Auerbach: Choosing the right Scottsdale leaders in August primary will impact city for years to come

There have been many instances during what is often referred to as the “silly season” that I believe the voters should be aware of.

Too many times I hear from registered voters (and unregistered) voters, “Why bother, whomever wins will just continue things as usual it makes no difference.”

To that I respond as follows.

There are 204,000 registered voters in the City of Scottsdale. The percent of total turnout in the primary of 2012 and 2014, the last time a primary was held for Scottsdale City Council, are 30.52% and 29.44% respectively. In other words --- two-thirds of your neighbors, businesses clients, and friends did not vote.

Yet they (and you) were all subject to the decisions, rules, regulations, and outcomes that the one-third voted into office! Let that sink in for a minute.

This election cycle those who sit out will influence the outcome. Therefore, the faulty logic of why bother, does in fact have the opposite effect!

You not voting does decide who wins and who loses. I suggest since your vote does matter, whether actually counted or not, you fill out a ballot.

We all hear about how this election is the “most important.” In the past those words did ring hollow, even to us politicians who spoke them to gin-up crowds.

But, the winners of this 2020 council election are going to make decision impacting Scottsdale for more than two decades. There are two current members of the council vacating their seats to run for higher office. Thus, open seats.

The third seat up this cycle is held by an incumbent who is running for his final term. There are nine qualified candidates for those three seats on the Aug. 4 primary ballot.

One possible reason that fully 75% of registered voters do not vote is a lack of knowledge of who the candidates are. In an attempt to remedy this, let me be blunt in the rest of this piece.

Suzanne Klapp and Virginia Korte are vacating their seats. Guy Phillips is running for re-election. The challengers are: Tammy Caputi, a Democrat. John Little, a Democrat. Betty Janik, an Independent. Tom Durham, a Republican. Kevin Maxwell, a Republican. Becca Linnig, a Republican. Bill Crawford, a Republican. Mike Auerbach, a Republican.

Guy Phillips, embroiled in a campaign finance/ethics complaint for a GoFundme account.

Much has been made by the current council and some challengers regarding the current ethics policy the city has and the result of that investigation including the judge’s decision. Corrective steps needed to be taken in the wake of this complaint and shockingly --- grandstanding.

Unfortunately, it does not go without saying you would think adults who chose to run for office would know better than to take anonymous donations.

Apparently not. The reasons are self-evident. Do not take the money. Period!

Tammy Caputi, the chair of Scottsdale Coalition of Today and Tomorrow (SCOTT). SCOTT’s bylaws allow for 24 board members who pay annual sponsorship fees.

Openings are filled by invitation. Directly from their website. Pay and invitation are what the voters need to know.

I happened to know that the sponsorship fees --- insert the term “pay to play” here --- is $5,000. How do I know? Because Don Henniger, the founder offered me an invitation last fall before I even announced I was filing.

Wait that is not even the most offensive and unethical pursuit to influence this election cycle with his hand-picked candidate. SCOTT sent the invite to all council candidates asking them to join in the official city debate forum.

Curiously missing was Ms. Caputi’s connection to the organization. No mention was made by either the candidate herself, Mr. Henniger the key sponsor, or Wayne Shutsky the editor of the Scottsdale Progress who moderated the debate and asked all questions.

Just a day ago another invite was sent from Mr. Henniger asking the candidates to participate in yet another forum. Again, no mention made about his connection to Ms. Caputi. No disclaimer, no information at all about her being the chair of his organization.

SCOTT will not endorse political candidates. Directly from their website. Talk about an ethics conflict…now there is clear example of hiding vital information by way of omission. Put a different way, Mr. Henniger and SCOTT hypocrites.

Trying to trick the public that you are non-partisan, objective, and fair is laughable.

John Little, the former city manager who was fired by the current mayor in one of his first acts as mayor. Reasons for dismissal include incompetence and mismanagement. Mr. Little’s candidacy aside from being highly partisan, is simple to explain, revenge.

Betty Janik, aside from being a one-hit wonder, and receiving the endorsement of Coalition of Greater Scottsdale, which she was the president of until the very day she filed, she has no track record of community involvement.

She has never been a precinct committeeman in either party. She has not been a political appointee. She has not volunteered on any previous committees’ of a candidate to make phone calls or going door-to-door.

She lives in north Scottsdale near Silverleaf and her entire platform is what is wrong with Old Town/no more development of any kind in Scottsdale. As someone who lives just outside of Old Town, and walks his dog every day I see in my daily activities what really happens here.

Tom Durham, a resident less than five years. Also lives in far north Scottsdale, yet claims to be the “citizens candidate.” In that five years he has not voted in every primary and general. Never held any political office by appointment or election. And is clinging on to Betty’s coattails so hard it is impossible to determine where she ends and he begins as a candidate with a platform of his own.

Kevin Maxwell, the brother-in-law of a current council member not in this race.

Another person with no history of activity in the Republican Party.

In fact, he ran to the legislative district chair and insisted she appoint him a precinct committeeman (PC) in January of this year right before he filed to run. For those of you not familiar with the responsibility of a PC and how to become one let me enlighten you.

Every two years those wishing to be elected to the precinct committeeman position must get a minimum of 10 signatures on a petition from the 125 neighbors living closest to them. Take it to the Secretary of State’s Office and have those names verified as being a member of the Republican Party and registered to vote at the address listed.

Every month a General Meeting is held where attendance of all PC’s is required to discuss what each of them have heard from the 125 residents they represent. Mr. Maxwell has not invested the time nor energy to do either, yet he wants the benefits.

I have been an elected PC since 2010. I collected my own signatures and attended over 90% of the meetings in that decade.

Becca Linnig, a registered Republican, but a Democrat who knows she cannot win if she runs in the party she most ideologically aligns with. There is a pattern of that here in Scottsdale.

She is not a PC and never has been. Has no track record of civic involvement in the city, appointed or otherwise. Ms. Linnig has not provided testimony to the council and mayor at regular council meetings, nor has made the time to show up at any meetings.

I know this because I regularly attend the council meetings.

Bill Crawford, a four-time loser for council. He has been running and lost every election since 2012. He is the perennial candidate who refuses to accept the reality that the residents do not want him on the council.

Mike Auerbach, former parks and recreation commissioner, previous vice-chair of the Neighborhood Advisory Commission, both appointments by the council and mayor. Former member of the public policy group, and economic advisory group of the Chamber of Commerce.

Five-time elected Precinct Committeeman, and previous Area Director for Legislative District 23. Arizona Delegate to the State Convention, elected by fellow PC’s. Associate member of the Palo Verde GOP Women, the Lincoln GOP Women, the Paradise GOP women. Advisor to a past state-wide candidate.

Volunteer on Senatorial and Congressional campaigns. Scottsdale 101 graduate. Voted every ballot the past 11 years, the entire time I have lived in Scottsdale.

Given testimony and attended regular council meetings for the past 10 years.

Registered voter since age 18. Former assistant finance director to U.S. Senator John Seymour. Former political director and Capitol Hill aide to U.S. Congressman Steve Horn. The only candidate being considered in the hospitality industry --- so I understand what it will take to enhance tourism.

There is the knowledge you do with it what you will. Win or lose I made my case!

I have not taken a penny from any developer. I am not under investigation for any unethical or illegal behavior. I am proud to identify as a lifelong Republican. I chose to move to Scottsdale when I could live anywhere.

Editor’s Note: Mike Auerbach is a candidate for Scottsdale City Council in the Aug. 4 primary election.