Whitney Peterson

     My wife and I have owned property in Midway since the 1990s and we always knew we would retire here. Those plans were moved up considerably when we decided to leave California due to too much regulation, overcrowding, high taxes, and traffic. Over the 25 years we lived in California, we experienced firsthand the negative consequences resulting from bad policies and the lack of vision by politicians. 

Midway is a special and unique place. To retain its exceptional character, careful planning and decision making is required. Midway cannot afford to have its essential nature forever changed by bad policies unthinkingly championed by short-sighted politicians. I am commited to maintaining Midway’s unique character now and in the future through reasoned solutions and wise, thoughtful planning. 

Growth in Midway 

Much of Midway’s unique character comes from its open farmlands, lush vegetation, lack of overcrowding and location in this magnificent valley. Unfortunately, Midway’s quintessence can be lost if those in charge give in to over-anxious developers that only want to make a quick buck and do not have Midway’s long-term best interest in mind. It is up to the City Council to protect Midway against such a lack of vision. 

Sadly, many politicians take the path of least resistance and make poor choices resulting from a lack of due diligence and a failure to comprehend unintended consequences and long-term effects. If elected, I will do all in my power to ensure that any growth in Midway is undertaken only after careful and reasoned consideration in which the pros outweigh the cons and the long-term effects are known, considered, and accounted for. In many cases, Midway simply does not have the infrastructure to support even its planned growth. The sad history of other Utah cities demonstrates what happens when growth is not carefully managed and planned. I will do my best to prevent this from happening to Midway. 

Business in Midway 

The City Council has a responsibility to create a reasonable business environment that allows well-run businesses to thrive, employ the citizenry, and provide needed services to Midway residences. I believe that for the most part, local government should regulate business only to the extent necessary to protect the citizens from fraud and other legally cognizable harm. I will support reasonable initatives that encourage well-run and necessary businesses to set up shop in Midway. However, this must be done carefully and with a view to avoiding unintended consequences. Midway is a unique place and it needs reasoned and well-thought-out solutions that allow businesses to succeed without sacrificing the character of Midway. 

Fiscal Management 

I believe that like people’s personal finances, governments must live within the constraints of a budget, spend less than they take in, and prepare for unexpected contingencies by setting aside a portion of tax revenue each year for emergencies. City Services must be delivered using the most cost-effective means possible and city expenditures should carefully managed. 

Community Well Being 

Midway has a unique heritage which should never be lost. I will support volunteerism and other initiatives that seek to maintain and pass on such local heritage to the next generation. 

I believe that a community can be knit together closely if leaders intentionally create opportunities for the community to gather and share experiences. I will support initiatives that bring people together, including community theatre, trail preservation, preserving and fostering local culture and creating private/public partnerships that bring substantial benefits to Midway with a minimum of expense to tax payers. 

Public Virtue v. Self Interest 

Too many problems in government are caused by elected officials putting private interests above the public good. Any proposal for Midway should be carefully examined to determine whether the resulting public good outweighs the benefit to special interests. I will bring a reasoned voice to Midway public decision making to help ensure that Midway does not lose its unique character through poor choices or reliance on special interests. 

Experience Maters 

I have always been interested in politics. I majored in political science at Brigham Young University and took several politic-focused classes in law school. Following law school, I considered a career in politics, but was disillusioned by the process that seemed to require special interest money to even have a chance of getting elected. Instead of going into politics, I joined a world-class law firm in San Diego, California. I later went in-house as the General Counsel of a publicly traded company with offices in nine (9) countries. I was part of the key decision-making group that had to think long-term and strategically in order to stay ahead in a highly competitive field. In 2016, I decided I wanted to help people who could not afford thousand-dollar-an-hour lawyers and opened my own law firm to assist small-and-medium-sized businesses with their legal needs. In January of 2023, I became General Counsel of the company that manages all merchandising and licensing for The Lord of the Rings franchise. We deal with major movie studios, multi-billion-dollar video game companies, stage production companies, amusement parks and hundreds of other licensees. Dealing with such sophisticated players requires top notch critical thinking and strategic, reasoned planning. I will bring that same level of sophistication and critical thinking to city council deliberations.