Suzanne Klapp announces candidacy for Scottsdale mayor

My No. 1 priority, if elected, is to put the unity back in community. Right now, it is important residents of Scottsdale see councilmembers and the mayor as partners in building the future of the city, not as adversaries or advancing personal agendas.”

Suzanne Klapp, Scottsdale mayoral candidate

Three-term Scottsdale City Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp announced her bid for Scottsdale mayor on Feb. 10 at the Scottsdale Airport in front of family, friends and supporters.

Ms. Klapp, who began exploring a bid for mayor back in March of 2019, becomes the fourth candidate to officially announce as a candidate for the city’s top elected position, according to a press release.

“My No. 1 priority, if elected, is to put the unity back in community. Right now, it is important residents of Scottsdale see councilmembers and the mayor as partners in building the future of the city, not as adversaries or advancing personal agendas,” Ms. Klapp said in a prepared statement.

“Whether in business or as a councilwoman, I’ve always tried to have a collaborative leadership style so everybody feels that their voices are heard.”

Ms. Klapp brought 35 years of private sector business management experience to the council when she was sworn in over 11 years ago and applies those principles to city governance, the press release stated. As mayor, she plans to focus on economic development, quality of life issues, and bringing back a sense of community.

“We need a mayor who will continue to move Scottsdale forward. That doesn’t mean upending everything that makes Scottsdale special. It means being strategic in our decision making and finding common ground. It means ensuring economic prosperity, keeping our city safe and doing so at a low cost to residents. It also means actually getting results,” Ms. Klapp said.

Ms. Klapp has been instrumental in guiding several big issues across the finish line in the last few years. She led the effort to pass the nominal transportation tax in 2018 to improve streets and intersections and reduce traffic congestion throughout the city. She served on the council’s three-member 2019 Capital Improvement Projects Subcommittee who were the architects of a community-based list of projects that led to the first successful comprehensive bond package in nearly 20 years.

She also supported the Yes for 420 Proposition ballot effort that led to an overwhelmingly approved charter amendment which limited development in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

“Scottsdale is fortunate for Mayor Lane’s serious full-time commitment and stewardship over the past 11 years. It’s imperative we maintain that strong leadership as Scottsdale heads into a new decade. As mayor, I will use all my years of experience and skills to be a unifying force so that every resident has a say in Scottsdale’s tomorrow,” Ms. Klapp said. “Mayor Lane strongly endorsed my candidacy for mayor with numerous complimentary remarks about my work and leadership on the council at the campaign kickoff event on Monday.”

Ms. Klapp has been a Scottsdale resident for over 22 years and ran a successful small, local retail business for 20 of those years. She is a graduate of Valley Leadership and served as the first graduate President of Leadership Evansville in her hometown in Indiana.

She has headed several community organizations throughout her career including President of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, a community theatre group, a philharmonic orchestra board, and a YWCA board.

She is a past Rotary Club member in Indiana and in the City of Scottsdale. She is past President of Valley Metro Regional Transit Authority and serves on MAG’s Transportation Policy Committee.

She is committed as well to encouraging international businesses to locate here and fostering international relationships as a former board member of Scottsdale Sister Cities as well as membership in Global Ties, the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations and the Arizona Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.