This “Our View” column appeared in Saturday’s Scottsdale Republic.
Back up the rhetoric
In your article about the recent Scottsdale City Council candidate forum hosted by Scottsdale Leadership, you reported a lament by incumbent council candidate Linda Milhaven that the so-called “civility pledge” adopted by the City Council last summer did not pass unanimously.
I was the one dissenting vote, because I saw the “civility pledge” was a farce, designed to protect the incumbent council candidates while muzzling those of us who oppose their shortsighted, parasitic “growth” policies. They don’t want us to point out that these policies actually degrade Scottsdale’s special character, overtax our infrastructure and cost existing residents both in tax dollars and in reduced quality of life. And the incumbent council candidates would really like us to stop talking about how hard they have tried to raise taxes on Scottsdale residents.
If Milhaven, Dennis Robbins and Jennifer Petersen really believed in civility, they would be renouncing the dark-money negative mailers supporting them and lying about rival candidate Kathy Littlefield. But instead they spout high-minded rhetoric while wallowing in tens of thousands of dollars of dark money helping their campaigns. Their idea of civility is, we have to be nice to them while their surrogates trash their opponents. Totally hypocritical.
— Bob Littlefield, Scottsdale City Council member
1 Comment
Mr Littlefield.
Do you denounce ALL dark money, or just that is being thrown at your wifes campaign?
I have lived in Scottsdale for the better part of 48 years. What “special” charactor is it that you are trying to preserve? That is being degraded? What “loss” of quality of life is it you speak of?
See, I would love Scottsdale as it used to be. Loved the pies from Lutes Phamacy. The all you can eat pancakes at Hobo Joes. Diner at Lulu Bells. The Red Dog. The Parada Del Sol as it used to be. Farrells Ice Cream. Coco’s. The Safari. The Sugar Shack. Roman Village. 5Th Ave as it used to be. The problem is that horse was let out of the barn years ago.
South Scottsdale has been in decline for years. Hopefully Sky Song will help, but where has the concern been from you and the council for years? Where did the “Special Charactor” their go to?
While I agree with what you wish for………..thats history. Sad but true. So, please tell me just what it is you have tried to do, and what your wife would try to do to make things go the way you feel they should? Just what is it you see Scottsdale as being?
By the way. Much of that “special” charactor you speak of was based around the tourism industry. Nothing has changed except the expansive growth of hotels, shopping, restaurants, night life. People want to live near that. Peop;le want to be close to that. Thats the world we live in. Like it or not.
The real issue that will hurt the “special” charactor of the city is something you cant control. The Scottsdale School system. Under the leadership of Dr Peterson, we are losing kids and teachers. That is having more of a negative effect than anything the council is doing. Want to fix that? Lobby for him to resign, or vote for Ladd and Kirby. I am hoping if they get in, Peterson will either resign or be fired.