For transparency, I am providing my answers to a survey from the Salt Lake Tribune so that my positions on these questions can be shared with constituents.
The Salt Lake Tribune is reaching out to competitors in this year’s election to help voters understand candidates’ policy positions in the Salt Lake Tribune 2024 legislative candidate voter guide.
To make this easy for candidates and readers, we’ve created a simple Google form with open-ended and yes/no questions. The open-ended questions have a character limit to ensure fairness in answer length for each candidate in the race. Questions that require written answers will be edited for grammar and clarity.
Jeff Parrott, The Tribune’s politics editor, can respond to any questions, concerns or comments and can be reached at jparrott@sltrib.com.
Responses will appear in https://www.sltrib.com/politics/voterguides/
1) Utah’s largest electricity provider has canceled plans to replace its coal-fired power plants with nuclear power and has walked back comments about investing in clean energy. Should Utah be looking for more sustainable and less fossil fuel and carbon-dependent energy sources? If so, how? (150 chars)
Answer: We need to embrace clean energy by investing in development of clean energy tech & producing jobs to replace economies built on fossil fuel industry.
2) Water scarcity continues to be a challenge for the state. Recent legislation has attempted to conserve water and to get more water to the Great Salt Lake and Colorado River. Should Utah do more to subsidize homeowners’ efforts to conserve water? What other steps should be taken to deal with water scarcity? (250 chars)
Answer: Water rights are coming to a legal loggerhead, and we need to prepare for a revision on shared water resources. Reshape ag with less water intensive crops and stock. Revise community plans to support water conservation and more shared spaces.
3) What policy changes would you support to address Utah’s affordable housing crisis? (250 chars)
Answer: Infrastructure (public transit/broadband) to incentivize suburban growth, revised permitted use for combination business/residential, improve multi-generational tenancy & ADUs, home improvement programs, small home (<1200 sq/ft) and starter incentives
Oct 8 update (not part of my survey response): I met with some homeowners who had concerns about zoning changes in South Jordan residential properties that could negatively impact lifestyle and traffic in their area, and agree that these are legitimate concerns. Planning commissions are a first point of contact for residents to discuss city and county strategies, but there should be priority given to existing residents who wish to keep existing zoning laws that protect their investment in spacious communities that afford privacy and quiet space.
4) Following the Utah Supreme Court’s recent decision to keep a near-total abortion ban blocked, anti-abortion lawmakers and advocates called for additional legislative action to circumvent the court-ordered injunction. Would you support banning abortion after six weeks? (Y/N)
Answer: No
5) Would you support a state constitutional amendment to ban abortion? (Y/N)
Answer: No
6) Should there be other restrictions on reproductive health care — especially fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization? (150 chars)
Answer: Services need to be generally available to the public that start with appropriate sex education in schools, and no bans on reproductive health care.
7) Are you voting for or against the constitutional amendment that removes the requirement that income taxes be used for education and social services? Why? (250 chars)
Answer: Against. Legislators want access to spend that money, and force public education to compete in the general fund. This is one more step to dismantle public education in Utah.
8) A Utah judge has voided Amendment D and said votes for or against it cannot be counted, but the state is appealing. Do you support changing the Utah Constitution to guarantee that the Legislature can repeal or amend ballot initiatives? (Y/N)
Answer: No