John Greco sent this letter to the editor this morning.
In response to noise complaints from residents adjacent to the downtown area, [Scottsdale’s] Mayor [Jim Lane] and Council passed a noise ordinance that did not include adjacent residents, i.e., it included the downtown area only.
Now you are presented with a draft “public safety” ordinance for the downtown area that counts only felonies, when most public disorderly conduct consists of misdemeanors. Please do not miss the target again, like you did with the noise ordinance.
Increasingly voters are becoming aware of what is going on, and what appears to be continual pandering to the bar interests. No one is against bars or entertainment per se, but what you and your predecessors have created and continue to allow in the downtown area is harming all of us—and you have been told that repeatedly.
It is past time for effective action, and that does not include the ineffective draft public safety ordinance now before you. This problem is not going to go away of its own accord. Things are going to get worse unless you take effective action. Once again you are being told. Hopefully this time you will listen and take effective action.
John W Greco