By james art By Jim Torgeson
On October 22nd, I had to face a difficult reality: what my ideological beliefs wanted did not align with what was best to keep Gilbert the thriving community we all love.
My beliefs are clear. I have always been in favor of low taxes, limited government and controlled growth. I wanted to stop further projects and stop what I thought was uncontrolled expansion. But when I took a hard look at the situation in our city, I realized that we have gone too far with fiscal conservatism, to the point of jeopardizing the infrastructure and services that our residents rely on.
For years, we’ve prided ourselves on doing more with less. But the truth is, we’ve been putting off critical investments for too long. Our parks have not kept pace with our booming population. Our police and fire departments are stretched to 120% of their intended capacity.
Cuts that I have long supported at the state level have had unintended, painful consequences for our city’s finances.
One such example is the state’s reduction of the rent tax. I supported this reduction two years ago, thinking it was a positive step. But that move alone will cost Gilbert millions — $9 million in 2025, rising to $19 million by 2029. While I agree with the principle of tax cuts, reality has shown me that it’s more complicated when those decisions negatively affect municipalities. This situation is compounded by the same group that supported high-density multifamily zoning changes in the name of property rights now supporting tax cuts that remove the benefits of those same developments.
Another example is the state’s new shared revenue plan. That will cost Gilbert nearly $15 million in 2025 alone.
We see a state tax system that is flawed, counterintuitive, and increasingly harmful to cities like ours. For example, eliminating the food tax—a change I ideologically support—would drain $20 million from our budget, putting major projects on hold for another decade.
It was an eye-opening realization. I remain fiscally conservative, but I cannot support measures that would irreparably harm our community just to signal my conservatism. My vote to raise taxes wasn’t easy, but it was fair. I wasn’t going to pretend we didn’t need them just for political optics.
I have always promised to be transparent, honest 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 have trusted me with their vote will understand that while I am committed to fiscal responsibility, I will not sacrifice the well-being of our city just to remain ideologically pure. I appreciate the trust that 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 the Gilbert City Council.