Meet Your New Council Member – Ben Cooper

On May 12, 2010, the Gilbert Town Council, in a public meeting, interviewed several candidates, one of whom would be selected to replace the Council position vacated by Steve Urie.
Gilbert Watch’s choice was Jared Taylor. Jared is the business manager for Heritage Academy, a charter school. Jared is Constitution-based. He has a very good understanding of and adheres to the principles of small government, low taxes, and personal responsibility. He was against Prop 406. He knows the importance of, and has experience in, the choosing of high level people to fill critical positions. This would be important as Gilbert must choose a new Town Manager. Jared has experience in various organizational efficiency techniques, which will be critical to Gilbert’s long term strategic goals. He has experience in marketing Gilbert to businesses which might wish to relocate here. Jared also expressed his ideas relating to economic development in areas relating to health care, aerospace and technology.
On May 19, 2010, the majority of the Gilbert Town Council, including Jenn Daniels, Mayor John Lewis, Linda Abbott, Dave Crozier, and John Sentz, voted in favor of Ben Cooper.
During Mr. Cooper’s interview, he did not express an opinion about Prop 406. He acknowledged the serious budget issues, stressing the importance of Public Safety, a family friendly environment, and being "open for business." He stated that hiring a Town Manager would be of extreme importance. He is especially concerned about economic development. He thinks that developing more health care industries would be advisable. He sees Phoenix-Mesa-Gateway airport as a future economic boon. San Tan freeway is important. He seems like an earnest person who wants to be of service. He stated that he wants to protect the investment in streets and parks, because this affects the property values of Gilbert residents. He has helped Gilbert with its General Plan.
Ben Cooper is a likable man and optimistic about Gilbert’s future. A flag went up when he stated that he supports "high quality services that government provides." How much does he think the "government" (Other People’s Money) should provide?