By Lisa Borowsky | Mayor of Scottsdale
“Anyone but Barry.”
That’s the feeling so many Scottsdale voters share as they look for guidance on who to place their political faith in this upcoming election.
This primary election, Tuesday, July 21, provides Scottsdale voters with the valuable opportunity to restore common sense and public decorum to Scottsdale City Council. Let’s not waste this opportunity to make our City Council great, and respected, again.
The persistent, disturbing conduct of Councilman Barry Graham has created a toxic environment that is palpable throughout City Hall. Not only has Mr. Graham brought shame to the office he holds, by way of ethics violations and overt marginalization of residents and business owners, he is also an active participant, if not the sole director, of incessant, vicious attacks on our residents, our business owners and, of course, his fellow elected officials — launching grotesque missives daily from his “anonymous” blogs.
Scottsdale should not reward such an individual with a second term. While Mr. Graham claims to be a fiscal conservative, this could not be further from the truth. I don’t think Scottsdale has ever seen an elected official work so brazenly to empower bureaucracy in favor of diminishing the will of the voters. He’s led the anti-resident rule change that silences voices (except his own) and aggressively lobbied for excessive pay increases for Charter officers.
Mr. Graham has led many initiatives that have resulted in the excessive waste of taxpayer money in furtherance of his virtue-signaling crusade — consider the forfeiture of $31 million in grant funding to overturn a roundabout where construction was well under way. This debacle not only cost taxpayers significantly but also adds six (6) additional months of construction fueling gridlock for North Scottsdale residents who are fed up with delayed CIP projects.
Then there’s the Old Town Parking Garage, which is another waste of $30 million in taxpayer dollars. In addition, this nonsensical decision is expected to create the next big economic setback for Historic Old Town businesses. We’ve already heard from one notable business owner who is losing $1,000 per day since construction started, with another iconic restaurateur who may close their doors for good. This type of policy making is bad for small businesses, the backbone of our city. But apparently, it was a handsome repayment for Mr. Graham’s few backers from his 2022 campaign.
This is just a taste of the countless examples of why Mr. Graham is bad for your City Council. The irony of all this? He continues to tout his mischievous failures as successes, demonstrating an unparalleled arrogance rivaled only by the love for the sound of his own voice.
One glaring example is the Axon referendum. Mr. Graham claims the residents were done wrong because there was no referendum election held on the Axon project. What does he refuse to be honest about? He is the one who led the charge to block the Axon referendum election!
I personally worked to set the Axon referendum early on three different occasions, all attempts were thwarted by Mr. Graham and his allies. Why? Because Mr. Graham and Bob Littlefield needed a campaign issue to run on and having the election wait until this November suited their needs. I lobbied hard for the earlier election because it was what voters deserved, but Mr. Graham killed the idea all three times. He is lying to you about wanting the referendum election — he wanted his own political self-preservation more.
Also, he whines a lot…
Mr. Graham has cemented himself on City Council as both the baby and the bully, a unique but bizarre talent. Constantly whining about how mean people are to him, he frequently resorts to procedural theatrics to silence anyone who dares disagree with him or proffer feedback on his plethora of poor decisions — “Point of Order,” anyone?
The pressure of dissent is so intolerable for Mr. Graham that he led the charge to move public speakers to the end of our, at times, very long City Council meetings as a deterrent — a move never before seen in Scottsdale, one that intentionally punishes our residents. One must wonder why Mr. Graham even wants a second term, he seems so “devastated” by criticism (albeit there is a lot).
Regarding Axon, I would like to commend President Donald Trump for making a significant investment in our homegrown corporate success story, Axon Enterprise.
President Trump makes this money move while so-called local “conservatives” denounce the company and its world headquarters, set to emerge in north Scottsdale this fall. Axon is on the brink of revolutionizing police work right here in Scottsdale and just about everywhere else on Planet Earth.
Here in Scottsdale, our residents and our public safety officers have a front row seat at the table of modern police, which means a better way to keep our community safe. As one very well-respected member of Scottsdale Police shared, “if people only knew how many violent crimes Axon has helped us prevent or solve, they wouldn’t be so hard on them.” Logic we can all appreciate.
Continuing down the whiney road…
Instead of commending, or at least respecting, the corporate commitment Axon has made in Scottsdale, he decries, misleads and confuses voters about what Axon represents to our community. Given the mere speculation that Axon representatives may take a political stand against him; he screams foul, another glaring example of Mr. Graham’s documented history of intolerance of free speech and double standards.
A true conservative does not work to silence free speech, whether from individuals or members of the business community. That’s how a “Republican In Name Only (RINO)” behaves. Add this posturing to Mr. Graham’s well-known participation in the “anonymous” attack blogs, which seek to ruin the reputation of anyone who dares disagree with him and you have, overall, a very unattractive candidate.
