Jared “JC” Simonsen was not planning to seek a third term on the Midway City Council, but after several supporters asked him to run, he filed a declaration of candidacy.
“I’m willing to do it more if residents want me to,” he said. “I have small town roots. I’ve lived in Midway for over 10 years now and I’ve tried to contribute positively to the community.”
Simonsen, a software engineer and a Utah native who grew up in Manti, has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Utah Valley University. He has served on the council for eight years.
“I have learned quite a bit as far as what makes the city run, what we can do, what we need to do,” Simonsen said.
Simonsen wants to keep taxes low, saying he’s very aware of the financial burden some residents feel, especially those on a fixed income.
“Midway hasn’t raised taxes in a long time, other than citizen-approved bonds, and I’ve continually encouraged us to do more with less,” he said.
The city has a history of being proactive and careful to spend in the right places and he wants to continue doing that, Simonsen said. The water system, roads, sewer pipes, trails and parks are all in comparatively good shape, he said, adding that he believes the city staff is providing good services at a good price.
While aware of the challenges that inflation and growth can bring, he admitted, “I feel like so far we’ve done a great job.”
Protecting Midway’s rural character is another priority of Simonsen, who said he is a strong supporter of open space bonds. He’s pleased the city has been able to partner with many local landowners to preserve open space, he said.
“Along with the open feeling and recreational benefits of open space, I believe part of the rural character involves protecting our private rights,” Simonsen also said. “We shouldn’t have to give those up and I always seek to maintain a fair balance between public and private concerns.”
Another issue concerning Simonsen is high housing costs. Codes and policies need to fairly promote the use of property rights so there is a mix of housing options and neighborhoods where people want to live, he said.
Simonsen likes low-cost options that involve equity and give residents the opportunity to grow out of just paying rent.
He also said he’s generally against taxpayer-subsidized solutions, “especially if the solution is only short term in nature.”
“In general, I think we need to be careful of short-term thinking,” Simonsen said. “We need to be looking at the big picture and long-term impacts.”
Simonsen is one of six candidates competing for two open seats on the City Council. The other candidates are Andy Garland, Craig Knight, Randy Lundin, Genene Probst-Miles and Starr Stratford.
Ballots will be mailed beginning the week of July 22 and voters can select up to two candidates. The primary, which will narrow the candidates to four, is on Aug. 12. The general election is on Nov. 4.