Without much in the way of new taxes in the last four decades, Jackson has pressed pause on some maintenance of roads and facilities. It’s said ‘no’ to adding bus routes, some affordable housing and requests from emergency responders. 

Those decisions have helped keep the town afloat. A boom in sales tax from increased tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic helped, too. 

But staring down the barrel of federal grant cuts, Mayor Arne Jorgensen is steering a conversation about how to raise revenue. 

He sits down with former Mayor Pete Muldoon for a talk about where that money could come from and where it might go. 

As for those who say Jackson first needs to feel the pain?

“I'm not willing to accept that,” Jorgensen says. “I'm not willing to accept that we have to harm people, that we have to make decisions that are not in the best interest of maintaining our investments in streets or buildings, for example, in order to build credibility.”