at the upcoming general election.

Ms. Borowsky is voting, ‘no’ on the proposed .15 sales tax pursuit at City Hall, she says.

“It is so misleading — it is an absolute untruth how they are presenting this sales tax measure to the public,” she said. “This is about infrastructure costs and municipal growth and they are framing it as an extension to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve tax effort, which it is not. Vote, ‘no’ so we don’t reward bad behavior — you can count on me to be a fiscal conservative.”

Ms. Milhaven says her concerns around the sales tax proposal revolve around the available revenues not being discussed.

“I talk about the tax and the $250 million it is likely to generate,” she said. “I would have liked for the city to let voters know the first tax can just expire and the second sales tax that can achieve many of the same things.”

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