Ortega: House Bill 2561 will be a Trojan horse in Scottsdale
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By David D. Ortega, mayor of Scottsdale | Guest Commentary
While addressing Rio Verde Foothills residents on Jan. 28, Rep. Kolodin vowed “to break the rock,” referring to a hostile takeover of Scottsdale Water.
House Bill 2561 is just that, a frontal attack on the residents of Scottsdale who have invested in the best water technology, expert personnel, and water portfolio in the country.
Rep. Kolodin and co-sponsors would create an untested new layer of government, namely wildcat standpipe districts. Like wildcat limited liability corporations, which saturated unincorporated Maricopa County with unsustainable housing, wildcat standpipe districts would enable dry-lot subdivisions to hijack Scottsdale Water facilities.
Strangely, Alexander Kolodin is a supporter of the Goldwater Institute, which espouses free-market capitalism and blasts government interventions. By “breaking into” Scottsdale Water, HB2561 threatens all water-resilient cities which serve their residents, businesses and schools.
Beware, Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Peoria, Phoenix and Buckeye, the Kolodin Trojan horse supporting reckless development could be coming for you next!
HB2561 states that participation by Rio Verde Foothills dry-lot property owners is optional and wildcat builder speculators can opt-in. But with only 350 actual dry-lot resident-owners in Rio Verde Foothills, HB2561 would require Scottsdale to supply pure water for “up to 750 houses” at Rio Verde Foothills, and elsewhere in Maricopa County, where reckless wildcat subdivisions exist.
Since 2014, warnings were given to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and water haulers; given by the previous Scottsdale mayor and councils.
However, county records show nearly 1,400 house permits were issued during that time, in the Rio Verde Foothills area. Supervisor Thomas Galvin, Ms. Linda Milhaven, and the Kolodin Trojan horse want to “break” north Scottsdale.
On Jan. 1, thirty tanker trucks per day ceased trudging through Scottsdale’s pristine neighborhoods. If passed, HB2561 would set a precedent, increase the number of tankers and the Legislature could reauthorize water hauling every three years. Residents of Troon, Ancala, Estancia, Pinnacle Peak Estates, and voters throughout Scottsdale tell me Reps. Kolodin and Chaplik and Sen. Kavanaugh, who resides in Fountain Hills, do not represent the interests of Scottsdale.
For 12 years, as councilwoman, Linda Milhaven did nothing to prevent traffic pounding our streets, exporting our water.
Since January, Central Arizona Project water costs have escalated 30% and CAP water delivery will be reduced by 14%. Rep. Kolodin should heed Goldwater Institute principles. Two large Canadian-owned water companies, with $200 million in utility facilities abutting Rio Verde Foothills, can immediately patch together standpipes for truckers on the east end of Rio Verde Drive, away from Scottsdale — at market price.
HB2561 nibbles at unsustainable wildcat development, interferes with market capitalism and creates a wildcat standpipe mess. The Kolodin Trojan horse targets north Scottsdale neighbors and is plain wrong. As mayor, I am rock-solid to defend Scottsdale and oppose legislation, which undermines Arizona cities and 250,000 residents I represent.
