Things are not as bad here as other places
I will give our leaders some credit. Thanks to our constitution requiring fiscal responsibility we have a balanced budget which puts Utah in a better position than most states. Business has also flourished in the state. However, the last few years we have also seen abuses of authority, environmental negligence, and the growth of extreme views. Listed below are a few areas where I will push for change.
Term Limits
Our Utah political leaders refuse limiting their terms despite wide public support. I wonder why. Are their true loyalties showing (to thine own self-interest by true)?
Gerrymandering
In 2021, our Utah legislatures rejected a voter approved independent redistricting commission map in favor of their own map. To wit the governor said, “If you don’t like it, elect new leaders”. Very well then.
Get money out of Politics
Lobbyists and big money donors could care less about the needs of people in Alpine, Highland, or Cedar Hills. We need to reduce significantly the influence money has on our political leaders so we can make the best decisions for our communities.
Environmental Concerns
For years our political leaders have ignored air pollution, fires, water shortages, and global warming hurting our quality of life in favor of business interests. Time to stop kicking the can down the road.
Rank Choice Voting
Our leaders insist on winner take all voting methods instead of allowing voters to rank their favorite candidates/issues as legislated in other states. Ever voted for the lesser of two evils? No wonder we have voter apathy. We need more choices. This leads to lawmakers doing enough to satisfy 51% of constituents and consensus building becomes inconvenient and unnecessary.
Extremism
Over time, due to winner take all approaches and social media dart throwing, our political leaders are becoming more extreme catering to their leadership instead of broader public interests. Utah’s leadership is overrepresented by Republicans versus a more moderate population base. Let’s hold open primaries so that all Utahns have a say.