OPINION — Voters are exhausted. After years of scandals, half-answers and eroding trust in government, many Arizonans are no longer convinced that the people asking for our votes are prepared to answer to us.
With the 2026 election approaching, I decided not to wait for campaign ads or carefully crafted press releases to tell me what to think. Instead, I reached out directly to Gov. Katie Hobbs and her challengers with questions about transparency, accountability and the Sunshine Residential Homes scandal that has shaken public confidence in our foster-care system.
This wasn’t about catching anyone in a “gotcha” moment. It was about modeling what proactive citizenship should look like. If we want leaders who respect us, then we must be willing to ask them — clearly, directly and publicly — to explain themselves.
The Sunshine Residential Homes controversy raises real questions: Do the candidates acknowledge the public’s exhaustion and distrust? Do they believe funds connected to this scandal were misappropriated or mismanaged? And most importantly, have any of them taken steps to ensure that the foster children at the center of this scandal are actually receiving the support those funds were intended to provide?
These aren’t partisan questions. They’re about competence, honesty and whether government serves the people it claims to protect — especially those with the least power.
Too often, elections turn into a battle of slogans versus counter-slogans, each side pointing fingers while real issues get lost.
Accountability begins long before ballots are cast. It begins the moment we decide we won’t simply accept polished messaging as truth; when we ask candidates to demonstrate how they will lead.
That’s why I’m stepping into the process instead of standing on the sidelines. Don’t wait for debates. Don’t wait for ads. Don’t wait for the media to decide what the “important questions” are. Ask your own. Demand clarity. Hold every candidate accountable before you give them your vote.
Candidates should welcome this scrutiny. If they want the privilege of leading Arizona, they should want to show us they can answer difficult questions with honesty, precision and respect.
Transparency isn’t a slogan, it’s a practice. And it begins with whether a candidate is willing to engage with an ordinary citizen who has no wealth, influence or political machinery behind her — just legitimate questions about how our government is functioning.
Julia Tope is a Valley real estate consultant. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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