Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Campaign Phone
801-921-0428
Transportation is my top concern. We should be the best place on the planet to live—15, 20 years from now. That’s my vision. And if we’re stuck in traffic, that will not be the case!
Our county commissioners have a stronger stewardship over our countywide transportation needs that than any other elected officials.
So how do we help ensure we’re not stuck in traffic—even with growth? Wise planning, of course. But also through pulling in outside resources. Pulling in resources to benefit our county’s residents is something I’ve got a strong background in. We must build a strong Utah County coalition and effectively fight for transportation dollars. I have done just that kind of work in the past and am ready to do it again, for you.
I come from a long line of people who believed in serving their community. That legacy drives me to make a meaningful impact wherever I can. I bring broad experience, from representing the United States in the Department of Justice to serving eight years as a full-time administrator in local government, owning and running a small business to working now in Utah’s AG’s Office. I’ve been tested and prepared, with the ability needed to navigate complex budgets and responsibilities across multiple agencies, including public safety and transportation. I have the executive leadership experience and commitment to responsible government required to help preserve our heritage and prepare wisely for the future.
With careful attention to each situation, listening to resident input and keeping an eye on ensuring that our growth makes this a great place to live not the opposite. Most housing and business growth falls under city jurisdiction, and I respect that. But growth within cities does increase demand for county services and roads. The most important roles the county plays in growth include
1) Long-term planning and maximizing every tax dollar by helping to coordinate infrastructure projects,
2) Working to secure transportation funding at the state and federal level (something I have a track record of success on), and
3) Ensuring that every county department is running efficiently while still providing services residents need.
My plan is to stay in close touch with cities and work to ensure we are coordinating. Most zoning decisions are made by cities, and that is as it should be. But we need to coordinate and plan together. My strong relationships of trust with city leaders across the county—look at my website, votepaxman.com, for what they are saying about me—positions me to help coordinate infrastructure or other projects where possible. And THAT will reduce costs, which can help with affordability.
We want homeownership to be attainable. Although we need a variety of housing types, I support entry level, owner-occupied homes as a priority.
I’d rather talk about what I bring to the table. I’ve had experience cutting millions from a local government (to avoid tax increases)—while keeping service levels excellent and morale high. I’ve had the experience helping bring in over a hundred million dollars of external funding, for a project that has boosted quality of life and the economy here in this county (the airport in Provo). And I’ve helped build coalitions to unite the voice of Utah County’s elected officials so that we are effective at the legislature. I look forward to using that kind of experience to benefit you.
Campaign Phone
8013190217
Water, overgrowth, transportation, infrastructure, gravel pits, and our precious agriculture are my main concerns.
I personally would like to meet with every Mayor, Council, and Community to see what their needs are. Once we are aligned, go to the State Legislature to get the money we deserve and make sure each community in Utah County is represented.
I decided to run for County Commissioner because of the recent tax increases from 2019 of 67% and the other in 2024 of 48%. During this time, the Commissioners voted to increase their salaries from $117,000 to $170,000. To me that is self-serving, not serving the citizens of Utah County.
Initially I became involved in local politics to save the baseball fields in Orem from being turned into a parking lot.
For the past 12 years I have served on the Orem City Council. As a city councilman, I have seen how smart budgeting, real transparency and responsible growth can strengthen communities without raising taxes. I want to bring that same proven, common-sense leadership to the county level by putting citizens first.
The County should focus on infrastructure and transportation since Utah County is in total gridlock. We need to slow down our growth and work on the infrastructure by looking at our arterial roads that connect our communities to the freeway. The County Commission needs to lobby our State Legislature to get the proper funding to improve roads, along with freeway entrances and exits.
The County Commissioners need to meet with every city and look at their master plans, then create a plan to help every community. My focus will be to help families, businesses, and every community in Utah County thrive.
I am not in favor of any more high density housing, as we have enough in Utah County. The focus needs to be on affordable housing and infrastructure. The state should not mandate the cities and counties to change their zoning. Cities and counties know best how to use their land from being over developed. We need to keep our open space and our agriculture. I have visited many cities and the gravel pits that the state mandated is killing our tart cherry trees and our orchards. The dust from these un-sightly pits is causing the quality of life to go down in our communities all for the mighty dollar. This has to stop and we need to push back on the state.
Currently there is no transparency in our county government. I would like to develop a Transparency Portal so all citizens can see if the Commissioners are attending their meetings, how they voted, and where they are traveling. I would also like to create a Strategy and Innovation Team to go through every department and look for ways to be more efficient.
We need to move the Commission meetings to the evening so all citizens can attend and participate. Create a County Newsletter to be sent out to all citizens electronically, that will show what we are working on and what progress we have made. Start a Facebook page 'What's Happening in Utah County' to promote every city and what events they have going on each week.
