On Saturday, January 16th, The Scottsdale Republic ran the following editorial: 

 

Carefree recall election is unwarranted, a sham

Carefree's March election is set, and the charade is exposed. This election isn't a recall. It's a do-over.

Mayor David Schwan's foes, upset after the council made him mayor, launched the recall campaign last summer. The "offenses" they cited could have been raised during the March and May 2009 elections. The effort was a clear abuse of what recall campaigns should be used for.

Nevertheless, enough signatures were collected to force an election, in which Schwan will be opposed by John Traynor. Traynor, skipping the March election, ran as a write-in candidate in May. He lost. To Schwan.

There have been no allegations that the mayor engaged in illegal activity or abuse of power. We can't imagine what issues Traynor can raise now that weren't in play a year ago or that couldn't be raised a year from now, when Schwan's term will be up anyway. There is no reason to hold this election — other than as a fit of pique.

It doesn't matter to us whether Schwan is mayor or on the council. What's important is that voters put him there in a fair election. Short of malfeasance, that should have been the final word. We hope voters soundly reject this effort to second-guess their judgment.