Scottsdale: Axon HQ Opponents Appeal Court Ruling That Upheld State Law Blocking Voter Referendum

The group that tried to put Axon's massive Scottsdale headquarters on the ballot for a public vote said it will appeal a state court ruling that upheld the law canceling their referendum.

TAAAZE, the coalition opposing the project, announced on June 1 that it will file an appeal later this month, according to the Arizona Mirror.

The appeal challenges a mid-May decision by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Herrod, who ruled that the state law blocking the referendum was constitutional. The law was passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Governor Katie Hobbs.

A law that applied only to Scottsdale

TAAAZE argued the law violated the Arizona Constitution's ban on "special legislation." The group contended the law applied "solely to the City of Scottsdale and Axon," according to court filings cited by the Arizona Mirror.

Judge Herrod rejected that argument. The ruling cleared the way for Axon to move forward with its planned 74-acre campus near Loop 101 and Hayden Road.

But the judge paused his own order to give TAAAZE time to appeal. He also blocked the City of Scottsdale from issuing building permits or other applications from Axon while the order remains on hold, according to reporting from KJZZ and News From The States.

Two lawsuits, one fight

TAAAZE is fighting the project on two legal fronts. In addition to the appeal over the referendum-blocking law, the group has a second lawsuit challenging the memorandum of understanding that Scottsdale struck with Axon last year to revise the project scope.

That second case will go before a judge on June 5, according to the Arizona Mirror.

"If the Axon Bill can trample on the rights of Scottsdale voters, then no city is safe from bad zoning decisions," Bob Littlefield, TAAAZE leader and former Scottsdale City Councilmember, said in a statement. "There is nothing appealing about the way Axon has bullied this community to get what (it) wants. That's why we will file this appeal to protect the rights of ALL Arizona voters."

Axon and the city stay quiet

Axon declined to comment on the appeal. A spokesperson for the City of Scottsdale did not respond to a request for comment, according to the Arizona Mirror.

The Arizona Capitol Times reported separately that the Scottsdale City Council has delayed a decision on whether to join the lawsuit against the Axon headquarters project.

What the project would bring

Axon, the Scottsdale-based maker of Tasers and law enforcement technology, has proposed a sprawling campus that would include office space, manufacturing facilities, and housing. The project has drawn intense opposition from residents concerned about traffic, neighborhood character, and what they view as an undue influence the company has wielded over state politics.

Axon brought a mobile tactical simulator to the Arizona Capitol on March 4, 2025, as part of its effort to back the legislation that would stop the ballot referendum, according to the Arizona Mirror.

The appeal will now head to the Arizona Court of Appeals, where a panel of judges will determine whether the state law that canceled Scottsdale's referendum violates the state constitution.