Scottsdale Q&A: City Council candidate Tammy Caputi

For this week’s Scottsdale City Council Q&A series, candidates answer questions on topics submitted by readers: short-term rentals and the Papago Park land deal.

Tammy Caputi is one of six candidates seeking to be elected to three open seats for Scottsdale City Council in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election. Mail-in ballots will be sent to voters this week, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office says.

This week’s questions come from Scottsdale Independent readers, who want to know candidates’ perspectives on issues near-and-dear to their heart.

Short-term rentals — also known as vacation homes — are criticized by homeowners as disrupting Arizona neighborhoods as online sites such as Airbnb and VRBO gains steam. Many residents question how to resolve the issue of unruly vacation properties in their neighborhoods.

A second hot topic is the Papago Park land-use agreement between Scottsdale, the city of Phoenix and the San Francisco Giants.

In November 2018, the Scottsdale City Council approved a lease of Papago Park with Phoenix, and a sublease with the Giants to provide the California baseball team with a permanent, dedicated year-round player development facility at the Papago Sports Complex.

Ms. Caputi’s point of view finds importance for Scottsdale in both topics — Read below to see what she has to say.

Short-term rentals

1. Do you support short-term rentals in Scottsdale’s neighborhoods?

I am completely opposed to party houses in neighborhoods and will do whatever is within our authority to protect Scottsdale’s neighborhoods. I am also a proud and vocal supporter of private property rights; we need to be very careful not to over-regulate the ability of citizens to do with their property as they wish. I support the “new economy,” where individual entrepreneurs make good use of new technology and innovation. It’s a careful balance. I am deeply concerned about the effects of the short-term vacation rental market in Scottsdale. Our residents and those in surrounding and nearby municipalities have experienced first-hand the devastating consequence these “party-houses” have created in our local communities. Scottsdale must get a handle on this situation, but it requires direct input from residents and stakeholders to find consensus and a solution that makes sense.

The state Legislature took away much authority from cities to limit short-term rentals in 2016; they have relinquished some control in the past year. In 2019, City Council passed an aggressive fine schedule that is charged to the owner (not renter), and we hope that along with Scottsdale’s EZ reporting system, we can bring peace back to our residential neighborhoods. Noise, traffic and garbage are all areas I would work with the City Manager to ensure are better enforced.

2. What change would you propose to fix the issue of short-term rentals if you had the authority?

I would like to see authority given back to the cities on this issue, where it belongs. These decisions and dialogue must take place transparently with all stakeholders engaged. As a city council member, I will represent all residents and business interests equally. This is a real opportunity for the business community to work alongside residents to find common ground, build consensus and establish reasonable and appropriate measures to protect Scottsdale’s neighborhoods and ensure our high quality of life while enabling the free market and the individual entrepreneur spirit to thrive.

I appreciate the idea of creating a task force; however, I fear that creating another layer of bureaucracy may only serve to prolong the problem before a solution is found. If the current city council creates a task force, they must insist upon strict deadlines and deliverables so that this issue doesn’t linger without resolution into the next winter-spring vacation season. Let’s take advantage of what other communities have done for best practices. A minimum “length-of-stay” such as a week or a month specific to different neighborhoods, zoning for only a few in any area, and rigorous fines and enforcement for bad owners allowing bad actors. We can be open to entrepreneurial opportunity, but with a thoughtful dialogue, and effective, swift action and strict guidelines, Scottsdale can get in front of this issue before the next tourist season.

3. Do you receive any financial benefit from STRs, STR owners, or online lodging operators?

I receive no financial benefit whatsoever in the STR market.

I’ve used STRs as a guest in situations where it works and have heard from many of you who know where it doesn’t work and why in Scottsdale. I will be part of the solution by listening to and working with everyone.

Papago Park deal with Phoenix

1. People in Scottsdale and neighboring areas have concerns about the Giants’ project at Papago Park. They believe that this project: 1. Has caused serious harm to the scenery and desert landscape of that park; 2. That the financial conditions are inappropriate; and 3. It is unacceptable to build a private corporate compound in a public park. What are your feelings about this?

Papago Park is a tremendous public asset for residents in Scottsdale, Tempe and Phoenix. My husband, three daughters and I have spent countless hours bicycling on the trails, walking the paths, picnicking around the lakes and hiking the gorgeous Papago Buttes. Second only to the Indian Bend Wash, south Scottsdale residents most frequently recreate in this area. It’s always important to make sure we listen to and respect the voices of everyone in the community, and preservation of the desert should always be a major consideration; however, it is important for Scottsdale residents to understand that Papago Park is wholly outside of Scottsdale’s jurisdictional boundaries, and its overall maintenance and preservation is solely the responsibility of the cities of Phoenix and Tempe.

Several years ago, the city of Scottsdale wisely began conversations and negotiations with our MLB spring training partner, the San Francisco Giants, to keep the team training, practicing and playing in Scottsdale. Scottsdale’s spring training program is one of the most significant economic engines for our city, enjoyed by both tourists and our local community alike. I am supportive of our city’s leadership and vision to work with our neighboring cities to the south and west to create an innovative opportunity to repurpose, reinvent and expand what was the old, vacant, nearly-dilapidated Oakland A’s facility into a modern, state-of-the-art amenity for the Giant’s near-year-round use. This significant enhancement will generate and maintain tens of millions of dollars in revenue in terms of tourism, sales and bed tax, and job creation and retention. It is quite literally a “home run” for Scottsdale.

One of the reasons I’m running for the city council is because I believe we need more of this type of forward-thinking leadership that aspires for what “can be” rather than simply what “once was”. We need council members with big-league ideas, big-league ambition and big-league dreams who equally have the experience and batting average to back it up.