Press Release:
With excitement and great humility, Town Councilmember Arne
Jorgensen announced this week that he will seek election for mayor of the Town of Jackson.
“During my six years in office — and especially during the last two — I have seen the real-life
stressors of making ends meet in an increasingly expensive region,” Jorgensen said. “I will
continue to provide a thoughtful, positive voice for all community members — not just the
loudest in the room.”
During his time on the council, Jorgensen has built a record of accomplishments, including:
Housing: Ensured affordable rental housing for our most vulnerable community
members. Provided expertise to gain federal funding via Low-Income Housing Tax
Credits, which — after significant work with the State of Wyoming and four attempts —
was successful in 2021;
Environment: Created an ecosystem stewardship position. Addressed county water
quality by opening up access to failing systems to address short-term water quality
issues;
Budgeting: Increased transparency and implemented strategic budget review
processes, including data-backed, five-year projections focused on achieving long-term
stability.
Looking forward, Jorgensen envisions a community that embraces our residents and our
responsibility as stewards of the landscape. He is highlighting the urgency of addressing growth
and inequity.
“We are at a tipping point of losing the core of our community and becoming a resort only,” he
says. “ We should view our discussions through this lens and reinforce a community of people
while respecting the natural resources of Teton County.”
A Jackson native, Jorgensen has been an architect for more than 30 years and played a key
role in the formation of our formal community housing efforts, serving on the Housing Trust’s
founding board. “This experience has reinforced my strong focus on housing issues and the
need to celebrate the critical positive benefit of our affordable housing owners and renters in our
community,” Jorgensen says.
Jorgensen also has a keen understanding of Jackson’s position within Wyoming after 20 years
serving on the Wyoming Community Foundation Board and 12 years on the Wyoming State
Board of Architects and Landscape Architects. In addition, for each of the past 6 years, he has
spent considerable time at the Wyoming Legislature, meeting with lawmakers, the governor and
other statewide elected officials to establish good working relationships and promote Jackson’s
interests.
For the past 4 years on the Town Council, Jorgensen has filled the second position on the
Council (mayor pro tem), who steps in when the Mayor is not available. Throughout his tenure,
Jorgensen has shown a strong commitment to participating in every council effort ranging from
budget meetings to appointment interviews to board liaison roles as well as regular and special
meetings. He says, “The Town of Jackson business is my top priority”.
For more information on the Arne for Jackson Mayor campaign, please reach out to Arne
Jorgensen at (307) 690-2269.
