\nRaoul Zubia, a business consultant who failed in a 2022 run for City Council.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Graham has been trading shots with Whitehead over Scottsdale\u2019s approach to recycled water. Whitehead repeatedly called for City Manager Greg Caton to commit funds to Scottsdale\u2019s Advanced Water Purification system; Graham scoffs at the system as \u201ctoilets to taps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham shifted his focus with a June 12 social media post:<\/p>\n
\u201cBetter Together \u2013 an Axon front group \u2013 has begun flooding the airwaves with attacks on frontrunners Bob Littlefield, Michelle Ugenti-Rita, and me \u2013 the only candidates who stood up to their massive apartment project and continue to oppose their goal to turn Scottsdale into a city that \u2018surpasses Seattle\u2019,\u201d Graham posted.<\/p>\n
He encouraged Scottsdale voters to be wary of Axon \u201chand-picking your City Council members.\u201d<\/p>\n
The short response, from Axon spokesman David Leibowitz:<\/p>\n
\u201cAxon is not \u2018officially\u2019 or directly involved in the Scottsdale Council races.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leibowitz ranted that Graham \u201csimply makes stuff up \u2013 like the fantasy that he, Michelle \u2018Scandal A Minute\u2019 Ugenti, and \u2018Dark Money\u2019 Bob Littlefield are the \u2018frontrunners.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere’s not a single credible poll that shows that. Zero.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two PACs and a counter attack<\/p>\n
As the Progress reported last year, Axon Enterprises and Axon founder\/Chief Executive Officer Rick Smith each contributed $500,000 to Arizonans for a Better Future. Josh Isner, the Axon president who has publicly battled Graham, chipped in $100,000 to the political action committee.<\/p>\n
The Axon PAC put some of that money to use in TV ads attacking Graham in 2025.<\/p>\n
Arizonans for a Better Future spent $582,000 \u2013 with $170,000 to Signal Research, $165,000 to Trailhead Strategic Communications and $16,000 to Leibowitz \u2013\u00a0 through the first quarter of this year, according to Transparency USA.<\/p>\n
Now, according to its website that mirrors Arizonans for a Better Future, \u201cBetter Together is a political action committee committed to keeping our communities moving forward with practical, politically wise solutions that rise above partisanship.\u201d<\/p>\n
Better Together\u2019s Facebook site claims it is \u201cCutting through the clutter of politics to enhance the economy, public safety, and individual freedom. A voice for common sense in a world of screaming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Better Together filed with the state June 5.<\/p>\n
Chris Baker is its chairman.<\/p>\n
Leibowitz is listed as Better Together\u2019s treasurer.<\/p>\n
Baker and Leibowitz have similar positions with Arizonans for a Better Future.<\/p>\n
As they are on recycled water, Graham and Whitehead are sharply divided on Axon\u2019s \u201cinternational campus,\u201d anchored by a new corporate office but also featuring apartment buildings and a hotel.<\/p>\n
Whitehead supported the original 2024 Axon rezoning for 1,900 units, as well as a \u201cmemorandum of understanding\u201d with the city earlier this year, which reduced the apartments to 1,200.<\/p>\n
Graham voted against both.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Graham and Ugenti-Rita spoke against the Axon plan at the State Capitol. But state legislatures ignored their protests, passing a bill that allowed Axon\u2019s development \u2013 essentially nullifying a planned referendum.<\/p>\n
Led by Bob Littlefield, Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAAZE) filed lawsuits challenging the state law and city-Axon deal.<\/p>\n
Graham strongly suggested Axon wants far more than what the current deal with the city allows.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2019s the reality: if Axon\u2019s executives can defeat those of us standing in their way, they can simply file another application and push it right back up to 2,500 units or more,\u201d Graham alleged.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that why their front groups are blanketing Scottsdale with lies about me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ginny Harris posted a question to Graham:<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is funding your Anti-Axon group, please?\u201d<\/p>\n
She was referring to the longtime stance by Littlefield, who has refused to name the financial backer behind TAAAZE\u2019s referendum-signature effort and court battles.<\/p>\n
\u201chave nothing to do with TAAAZE,\u201d Graham said.<\/p>\n
In May, TAAAZE reported income of $50,374, with 95% coming from the Mesa-based \u201cdark money\u201d conduit Public Integrity Alliance, and expenses of $49,640 \u2013 most in operating expenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Leibowitz chimed in, alluding to Graham\u2019s June 9 approval vote of a One Scottsdale request for 350 additional \u201chousing units\u201d:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s no shock Barry Graham would lash out in a hypocritical way. It’s how he covers his tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018No-party\u2019 voters<\/strong><\/p>\nCan only Democrats and Republicans voters participate in the Scottsdale primary?<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Scottsdale, voters registered as Independent \u2013 or \u2018No Party Preference\u2019 \u2013 can vote in the primary election,\u201d Holly Peralta, a city spokeswoman, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, they must choose which ballot they want to receive.<\/p>\n
They may request a Democrat, Republican, or No Labels Party ballot, but can only vote in one party’s primary,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the party ballots will include the Scottsdale City Council contest as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAdditionally, voters can request a non-partisan ballot, which will only include the Scottsdale City Council contest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Independents\/no labels who want to participate by mail must request the ballot they want, according to Peralta.<\/p>\n
This can be done online at BeBallotReady.vote or by calling 602-506-1511.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf voting in person,\u201d Peratla added, \u201cthey can select their preferred ballot at the voting location.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVoters should make sure to bring proper ID to the polls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Open house\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce is hosting a June 22 \u201cmeet and greet\u201d with the council candidates.<\/p>\n
According to the Chamber, this will be a chance for the public \u201cto meet and ask questions of the candidates, allowing them to articulate their visions and policies in an open, public environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each candidate will discuss \u201cplans for addressing the city’s most pressing issues, ensuring all voices are heard and allowing the electorate to make sound and informed decisions at the ballot box.\u201d<\/p>\n
The open house starts at 5 p.m. Monday, June 22, at the Homestead Community Center at DC Ranch, 18600 N. 98th Street.<\/p>\n
Attendance is free; registration is required. To register: scottsdalechamber.com<\/a>.<\/p>\nEarly voting<\/strong><\/p>\nBeginning Wednesday, June 24, 2026, only certain voting locations will be open.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All voting locations will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, July 21, from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You can drop off your voted mail ballot at the following locations starting Wednesday, June 24, through Monday, July 20:<\/p>\n
Scottsdale City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Boulevard. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center, 510 S. 3rd Ave.<\/p>\n
Phoenix. Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.<\/p>\n
Maricopa County Recorder\/Elections, 222 E. Javelina Ave., Mesa. Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week starting Wednesday, June 24.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Outdoor temperatures soared to 110 last week, with more of the same in store this week. That coincides…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":884454,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5131],"tags":[5229,5643,4193,359089,1587,166900,166898,304829,270104,189881,1589,241098,183906,7600,46683,152497,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-884453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-phoenix","tag-america","tag-arizona","tag-axon","tag-axon-enterprises","tag-az","tag-barry-graham","tag-bob-littlefield","tag-crystal-carroll","tag-eric-sloan","tag-josh-isner","tag-phoenix","tag-raoul-zubia","tag-rick-smith","tag-scottsdale","tag-scottsdale-city-council","tag-solange-whitehead","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116792800390083546","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/884453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=884453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/884453\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/884454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=884453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=884453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=884453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}