UPDATE: 16 June 2026
While Gilbertwatch had high hopes for this Council and the Council that followed, but they proved to be a massive disappointment. This is the MOST liberal Council in the history of Gilbert. In the end, Mayor Brigette Peterson (in purple) was the only sane vote for lower taxes and limited government. Thank you Mayor Peterson
The new Councilmembers–Torgesen, Buchli, and Bongiovanni–told their voters they would cut taxes, reduce spending, and return the Council to the people. The opposite occurred, and it didn’t take long. While they should have been focused on fighting crime they simply picked fights with each other wasting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
Gilbert became the laughing stock of the nation with the Gilbert Goons teen violence episode. This Council and Gilbert Police were in complete denial that teen violence was out of control.
This Council could have spent their time on the priorities of the residents, instead, they passed a series of massive tax increase, water rate increases, and wasteful spending projects.
Oh, and just to rub it in the face of the voters, they gave themselves a fat raise for doing such a great job. They are the shame of Gilbert.
Fortunately, the Town of Gilbert voters have no interest in returning members of this council who are running for re-election in 2026.
On 10 January 2023 at Gilbert Town Hall, Jim Torgesen, Bobbi Buchli, Chuck Bongiovanni, and Yung Koprowski were sworn in as members of the Gilbert Town Council.
This Council will immediately take up issues like rate increases for utilities, tax rates for local projects, and the ongoing issues like transportation and zoning.
Gilbert Live is a great place to follow the meetings past and future. With the Town Hall renovations complete, most of the Town’s major meetings will return to the Council Chambers at 50 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ.
GilbertWatch congratulates them on their election and looks forward to following their votes.