On Oct. 22, I had to confront a difficult reality: what my ideological convictions desired didn’t align with what was best to keep Gilbert the thriving community we all love.

My beliefs are clear. I’ve always supported low taxes, limited government, and controlled growth. I wanted to stop further projects and halt what I saw as unchecked expansion. But when I took a hard look at our town’s situation, I realized that we’ve taken fiscal conservatism too far, to the point of jeopardizing the infrastructure and services that our residents rely on.

For years, we’ve been proud of doing more with less. But in truth, we've deferred critical investments for too long. Our parks haven’t grown in step with our booming population. Our police and fire departments are stretched to 120% of their intended capacity.

The cuts that I’ve long supported at the state level have had unintended, painful consequences for our town’s finances.

One such example is the state’s cut to the rental tax. I supported this reduction two years ago, believing it was a positive step. But this move alone will cost Gilbert millions—$9 million in 2025, ballooning to $19 million by 2029. While I agree with the principle of lowering taxes, the reality has shown me that it’s more complicated when those decisions negatively impact municipalities.  This situation is compounded by the same group who supported high-density multifamily zoning changes in the name of property rights now backing tax cuts that eliminate the benefits from those very developments.  

Another example is the state's new shared revenue plan. It will cost Gilbert nearly $15 million in 2025 alone.

We’re seeing a state tax system that’s flawed, counterintuitive, and increasingly harmful to towns like ours. For example, eliminating the food tax — a change I ideologically support — would drain $20 million from our budget, putting essential projects on hold for another decade.

This has been an eye-opening realization for me. I remain fiscally conservative, but I cannot support measures that would irreparably harm our community just to signal my conservatism. My vote for tax increases wasn't easy, but it was honest. I wasn’t going to pretend we didn’t need them simply for political optics.

I’ve always promised to be transparent, truthful, and faithful in my duties to the citizens of Gilbert. Ignoring the financial realities we face would be dishonest and hypocritical. I refuse to be someone who misleads the public with half-truths for the sake of popularity.

Moving forward, I will continue to serve this community with integrity and pragmatism. I hope that those who trusted me with their vote will understand that while I am committed to fiscal responsibility, I will not sacrifice the well-being of our town just to stay ideologically pure. I value the trust the people of Gilbert have placed in me, and I will continue to honor that trust through open communication and responsible leadership.

Jim Torgeson is a member of Gilbert Town Council.