Drake: Scottsdale no longer synonymous with high-quality living

In my opinion, the City of Scottsdale no longer represents affluence and high-quality living.

It is disappointing to see the City of Scottsdale has downgraded the standard of living to include budget-friendly retailers, hotels and unhealthy fast food establishments. I remember the City of Scottsdale being regarded as an affluent community that was well maintained with beautiful landscape and clean common areas. Residents were confident knowing their neighbors had similar values in maintaining their vehicles, homes, yards and respected the use of common areas by not littering. Solari C.D. (2012) stated, “Affluent neighborhood advantages include safety, high quality schools and proximity to jobs.”

To be clear, my opinion is not based on economic, race, or generational differences; it is based on character. In my opinion, good character is being well-mannered, kind, respectful, behaving with integrity and projecting how you respect yourself by practicing healthy habits. According to (Simon, 2022), “Harvard Chan School found that acting with high moral character is associated with a lower risk of depression — and may have cardiovascular benefits as well.”

Question for the current mayor: Other than monetary reasons, why would the City of Scottsdale lower its standards to include budget-friendly retailers, hotels and unhealthy fast food? Anyone seeking these standards can reside in most of the adjacent cities or towns. The current operation of the City of Scottsdale seems to differ from the Scottsdale General Plan 2025 – Executive Summary, which includes, “As Scottsdale nears build-out, the city needs to preserve and enhance the qualities that make neighborhoods safe, special and vibrant.”

To the next elected City of Scottsdale mayor, will you have the courage to elevate the standard of living in our community? Will you prioritize removing or repurposing unhealthy fast food business from Scottsdale in order to reallocate the water supply they use to elevate the quality of life for residents?

This opinion was submitted under a pen name. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.