Kent Petersen for Ogden City Council, Municipal Ward 4
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ent Petersen has lived in Ogden for 66 years. In that time he has accomplished a lot for Junction City and the Top of Utah. A co-owner of Petersen Motor Company and Petersen Marine Supply, besides his business experience, Petersen has actively worked to better the community.
To us, Petersen has a passion for Ogden, and a willingness to work hard toward goals that will make Junction City a better place to live. For that reason, the Standard-Examiner Editorial Board recommends voters cast their ballots on Nov. 6 for Petersen in the race for Ogden City Council Municipal Ward 4.
Petersen is committed to building consensus within the sometimes bitterly divided Council. He'll rely on his business experience to build trust with his colleagues. This will be needed as Ogden continues its quest to revitalize the city and improve the quality of life here.
Broadening the tax base to bring in more revenue is a goal Petersen will tackle. He remembers the Ogden Mall being torn down and businesses, including his own, moving out of Junction City in search of friendlier environments. Petersen wants to help energize Ogden's current business-friendly administration. He supports tax incentives to bring new business here. He supports looking at all options for improved transit in Ogden, and is intrigued about private business building a resort at and gondola to Malan's Basin.
Petersen has ideas for improving Mount Ogden Golf Course. One is to make the course more user-friendly. He also wants a committee to explore ideas to make the course profitable. He is against selling the course. One idea he suggested to the Editorial Board was to have the course enter partnerships with private entities.
Petersen supports more officers patrolling Ogden streets, and hopes that a planned increase will be an effective force against gangs in the city. One intriguing idea Petersen has is to look at a cooperative effort between the city and private businesses to combat crime.
Petersen is concerned about illegal immigration and supports a no-tolerance policy of denying services to illegals. We hope he will be more flexible with that stance, as denying essential services, such as electricity and water, to illegals and their children doesn't strike us as an effective anti-illegal immigration tool.
Petersen believes Ogden's water and sewer infrastructure upgrade could be paid for through increased revenue by broadening the tax base with more business. He is not on the record as supporting a tax increase for these critical needs.
We hope, if elected, Petersen will be flexible enough to support a tax increase if that is absolutely necessary to fix Ogden's critical water and sewer needs.
Petersen is facing a capable opponent who also has many good ideas for Ogden. Our recommendation is based on Petersen's long record of community service, his proven desire to better Ogden and his reputation of being a leader who can accomplish tasks. He will be an asset to the Ogden City Council, and merits serious consideration from Ogden voters.
Watch video of interview with Kent Petersen
Watch video of interview with Caitlin Gochnour
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