Shapiro: Use time to ‘row the boat’ rather than ‘rock the boat’

Our mantra has always embraced the philosophies of doing what’s best, seeking common ground, looking beyond self-interests, and avoiding strategies that might divide us”

Gary Shapiro, Scottsdale resident

Wow! 2020 is around the corner. It will be a new decade full of opportunities. The Valley of the Sun is the fastest growing area in the country with over 200 new people moving here daily.

Our plan for growth is no accident. Countless, well-intentioned citizens have invested limitless hours as the architects and visionaries for our community over a long period of time.

As a Scottsdale Realtor for almost five decades and as a participant in the process, I’d like to share a few observations that may help our new neighbors appreciate why they’re now part of something special.

Historically, I’ve been in the trenches and have worked alongside with some remarkable colleagues as vice president of our Scottsdale visioning process in the 1990s, chairman of city bond elections and school district overrides in the 1980s, chairman of the Scottsdale education foundation in the 1990s and as a co-founder of Scottsdale Leadership in the 1980s.

So, I know Scottsdale has a long, proud and consistent history of citizen involvement. Many of our signature accomplishments like the Indian Bend Wash, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the Cure Corridor as a world-class medical destination, and countless other projects had their genesis from citizen involvement.

Our mantra has always embraced the philosophies of doing what’s best, seeking common ground, looking beyond self-interests, and avoiding strategies that might divide us.

I’m so proud of Scottsdale and our public schools. We’re still celebrating the recent victories of the bond and override elections that will enable us to invest critical dollars to ensure our future.

But, just when we’re heading in the right direction and looking for additional opportunities to share a common vision for our future, a few people seek to divide us and create wedges between us that question our collective wisdom.

Frankly, that’s unacceptable.

From my vantage point, I’m hard pressed to believe that anything worthwhile for our community needs to adopt a strategy of paying paid solicitors stationed at public places like post office branches to request registered voters to sign a petition to force a misguided referendum.

If any goal is worthy and wise, volunteer leaders will always step forward. I hope it’s not true that the organizers are paying $11 for each and every signature they beg.

The proposed plan for our downtown has benefited from years of meaningful citizen input and dialog. It was forwarded to our duly elected City Council with the unanimous support of the boards and commissions that were tasked with studying our options, and it passed.

Yet, there are some among us that would like you and me to believe our neighbors and fellow citizens were not part of the process. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Here’s my reaction: If you have time to rock the boat, you should sit down and help row the boat.

There’s so much we can do together to polish the luster of Scottsdale and to protect our reputation as a phenomenal community to live, work, play and learn.

Editor’s note: Mr. Shapiro is a resident of Scottsdale and longtime community advocate