Mike Norton just can’t help himself. Setting aside the Scottsdale Unified School District budget override for a later discussion, Norton could have just silently savored the Scottsdale city bond election ‘victory,’ and parlayed his big success into the relevance he desperately craves. Instead, he continues to lie, to inflate his own role, and to celebrate […]
Gadflies
It’s more of the tired old sentiment that those in power can do whatever they want, and we mere peasants can only object via “civil dialog.” Plus, “gadfly” is easier to spell than “concerned citizen and taxpayer.” Why does the Scottsdale Independent constantly refer to those opposed to the Desert Edge [formerly known as […]
Scottsdale Journalism, Jumbo Shrimp
“Scottsdale Journalism?” Is that even still a thing? I’m reminded of the George Carlin shtick about “jumbo shrimp,” “military intelligence,” and “business ethics.” More on that last phrase momentarily. Did you know that Carlin was a US Air Force veteran? He was also court-martialed three times. The USAF apparently doesn’t have a sense of humor. […]
Bulldozing the Preserve
Is this a preview of the arrogant bulldozing (figuratively and literally) of Scottsdale’s citizens and their McDowell Sonoran Preserve by Sam Campana and her “Desert Edge” (aka “Desert Discovery Center) cronies on the Scottsdale City Council? Click here to read Neil DeMause’s article, “Blues don’t wait on Park Service permission, go ahead and bulldoze park […]
Public meetings and the First Amendment
At a city council meeting in February, Scottsdale citizen Mark Stuart was arrested for–in essence–exercising his First Amendment rights, and rights proscribed by the Arizona State Constitution and Scottsdale City Charter and policies, during time reserved for such “public comment,” at that meeting. Stuart’s topic was a petition opposing the Desert Discovery Center. Stuart’s removal […]
Scottsdale Citizen-Advocate Silenced and Arrested at City Council Meeting
It was reported to me last night that at the direction of Scottsdale mayor Jim Lane, fellow resident advocate Mark Stuart was cut off during remarks to the city council about the proposed multi-million dollar “Desert Discovery Center,” during the “public comment” period of last night’s council meeting. The live broadcast of the city council […]
Virginia Korte: Horse Troughs and Horse Hockey
In a recent example of press release journalism in the Scottsdale “Independent,” Virginia Korte is quoted: “Putting horse troughs in front of downtown stores is not going to keep Scottsdale the ‘West’s Most Western Town.’” That one dishonest statement sums up Korte’s sincerity about the so-called “Community Conversation” about the future of Scottsdale she’s proposing. […]
Swaback versus the flat-earthers
The Voice of Korte put out an email this morning with a tangential nod toward the taxpayer-funded folly of Scottsdale Desert Discovery Center promoter/designer, Vern Swaback. This week’s best sound bite comes from Vern Swaback, whose firm Swaback Partners [architecture firm], is working on the design of the Desert Discovery Center. “There may very well […]
Glendale’s Pro Sports Bill May Hit $21 Million This Year | KJZZ
“I don’t know to say if it’s an equal value,” [Glendale city manager Kevin] Phelps said. “But I think it certainly presents a compelling case to be in that market.” If you don’t KNOW that you are getting your money’s worth, then there is nothing “compelling” about such a case. This uncharacteristically disjointed article by […]
Campaign finance law-violating Realtors are at it again
A few days ago, the Scottsdale city clerk notified 2016 candidates that the National Association of Realtors out of Chicago had donated a staggering $72,000 to their favorites in our city election: An Independent Expenditure Notification form has been filed with this office by the National Association of Realtors Fund. The notification reports independent expenditures […]