Why he matters
Guy Phillips was the 2010s council’s loudest voice against borrowing, until he wasn’t. He argued against the 2013 and 2015 bonds, then in 2019 signed for the largest bond package in nearly twenty years and wrote down why. On the Preserve and on Old Town towers he stayed with the slow-growth side throughout.
Where to find his work today
In the city’s ballot pamphlets from 2010 to 2019 and the council minutes. This page keeps to that record; his 2020 remarks at a rally against the city’s mask rule belong to the 2020s.
Against, 2012 to 2015
Running for council in 2012, he argued against the General Plan update: “The proposition to reduce our character areas from 22 to only 6 is an open invitation to tear down the fabric of our communities and neighborhoods,” pointing to “the Infill Incentives for 15 story buildings downtown.” In 2013, now a councilman, he wrote against the four bond questions: “The Bond Task Force could only identify 8 must have (necessary) projects with a cost of about $35 million … The big spenders on the city council felt obligated to feed the pork monsters of our city.” In 2015: “Here We Go Again!! After voters rejected the last two bond elections … What part of ‘NO!’ don’t they understand?” He named “the $60 million Desert Discovery Center” as one of the special-interest projects he objected to.
The Preserve
On September 19, 2016 he moved to begin a charter amendment and a construction moratorium in answer to a citizen petition for a public vote on building in the Preserve. Vice Mayor Kathy Littlefield seconded; the council voted 4 to 3 to take no action instead. In 2018 he argued for Proposition 420: “Can residents in this day and age actually band together and get 26,000 signatures … Now imagine my delight and surprise when they turned in over 38,000 signatures!” It passed with 71 percent.
For, 2018 and 2019
As vice mayor he signed, with Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp, for the 2018 transportation sales tax, which passed, and on July 2, 2018 he moved the adoption of the Old Town Character Area Plan, which carried 7 to 0. In 2019 he sat on the capital subcommittee and signed for the bonds: “Initially I was apprehensive to ask you to vote in favor because I have been a vocal opponent against past bond measures.” He gave three reasons: the economy was booming, the new bonds would replace old ones without raising taxes, and some projects could not be paid for any other way. “After all, there may be three questions but there is only ONE Scottsdale!”
Southbridge Two
He voted against the canal-front towers in December 2019 and against the repeal in April 2020. By the city’s transcript he said, “The idea that the same legislative body can undermine the referendum process is a trampling of voter rights … The law is the law.” Bisnow quoted him: “I do not know what the difference would have been if we would have just waited for it to fail in November.” The 2010s politics chapter sets his terms beside the decade’s other arguments.