David Ortega Interview - Candidate for Mayor of Scottsdale

My Ortega family goes back many generations, originally settling in Tubac and the Presidio of Tucson. My grandfather Jose Ismael Ortega was born in 1902 on the Ortega ranch north of Tucson. My dad, Joe Alfred Ortega, graduated at the University of Arizona in 1951 and met nurse Rachel De Los Santos while Lieutenant J.A. Ortega was hospitalized during the Korean War. He was never expected to walk again, but recovered and they married in Tucson.

I am the oldest son of seven children and grew up in Globe, with short periods in Texas, Tucson and back to Globe where I graduated. I went to school with Apaches, copper miners and cowboys. In 1977 I earned an Architecture degree ( University of Arizona). My grandparents lived three blocks from the U of A Main Gate and shared many stories. 
 In 1978, I came to Scottsdale as an apprentice architect, fell in love, and married a Scottsdale lady. We raised two children who loved Scottsdale public schools and neighborhood friends. In 1984, I opened my architect office in Old Town and designed many landmark buildings. It was my honor to serve as Councilman 2000-04. 
 Meet me at: ElectDaveOrtegaMayor. com Email: ElectDaveOrtegaMayor@ gmail.com

Jose Ismael Ortega . My father Joe Al Ortega was 2 years old. ( Tucson 1931) No smiles during the Depression.

Q - Historically, Scottsdale has annexed areas in Maricopa County to grow. The Rio Verde Foothills with nearly 2,000 residences, and adjacent to the City, looks like the next annexation target. What do you think?

A - I think it is time to slow down on the annexation process. The citizens must first approve a new General Plan that will provide guidance on land acquisition for Scottsdale. The residents who currently live in this area need to make their thoughts on being acquired known – loud and clear. No movement to acquisition until there is a meeting of the minds.

Q - Scottsdale has mostly run out of raw-land to build on, and now is growing vertically with very high density. Scottsdale recently approved 54 units on barely over one single acre. Do you find that excessive?

A - The project you refer to is called Canalside. I sent a letter to City Council with my objections to the project. It is too big and too dense for a small parcel. It would be a better choice to have 20 – 30 units. Parking is undersized and this is another problem with the project.

Q - Queen Creek, Gilbert and Chandler all took a lot of pages out of Scottsdale’s playbook for design and style. They executed on farmland with larger planned developments that feature new beautiful roadways with extensive landscaping and more. Scottsdale out-shined these other communities in the past. How can Scottsdale regain its edge?

A - It is not about having an “edge” over other cities. We need to continue to focus on the Scottsdale charm by keeping our city clean, safe, and innovative. We need to renovate parts of our downtown, protect/preserve what we have. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, abundant open space, and view corridors we enjoy will always keep us a very special City.

Q - As Mayor or City Council member, can one person really have an impact in Scottsdale? If so, how?

A - By changing the City Council majority to a resident friendly majority, we will be able to control the zoning changes that have disrupted our community. We can then maintain a balanced, thoughtful approach to growth.

Q - To enable management's ability to create a reasonable return on the investment at Westworld they must induce event producers with Bed Tax Money to be competitive with other venues. The folks in Las Vegas, Texas, Oklahoma all have revenue streams to offset rental expenses at their venues for major events. This is big-business, and event producers expect and receive discounts from City, County, and State authorities. Scottsdale needs to offer the required incentives to secure new major national events. Experience Scottsdale can either directly get involved or use some of their budget in a separate account to recruit events. What do you think of reallocating what is needed in Experience Scottsdale’s budget to give WestWorld a chance to compete on a level playing field?

A - ASU did a study on the economics of WestWorld. It is an economic engine for Scottsdale. When all the sources of revenue are taken into account, it is a net gain for our City. If the subsidies result in a net gain for Scottsdale, they definitely should be considered and allocated as appropriate.

Q - Scottsdale is at a crossroads. Does the City continue to build on the reputation as a tourist destination, and continue to pay the costs to drive that business? Or, does it migrate into a labor-based economy and redistribute the Experience Scottsdale budget to local needs, and or debt service?

A - I support tourism. It is the primary source of sales tax revenue for Scottsdale. With our fine amenities and wonderful weather, tourism will continue to be a primary source of revenue into the future. However, there is room for diversifying the economy. The Cure Corridor and technology can continue to grow as important sectors for a robust economy. This is not an either/or proposition. Our city can and will find a comfortable balance between the two extremes you mention. We are Scottsdale

“I have known David Ortega a very long time, he is a great friend. I think he will do good things for Scottsdale. That is what really matters.”

E.D. Marshall E.D. Marshall Jewelers

“Richard and I have known David for over 30 years. His involvement with the City of Scottsdale including City Councilman, member of both the Design Review board and General plan committee, Business owner, and Civic organizations makes him the perfect candidate for Mayor! David Truly cares about listening to all citizens and about the future of Scottsdale!”

Marion & Richard Saba Saba’s Western Wear