We all need education and training

Public Schools

Salt Lake County District Four public schools are the crown jewel of the Utah public education system and are now under assault by the Republicans in the Utah Legislature The students from our schools have some of the highest test scores in the State of Utah, attend the finest Universities in the world and excel at every level of society. Because of our successes, students from across the State of Utah flock to our public schools; the students of Skyline, Olympus, Wasatch, Churchill, Morningside, Driggs, and Eastwood—for example- are already majority out of boundary.  Compounding matters, our existing senior population is aging rapidly, and new arrivals frequently have fewer children than their predecessors. As a result, there are simply not enough in boundary children to keep many of our own public schools open.  Just this year, yet another local public school– Springlane was closed when declining local enrollment, coupled with an inability to recruit new students, made it inviable.  Springlane’s closure benefitted no one and ultimately lessened all our property values.

We all deserve to age with dignity

Connecting our youth and seniors

The residents of our district are privileged to live in a world class section of Salt Lake County, built by the sweat and toil of our seniors.  The elders of our community have contributed to society throughout their lives and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Respecting our elders is a moral obligation and a way of life benefiting all our city residents—including our own children. A study conducted by the University of Texas, for instance, found assisted living facilities implementing programs involving older adults in decision-making and community building have significantly better health outcomes. When older adults have a sense of purpose and responsibility, for example, they are more engaged and have better mental and physical outcomes.

We all need a place to live

HOUSING FOR OUR CHILDREN

Utah has its own distinct culture and history, which cannot be found anywhere else on planet earth. Because of our unique culture, outsiders often look down on and belittle our State while not realizing Utah also possesses one of the fastest growing and most dynamic economies in the entire nation. Regardless of what others may imagine, Salt Lake County is one of the most important regions in the entire Western United Sates and Salt Lake County District four is one of Utah’s most important cultural hubs. Our booming downtowns, for example, houses a dynamic music and art scene dotted with the finest restaurants in our State—all of which are surrounded by walkable streets, accessible parks, and stunning views of Mount Olympus.

We all deserve to be safe

SAFETY FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OFFICERS

When performed with honor and integrity, policing is a noble profession enabling our citizens to peaceably go about our everyday lives without fear of being hurt or taken advantage of. Policing, unfortunately, is also a dangerous profession in which officers’ risk their own lives for the rest of us every single time they put on a uniform. I learned this lesson from painful, direct, firsthand experience in 1988 when members of the Singer-Swapp Klan planted, and then detonated a bomb inside a local LDS ward house. The FBI was immediately called onto the scene and then after a month and half long standoff, Lieutenant Fred House—my uncle –was murdered while attempting to peacefully end the standoff.  My uncle’s death ripped apart our family and my cousins—several of whom were still in diapers—were left to live out the remainder of their lives without a father.  Fortunately for my family, police officers from across the State of Utah rallied around my auntie and cousins and provided them with the support needed to remain afloat. To the day I die, I will be forever grateful for the support of fellow police officers.  Given the tragic experiences of my family, police officers –provided they behave ethically and responsibly–will always have my undying admiration, respect, and support.

We all breathe the same air

A REAL WORLD SOLUTION

Salt Lake County District Four is blessed with a rich history, abundant human resources, and unmatched natural treasures seen from many of our own living rooms. Despite the bounty our people are blessed with, the citizens of our city are not an island isolated unto ourselves.  Take for example the very air we all breathe, which according to several recent studies, is some of the unhealthiest in the country. A recent study published in the medical journal JAMA, demonstrates continued exposure to air pollution, especially ground-level ozone, which is dangerously high for average Salt Lake County residents, is the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for many years. Predictably, the dirty air we breathe often causes emphysema—a lung condition causing shortness of breath that is usually associated with smoking cigarettes and threatens not only our own health but also our children’s health.