My path into public service wasn’t planned. It began with a casual conversation amongst friends sharing our concerns about the direction of Park City. We landed on principles as simple as they are powerful: Don’t complain, show up, and be part of the solution. For me, that meant running for City Council.
The same strategic mindset and commitment to transparency that guide my professional life define my approach to public service. I’ve asked hard questions, challenged assumptions, and stood up when our public process and the public’s voice were compromised, or at risk thereof.
I raised concern when our Land Management Code was selectively applied. I opposed handing public funds over to a now-defunct nonprofit outside of the defined approach, which took combing our budget to uncover.
My community-first approach hasn’t always been popular. I was told by colleagues to “play ball” and leave it all alone. But not representing special interests and never owing nor receiving political favors, I stayed true to Park City. That’s just who I am.
Shortly thereafter, character attacks began. Our family experienced harassment near our home. Recently, a coordinated smear campaign was launched to discredit my service. Those behind it claim to support democracy and friendlier elections yet use insults and disinformation to limit voter choice, trying to bully me out of this race before declaring candidacy.
Intimidation will not prevail. Not then, and not now. From day one, my promise has been to govern with fairness, transparency, and respect for your tax dollars. That requires standing up to cronyism and refusing to participate in quiet deals or backroom maneuvering.
Throughout my term I’ve championed social progress, consistent policy, and fiscal discipline — values that are not mutually exclusive when guided by principle. A few proud (and perhaps less visible) accomplishments from my term include:
- Implemented a transparent, equitable, and outcome-based nonprofit funding model.
- Instituted a long-overdue internal audit function to improve fiscal and process accountability.
- Launched infrastructure efforts to bury power lines, safeguard our water supply, and lower 90% of water bills starting in summer 2025.
- Prioritized wildfire risk mitigation with the Park City Fire District.
- Evolved our organization, including a stronger focus on executive performance and better recognizing front-line employee contributions.
Without my leadership, the Park City experience would look much different:
- Higher city-specific property taxes.
- No new community center in City Park or pool at the MARC.
- More traffic in town and through neighborhoods.
- No parking or transit options at Richardson Flats.
- Limited 84060 access to subsidized recreation including day camps, racquet sports, and golf.
- No Transit to Trails service or cross-country skiing at Bonanza Flat.
Leadership is not about declaring your opinions as fact or telling people what they want to hear. It’s about fair representation and driving results. Yet, time and taxpayer money are repeatedly wasted on consultant-led charades. National political consultants who describe themselves as “an outcomes agency” are hired to shape public perception. Council direction isn’t followed, and the public remains uninformed. Tough decisions are deflected to hand-picked committees. The show way too often takes precedence over the substance, and that’s when projects stall out.
Consider Bonanza Park. In 2022, I opposed yet another costly consultant process for planning our city-owned five acres. The council majority approved it anyway. Three years and over $1 million later, committees felt unheard, and taxpayer-funded field trips to metropolises like Toronto occurred. It’s no wonder we’re being pitched big-city designs with minimal local context.
I not only hear your frustrations, I share them. Together, we will get Bonanza Park right and create a vibrant community-gathering space.
I’ve witnessed incredible resistance to change and yet made progress to break through legacy power structures. Park City doesn’t need more politics. We need passion. We need courage. We need proactive leaders willing to speak hard truths, ask hard questions, and uphold the values of hard work and community that built this town. I haven’t wavered in the face of adversity, and I won’t start now.
Thank you for the honor of serving Park City. With your support, we have an opportunity for another four years of honest, independent, principled leadership.
Jeremy Rubell
Park City