As Axon readies to plant its new headquarters roots in Scottsdale, local pushback persists following Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs' endorsement of the tech firm's large-scale development plans. Despite zoning approval, residents spearheaded by former Scottsdale City Councilman Bob Littlefield and Mayor Lisa Borowski are weighing legal maneuvers, with a statewide referendum or lawsuit on the table, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix .

Littlefield, who leads the group Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions (TAAAZE), expressed his discontent with the governor's decision, "Totally predictable and totally outrageous," he noted in a statement obtained by FOX 10 , outlining the perceived encroachment on local residents' rights to influence such decisions via referendum; he pointed out that residents amassed over 27,000 signatures which could precipitate a special election, surpassing the 15,000 required signatures. Governor Hobbs, however, articulated a mission to bolster business and employment in the state when she asserted, "As Governor, I’m focused on making sure we’re continuing to bring businesses to our state that are creating good-paying jobs," during an interview with Arizona's Family .

Amid concerns over increased strain on resources such as water and road infrastructure, opponents like Littlefield caution against a president that could undermine municipal decision-making authority; he stated, "There’s not enough water to support that kind of population increase. There’s not enough road capacity. Our roads are already mobbed," according to a statement reported by Arizona's Family . Hobbs, on the other hand, views the influx of nearly two thousand apartments and additional commercial facilities such as restaurants and a hotel as a contribution to the state's economic health.

The battle is set against the backdrop of a large-scale development by a company entrenched in Scottsdale's economy for over thirty years, where CEO Rick Smith advocates the expansion saying, "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," in a statement sent to FOX 10 . The assertion of a statewide referendum being a viable option is shared with the public, if by July 17 it makes it to the desk of the Arizona Secretary of State, it would ensure that Arizona voters get the ultimate say on Axon's expansion during the general election, as the law permits.