Who is the Real Barry Graham?

Councilman Barry Graham's entire campaign slogan is 'Residents First'. However, his voting record on the Scottsdale City Council suggests otherwise, as he has often placed Residents Last by rejecting numerous resident petitions for public hearings. One of the most concerning decisions was the Public Comment Removal at the start of Council meetings.

Councilman Barry Graham and his 4-member faction have voted to block all of the residents' petitions, totaling 5000 signatures, to halt the Parking Garage project. They decided to allocate $18 million for a Parking Garage in Historic Old Town, despite the opposition from local businesses and the ongoing discussions at the Scottsdale City Council regarding Public Comment Removal.

Councilman Barry Graham and his faction refused to hold a timely Axon election. When residents approached the Scottsdale City Council with a petition to get this referendum on the ballot, Barry told them to wait until November 2026. This delay allowed Axon to present SB1543, the Axon Bill, to the State Legislature, effectively bypassing the referendum process.

A 3 judge panel ruled that Councilman Barry Graham violated the City's Code of ethics concerning the funding of a sidewalk project on 68th Street in June 2025. It was alleged that Graham instructed Scottsdale City Council staff to remove a $3 million project from the budget, leading to discussions around Public Comment Removal.