Tom grew up in Iowa and attended Cornell College. He later earned his law degree from the New York University Law School. Tom and his wife Martha have 2 sons together.

Tom is a retired lawyer with 35 years of experience. He previously worked at the Mayer Brown law firm in Chicago where he specialized in tax controversy.

Tom Durham currently serves as a Scottsdale City Council member. He was elected in 2020 and is serving his first term.

Candidate website

Supports allocating funds for public services with strict safeguards, including oversight by commissions, Council approval, and annual audits.

Supports allocating funds for public services with strict safeguards, including oversight by commissions, council approval, and annual audits.

Opposes using bonds for public services due to high interest rates and additional expenses. Believes sales tax revenues should fund repairs and maintenance, ensuring costs are shared by tourists and neighboring communities.

Opposes using bonds for public services due to high interest rates and additional expenses, and believes sales tax revenues should fund repairs and maintenance, ensuring costs are shared by tourists and neighboring communities.

Believes in allocating 48% of funds for park improvements, emphasizing southern parks. Supports enhancing public services, including libraries, recreation, and community building.

Believes in allocating 48% of funds for park improvements, emphasizing southern parks, and supports enhancing public services, including libraries, recreation, and community building.

Supports funding for park maintenance and safety, based on community input. As a City Council member, approved a ballot measure for park and preserve funding.

Supports funding for park maintenance and safety, based on community input and approved a ballot measure for park and preserve funding as a city council member.

- Supports allocating funds for public services with strict safeguards, including oversight by commissions, council approval, and annual audits.
- Opposes using bonds for public services due to high interest rates and additional expenses, and believes sales tax revenues should fund repairs and maintenance, ensuring costs are shared by tourists and neighboring communities.
- Believes in allocating 48% of funds for park improvements, emphasizing southern parks, and supports enhancing public services, including libraries, recreation, and community building.
- Supports funding for park maintenance and safety, based on community input and approved a ballot measure for park and preserve funding as a city council member.

Public Services

Believes in balancing economic development with preserving Scottsdale’s unique character. Said, "I have attempted to compromise between Scottsdale’s economic vitality and protecting Scottsdale’s unique character."

Believes in balancing economic development with preserving Scottsdale’s unique character, saying, "I have attempted to compromise between Scottsdale’s economic vitality and protecting Scottsdale’s unique character."

Supports "strengthening requirements for new development" to address issues in housing and urban development, including affordable housing, homelessness, and zoning.

Believes property taxes should be strictly allocated to specific categories, ensuring funds are used for necessary maintenance and repairs. Supports oversight to guarantee tax funds are spent as specified.

Believes property taxes should be strictly allocated to specific categories, ensuring funds are used for necessary maintenance and repairs, and supports oversight to guarantee tax funds are spent as specified.

As a City Council member, restricted short-term rentals and passed a new General Plan. Supports keeping property taxes low and maintaining high service levels.

As a city council member, restricted short-term rentals and passed a new General Plan. Supports keeping property taxes low and maintaining high service levels.

- Believes in balancing economic development with preserving Scottsdale’s unique character, saying, "I have attempted to compromise between Scottsdale’s economic vitality and protecting Scottsdale’s unique character."
- Supports "strengthening requirements for new development" to address issues in housing and urban development, including affordable housing, homelessness, and zoning.
- Believes property taxes should be strictly allocated to specific categories, ensuring funds are used for necessary maintenance and repairs, and supports oversight to guarantee tax funds are spent as specified.
- As a city council member, restricted short-term rentals and passed a new General Plan. Supports keeping property taxes low and maintaining high service levels.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports road safety improvements, including dedicated turn lanes and protected pedestrian crossings, and believes narrowing roads can be done without access issues.

- Supports road safety improvements, including dedicated turn lanes and protected pedestrian crossings, and believes narrowing roads can be done without access issues.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Believes in supporting police officers and ensuring they have the full backing of the Council and the City of Scottsdale.

- Believes in supporting police officers and ensuring they have the full backing of the Council and the City of Scottsdale.

Public Safety

As of June 20, 2024, Tom Durham’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

Supports reducing taxes, noting that Scottsdale’s sales tax rate will decrease from 1.75% to 1.7% and will further drop when the 2004 Preserve tax expires in 2034.

- Supports reducing taxes, noting that Scottsdale’s sales tax rate will decrease from 1.75% to 1.7% and will further drop when the 2004 Preserve tax expires in 2034.

Economy

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Tom Durham

Tom Durham grew up in Iowa and attended Cornell College. He later attended New York University Law School, graduating in 1980. Tom and his wife Martha have two sons together.

Tom is a retired lawyer with 35 years of experience. He previously worked at the Mayer Brown law firm in Chicago where he specialized in tax controversy. He retired in 2015.

Tom Durham currently serves as a Council Member in the City of Scottsdale. He is finishing his first term.

