Scottsdale residents consider legal action to oppose Axon HQ despite zoning approval by Gov. Hobbs
Scottsdale resident fights Axon HQ proposal
Bob Littlefield, a former Scottsdale City Council member, is fighting to block the construction of a new Axon headquarters facility in Scottsdale. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean has the story.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Tech giant Axon is moving forward on a project to build a new headquarters in Scottsdale after getting the go-ahead from Governor Katie Hobbs.
But a group of Scottsdale residents that oppose additional shops and apartments in the complex insist the fight is not finished.
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What they're saying:
Those fighting for a special election in Scottsdale, including Mayor Lisa Borowski, say they are now deciding between a statewide referendum and a potential lawsuit.
"Totally predictable and totally outrageous," said Bob Littlefield, former Scottsdale City Councilman.
That was Littlefield's reaction to Gov. Hobbs after she threw her support behind Axon's proposed headquarters in Scottsdale on Friday, by approving a new zoning ordinance.
"What she has done is she has signed a bill that's taking away the right of all of our constituents in Scottsdale to control what our government does and to protest that by a referendum if we don't like it," Littlefield said.
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Littlefield leads a resident group called Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAAZE).
He says residents are shocked at the plans, and now they have enough signatures to hold a statewide special election.
"15,000 signatures were required. We got 27,000 in less than a month," said Littlefield.
Axon's CEO and Founder Rick Smith told FOX 10 recently he won't stop fighting to keep his company in Arizona.
"I’m being thrown out, and I’m fighting with every ounce of energy I’ve got to keep the company here," said Smith.
He argues that Axon's polling of Scottsdale voters shows support for the new apartments.
He sent this statement to Fox 10 about the governor's action:
"With the passage of SB1543, Axon is poised to expand our Scottsdale headquarters, increasing our Arizona workforce to more than 5,500 high-tech jobs and generating an estimated $38 billion in economic impact over the next decade."
The other side:
Borowksy has alluded to legal action in a post on X after the bill signing on Friday.
Littlefield says a potential lawsuit is on the table.
"We could do a statewide referendum. We could do a legal action against the bill. The city has standing, they could do some legal action and some other folks out there, so, this is not over," he said.
Arizona law does allow for a statewide referendum to be brought forth to the Arizona Secretary of State by July 17.
Then the proposal against Axon will be on the ballot for the general election, giving Arizona voters the final say.