El Mirage Council Swells with Opposition to City Development

In a dramatic shift for the El Mirage City Council, newly-elected officials have decisively opposed the construction of new city buildings. This change comes in the wake of a contentious July 31 election, where three council members who supported building projects faced defeat at the polls.

The backdrop for this political upheaval centers around a bond measure that voters rejected in 2023. This measure sought to fund expansions for city hall, the police department, a new fire station, and a city court building. The public outcry intensified when, shortly after the bond’s failure, the city council approved the purchase of land for future growth, including projects funded through the capital improvement budget.

During a recent council meeting, Council member Anita Nortan-McDaniel voiced her opposition, noting that the newly acquired land had previously been designated for the bond projects. Despite the capital improvement budget being fully financed, residents remained adamant that their disapproval of new buildings was clear, regardless of funding details.

“We defeated the bond and they’re still trying to do that construction,” remarked Ryan Eldridge, one of the newly elected members who ran on an anti-building platform along with Jacqueline Parsons and Scottie Gentry. As part of a unified ticket named “Residents First,” their campaign focused on combating what they termed “wasteful spending.” Eldridge’s sentiments echoed Parsons’s assertion that the council was proceeding with projects the community had explicitly rejected.

The elections saw the ousting of council members Roy Delgado, Robert Jones, and David Shapera, who declined to comment afterward. The new council members are set to be sworn in on December 3, marking the beginning of a new chapter in El Mirage politics.