Believes citizen action is crucial for creating community assets like the Greenbelt, transforming challenges into valued public spaces. Supports community-driven initiatives for parks and recreation.

Supports community-driven initiatives for parks and recreation.

- Supports funding for park maintenance and safety, based on community input. As a City Council member, approved a ballot measure for park and preserve funding.
- Supports allocating funds for public services with strict safeguards, including oversight by commissions, council approval, and annual audits.
- Opposes using bonds for public services due to high interest rates and additional expenses. Believes sales tax revenues should fund repairs and maintenance, ensuring costs are shared by tourists and neighboring communities.
- Believes in allocating 48% of funds for park improvements, emphasizing southern parks. Supports enhancing public services, including libraries, recreation, and community building.

Opposes developments that violate Urban Design and Architectural Guidelines and believes in preserving the character of historic areas like Old Town.

Believes in balancing development with Scottsdale's unique environment and heritage through zoning. Plans to continue preserving the beauty of the surrounding landscape while allowing for modern development.

- As a City Council member, restricted short-term rentals and passed a new General Plan. Supports keeping property taxes low and maintaining high service levels.
- Believes in balancing economic development with preserving Scottsdale’s unique character. Said, "I have attempted to compromise between Scottsdale’s economic vitality and protecting Scottsdale’s unique character."
- Supports "strengthening requirements for new development" to address issues in housing and urban development, including affordable housing, homelessness, and zoning.
- Believes property taxes should be strictly allocated to specific categories, ensuring funds are used for necessary maintenance and repairs. Supports oversight to guarantee tax funds are spent as specified.

As a City Council member, approved a road diet on 68th Street to address dangerous conditions and reduce accidents. Supports community-driven solutions for improving road safety.

Believes public safety is paramount and opposes maintaining dangerous street conditions, stating it is neither "pro-resident" nor "family friendly."

The candidate's website says, "I have been coaching the mock trial team at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Phoenix ever since I moved to Scottsdale. Our team won an invitation to the state championship last year."

The candidate's website says, "The Council passed a proposal to put this ballot measure on the November ballot. If passed by the voters, the current 0.2% tax would be extended at a lower rate of 0.15% for 30 years."

Tom Durham grew up in a small town in Iowa and attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude in 1977. He later attended New York University Law School, graduating in 1980. Tom is married to Martha, a retired Episcopal Deacon, and they have two sons, Matt and Wes. The family also includes two dogs, Bentley and Ozzie.

Tom Durham is a retired lawyer with thirty-five years of experience, having worked at the Mayer Brown law firm in Chicago where he specialized in tax controversy. He has argued several appeals in the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and was recognized by Chambers USA as one of the top 25 tax controversy lawyers in the US. He retired from Mayer Brown in April 2015.

Tom Durham has served as a councilmember, with his tenure including time as Secretary of the College and chair of various committees at Cornell's Board of Trustees. He has been elected to the Board and has been involved in governance, audit and assessment, and executive committees. Specific durations of his political roles or any past election campaigns are not detailed in the provided information.

Believes in protecting and preserving public parks and green spaces for future generations. As a City Council member, supported actions to safeguard the McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve and the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt.

Supports protecting public preserves and ensuring legal and financial transparency in community initiatives. As treasurer of Protect Our Preserve PAC, helped secure a landslide victory for Proposition 420 to protect the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Believes public services like the McDowell Mountain Preserve and Greenbelt have a lasting impact on Scottsdale's future. Criticizes current City Council candidates for "sitting on the sidelines" on critical public service issues.

Supports creating a task force for the long-term financial security of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Believes voters should have the final say on public services funding. Said, "The vision of previous generations has created these beautiful emblems of Scottsdale, and I am confident that the voters will come through again."

Supports increasing neighborhood notice requirements for new development from 750 feet to 1,250 feet.

Opposes using bonds for non-"hard assets" due to high interest rates and additional expenses. Supports funding repairs, maintenance, and salaries through sales tax to distribute costs among tourists and neighboring communities.

Believes Scottsdale voters should decide on tax issues and opposes claims of tax increases that would actually lower tax bills. Criticizes council members for voting against putting the issue on the ballot.

Believes the tax proposal should be strictly used for specified categories, ensuring funds are spent on necessary maintenance and repairs. Supports oversight to guarantee adherence to ballot language.

Believes Scottsdale’s sales tax rate reduction demonstrates a commitment to maintaining one of the lowest rates in the Valley. Plans to further reduce the tax rate when the 2004 Preserve tax expires in 2034.

The candidate's website says, "The ballot measure will reduce taxes."

The candidate's website says, "Directing City finances through high inflation and Covid"

The candidate's website says, "The proceeds of this tax would be distributed annually as follows:"

Believes the tax proposal clearly outlines the intended uses of the tax.

- City council members work together with the rest of the city officials to set and implement city policies and priorities. 
- The City Council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor and the city manager to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Arizona are elected to four-year terms in staggered years. Elections are nonpartisan.