Two years ago, Jens Nielsen moved back to Whitehorse, where he was born and raised, after having lived on Vancouver Island for 20 years.

“It pulls you back,” he said today of the city, noting his desire to be more involved with local community groups.

Nielsen was a volunteer with a number of organizations on Vancouver Island, ranging from Rotary to St. John’s Ambulance and many others.

He was missing that community involvement and looking at ways to contribute in Whitehorse when it was suggested he run for a city councillor seat in the Oct. 15 election.

Nielsen carefully considered it, researching exactly what’s involved, and speaking with previous council members.

He noted those past members emphasized that while the honourarium council members receive doesn’t cover the many hours involved, it is a very rewarding experience.

He estimated the hours would essentially equate to the same time he would be putting in to a number of other groups he had been considering volunteering with, and decided to put his name forward to serve on council.

On Friday, Nielsen filed his nomination forms and launched his campaign focused on “respecting taxes, prioritizing spending and common sense.”

As the 51-year-old sales manager with Whitehorse Motors noted in a statement Friday: “Taxes and expenses are about money; our money. Anything that the city gives you was taken from someone else. And we need to respect that the real value of money, is that someone exchanged work for it.”

Before he launched his campaign, Nielsen said he spoke with numerous residents in coffee shops, on the streets and other spots around town.

He learned the overwhelming issue is the property tax increases residents are seeing year after year.

“There’s tax fatigue out there,” he said. Overwhelmingly, it’s the issue most residents he spoke to are passionate about when it comes to concerns with the city, he stressed.

He argued property owners would be more accepting of the tax hikes if they corresponded with the increase in the cost of living each year, instead of being higher.

Property taxes for 2015 went up 1.7 per cent. It marked the lowest increase for property taxes over the last 10 years.

In comparison, the consumer price index in Whitehorse rose 1.3 per cent between July 2014 and July 2015.

While he recognizes property taxes can’t be frozen, Nielsen said the city needs to prioritize expenses.

“If we keep raising taxes, we’ll find all kinds of creative ways to spend it,” he said. “But, if we don’t, we’ll find all kinds of creative ways not to. It’s a simple choice.”

He noted the need to look at where money is being spent and consider if that is a priority.

As a councillor, he said, he would look at each issue from the lens of respecting taxes, prioritizing spending and common sense.

“It’s vital that as councillors, we listen to common sense,” he said.

“The common sense that comes from the hard-working residents of Whitehorse. We need to balance the wants and needs we hear from the community with recommendations that come from the good work of city management and staff.”

Nielsen would have only one vote of seven on council if elected.

However, he argued the focus on “respecting taxes, prioritizing spending and common sense” would send a clear message to other city council members and city staff about what’s important to Whitehorse voters.

The deadline to register to run for a council seat or the mayoralty is noon Thursday.

Wilf Carter is the only challenger to Mayor Dan Curtis thus far.