I am not issuing endorsements for this July primary election — based on my experience working with Mr. Graham for the last 17 months, which includes his ongoing “bully-baby” antics at City Council meetings and at the two formal debates at City Hall, hosted by the Arizona Republic and Independent Newsmedia — I encourage you to vote for whomever you think will do the best, so long as it is anyone but Barry.
PRIMARY ELECTION: Tuesday, July 21
Scottsdale voters will choose three City Council members in the July 21, 2026, Primary Election. Candidates who receive a majority of votes cast for their race will be elected outright, while any remaining seats will be decided in the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election. (File Graphic/Scottsdalemayor.com)
Below is a brief outline of all candidates as we head into the July primary election here in Scottsdale. Please do your homework and cast your votes to bring back civility, logic, and conservative values to City Hall — we must save the city’s longstanding reputation for rational, respectable leadership!
Crystal Carroll
Crystal Carroll is a successful and proud business owner, real estate investor and entrepreneur seeking her first term on the Scottsdale City Council.
Ms. Carroll’s priorities include supporting local businesses, especially in Old Town, where she currently serves as Committee Chair for the 5th Avenue District of the Old Town Task Force. She advocates for streamlining the permitting and licensing process, reducing regulatory burdens, promoting tourism and entrepreneurship, and improving infrastructure to support economic growth.
Ms. Carroll has publicly stated that advanced water purification technologies deserve consideration but should be accompanied by rigorous testing and public education.
Barry Graham
See Above.
Ethan Knowlden
Ethan Knowlden is a candidate for Scottsdale City Council seeking one of the three available seats as he will be among the eight candidates appearing on the July 21 ballot.
One of Mr. Knowlden’s most publicly discussed positions concerns water policy. According to reported candidate responses, Mr. Knowlden supports expanding advanced water purification and direct potable reuse as part of Scottsdale’s long-term water strategy.
Water security, growth and development policy have become major issues in this election cycle, and Mr. Knowlden’s support for advanced water recycling distinguishes him from several candidates who oppose that approach.
Bob Littlefield
Bob Littlefield is a former Scottsdale elected official, husband to Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield who is now termed. Collectively, they have served on Council for the past 24 years. In his candidate statement, Mr. Littlefield identifies overdevelopment as a major challenge facing Scottsdale.
He argues that unchecked growth has contributed to road congestion, infrastructure strain and concerns about preserving Scottsdale’s character.
Mr. Littlefield has made water availability a central issue in his campaign, expressing concern about Arizona’s long-term drought conditions and future water supplies. In his candidate statement, he specifically criticizes recent high-density residential approvals and argues that Scottsdale should stop development because of water-resource concerns.
Eric Sloan
Eric Sloan’s campaign for Scottsdale City Council is centered on public safety, fiscal responsibility and preserving Scottsdale’s quality of life. A small-business owner and Scottsdale resident, Sloan says his top priority is ensuring residents feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, schools and parks through strong support for law enforcement and first responders.
He also advocates for responsible economic development that creates jobs, maintains low taxes and protects property values, while emphasizing careful stewardship of city finances. In addition, Mr. Sloan supports investments in long-term water security and infrastructure, coupled with strong oversight and accountability.
Throughout his campaign, he has stressed protecting Scottsdale’s neighborhoods, open spaces and community character while pursuing practical, results-oriented leadership focused on residents’ needs.
Michelle Ugenti-Rita
Michelle Ugenti-Rita served as a member of the Arizona Legislature, and was a former candidate for Secretary of State and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. More recently, Ms. Ugenti-Rita has worked as a registered state lobbyist. In her candidate statement, she emphasizes preserving Scottsdale’s character, supporting tourism and arts, maintaining open space, and advocating for taxpayer interests.
Ms. Ugenti-Rita opposes high-density residential development projects she believes are incompatible with Scottsdale’s character, including the proposed Axon development.
Regarding water policy, publicly reported candidate responses indicate she opposes direct potable reuse or placing highly treated recycled wastewater into the drinking water supply.
Solange Whitehead
Solange Whitehead is an incumbent Scottsdale City Council member seeking re-election to her third term. Public discussions surrounding the election frequently place her among candidates focused on growth management, sustainability, transportation, water security, and championing the Preserve.
While Councilwoman Whitehead and I have parted ways on significant policy decisions, her professionalism and preparedness on City Council related business are indisputable.
Raoul Zubia
Raoul Zubia has served on numerous Boards and Commissions over the past several decades. He is well known in the community and is very involved in the Scottsdale Charros, the Chamber of Commerce and other Scottsdale based networks.
He has publicly supported expanding Scottsdale’s advanced water purification and recycled-water strategies as part of the city’s long-term water planning efforts. Mr. Zubia reports his top priorities as protect neighborhoods, responsible growth and restore decorum to City Council.
