Disputing the record on SCAMDD’s ties to Scottsdale
OPINION — I would like to address the article from July 16, about SCAMDD's endorsement of Bob Littlefield and Michelle Ugenti-Rita.
On Wednesday, July 15, the news editor for Scottsdale left a Facebook message for me to call him. We spoke on Thursday. He seemed predisposed to question SCAMDD’s legitimacy. He also contacted our President, David LaVelle.
Although the headline has been corrected, the original headline characterized us as an "organization with tenuous ties to the city," which is not accurate. Regarding SCAMDD's ties to Scottsdale:
I have owned a home in Scottsdale for 29 years and pay property taxes. I have been active in Scottsdale since the mid-1990s, including working on at least five council campaigns. Everyone associated with SCAMDD owns a home there and lives there either full or part time. Please be clear that SCAMDD cares deeply about keeping Scottsdale special and preserving our desert ecosystem and unique lifestyles.
SCAMDD was formed to fight possible development on state trust land in north Scottsdale. Despite what Carla and Councilwoman Whitehead claimed in the article, they have met with my neighbors and urged them to go along with Anderson’s “Desert Legacy” project, claiming they couldn't work with a better developer, or words to that effect.
By trying to discredit SCAMDD, we feel the article unfairly discredited the candidates we endorsed, by association, and we strongly object to this tactic.
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