Graham and Ugenti-Rita will protect Scottsdale’s water

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As Election Day Approaches

To allow candidates the right to respond to criticisms about their candidacy before Election Day, the last day Independent Newsmedia will publish new election-related letters in our weekly print editions is Oct. 21, and the last day they will publish online is Oct. 27. Candidates may submit a 150-word reply addressing criticisms only and should email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org along with their name, address, contact number and the headline of the letter they’re addressing.

OPINION — Scottsdale stands alone as a leader of water conservation, recycling and storage. We have reused and recharged what we have for more than 20 years. This council is making record water investments and is adding another plant once the costs and the health regulations are known.
That means our taps aren't running dry — and anyone telling you otherwise is using campaign rhetoric.

Unfortunately, that is what Raoul Zubia's campaign has been doing: spreading misinformation about Scottsdale's water security. He keeps suggesting to residents that their taps may run dry if they don't vote for him. However, he won't tell those same residents the truth about our water security, or that he has lobbied for high-density apartments, or that he accepts campaign donations from the developers who want our water.

Here's what I mean by "give it away." When you look at our land, the city's own design standards show that high-density apartment rezonings require about 7.5 times the water demand of single-family homes on the same land. That's how your water can be given away.

I'll be voting for Barry Graham and Michelle Ugenti-Rita because they'll protect our water and won't hand it over to the next big project.

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