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Show Page 10 The Ogden Valley news Volume XXV Issue VIII June 15, 2018 CANDIDATES cont. from page 1 three-fold: To seek common ground on issues facing hardworking Utah families, to address the misalignment between Utah’s educational outcomes and the needs of Utah employers, and to be a voice for ordinary people. Deana was born and raised on a farm “in middle of nowhere” in Kansas, attended Washburn University, and has a Master’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Utah. She and her husband Landell have four children they raised here in Ogden Valley. She states, “I look forward to meeting with you, learning about the issues that matter to you, and earning your support and vote on November 6.” For more information or to get involved in electing Deana Froerer as your State Legislative Representative, go to her website Froerer4House. com or give her a call at 801-388-7162. Jason B. Kyle You deserve a representative, and I want to be your voice and represent your interests on Utah’s Capitol Hill. I believe the tax burden on Utah families is too high and the priorities of the legislature are not correct. They recently passed a bill to tear down a perfectly functioning prison and build another one. This will cost tax payers 1 billion dollars. The tax payer does not benefit from this type ofpolicy; the real estate developers do. It lines the pockets of a few on the tax payer’s dime and taxpayers will not see a return on investment from our money. I always hear about the lack of funding for the education system. How about we invest in our children, providing them a top-notch education instead of a new prison? I will be an advocate. I will not vote for tax increases that burden families and small businesses without reviewing 100% of the budget. You deserve accountability. You deserve real representation. Government should only collect funds from the people for what is necessary. Tax money belongs to the people and the people should not be treated as an endless source of revenue. We need to periodically revue government programs and determine if they are still needed. We need to be able to cut obsolete and dysfunctional programs to maintain a reasonable budget. This is what business does. This is what families do. Government should do the same. I am a Chemical Engineer and Environmental, Health and Safety Manager for Varex Imaging Corporation. I live in Huntsville, Utah where I have created fond memories throughout my life. My wife Lupita and I have three adorable daughters. We live in Weber County because of the beautiful geography, strong community, and family-oriented culture. When asked why I am running for office, I say, “It’s because I want my children to be raised in an era of liberty and opportunity. It is the responsibility of each generation to fight for the liberty of the next. There are forces that seek to take away personal liberty and I won’t sit back and watch them.” I am a proven leader who works well with diverse individuals and cross-functional teams. I actively follow local political issues and will represent the entire district. I am committed, and will be a relevant voice for the people of Weber County on Capitol Hill. S t e v e Waldrip - I’m running to represent you and Legislative District 8 in the Utah House of Representatives. Why am I running? Many of you know me. You know of my love for our Valley and its people and beauty. You know of my work to preserve and enhance our Valley. You know how I love it here. I received a law degree from the University of Utah, a Master’s in Taxation Law from the University of Washington, and spent only 9 months practicing law. I took a job with the Boyer Company at what was just starting as Business Depot Ogden. My first day on the job at BDO, I was left to run a meeting alone with the state economic development team, an out of state company and its representatives, Ogden city staff, and a site selector. I was thrown into deep water with no lifejacket. I made it successfully through that meeting, and many others after. At BDO I directed the new development, leasing and marketing. With a great team we brought in half of a billion dollars in private investment into BDO and Ogden. I negotiated $250 million in lease transactions. We created over 4000 new jobs. I left Boyer a few years ago to be with my family more and do some consulting work. That time has been incredibly valuable and rewarding. I wanted this portion of my life to be dedicated to public service. I’m serving on the United Way of Northern Utah board, the Ogden Valley planning commission, the Ogden Valley Land Trust board, and co-chaired the successful effort to create a single park district in Ogden Valley; the first time in the history of the Valley that all three communities are united in an organization that doesn’t begin with an L and end with a DS. The main issue for me, and cause I will pursue, is accountability. Our government needs to be accountable back to you, the taxpayers, for every dollar it spends of your money. This means measurable progress and reporting on that progress. On taxes, our state tax code has not had a meaningful reform in 40+ years. I intend to change that. I will take out our tax code and go line by line to determine if the mass of tax breaks and selectively favorable treatment of business and industries is still merited in each and every provision of the code. If the provision does not produce a benefit to us, it needs to go. And any new provision needs to undergo the same analysis, with a timeframe attached for a review of its effectiveness. On education, we need to pay our teachers more . . . significantly more. Why? Because research and data clearly show that the most significant way to improve educational performance in our children is to hire great teachers, and to keep them. We have wonderful teachers, but they need to be given a reason to stay, and other great teachers need to join them. With this, however, there must be accountability. Teachers should be held accountable for their teaching skills and success. Administrators should be held accountable for their administration skills and success. We must have a method of paying teachers a market competitive salary, and therefore bring them more into the marketplace, subject to the same forces that affect every business and industry in the state. We have a $600 million shortfall in our transportation infrastructure and roads budget. Let’s solve this. The money that should be going to our teachers and kids has been going to prisons beds. This number is determined, and prisons are built, based, in part, on 4th- grade reading levels in the state. If we don’t get our kids, and our neighbors’ kids reading at grade level by then, they are four times more likely to quit school. If they do that, far too many turn to crime and drugs. Also, let’s find a way to monetize the lands in our state that are currently owned by the federal government. Whatever that mechanism is, we need to find it, and implement it. The revenue from State Trust Lands goes to education, it goes to our kids. We need to manage our public lands, these assets, wisely, preserving them and making them accessible to our residents for the things we love—fishing, hiking, hunting, climbing, running, skiing, and riding. We have a stewardship over these things, and we need to manage and use them wisely. The majority of us possess shared values that should be the focus and foundation of our political discussion. Some notable examples are: a belief in a loving God; helping and succoring those in need; providing the best education for our children; a reverence for the Constitution and the founders of our nation; a love for nature and the beauty of our Valley; a belief in free enterprise and the ability of individuals to be creative when given the opportunity; and individual and governmental accountability. My love for this Valley has been created by the opportunities I have had to live, play and serve here. I have coached many of your children. I am blessed to call this place home. I am entering public service, not politics. If I am elected I will focus on our shared values, and create solutions based on those shared values in the State Legislature. Experience Matters. My experience in business, creating investment and bringing jobs to Northern Utah and negotiating solutions to complex real estate development projects will allow me to create solutions for you. My community and charitable work, and my 18 years as a resident of Ogden Valley make me the best representative to serve you. This is why over 70% of the delegates voted for me at the County Convention. They know that I will work with you, and for you, to make our Valley, District 8, and Utah, a better place for our children. Choose Experience. Choose Integrity. Choose Steve on June 26. COUNTY COMMISSION, SEAT “A” James J. Couts – I am very proud to be a second generation Land Surveyor who has spent my entire career in the private sector. Our founding fathers, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, as well as the original Republican, Abraham Lincoln, all began their careers as surveyors. Like those who have come before me, this time as a surveyor has instilled in me a desire to protect property rights, defend the constitution, limit government, and reduce the burden of taxation. As a candidate with no personal, business, or family ties to Weber County Government, I bring a fresh perspective to the commission race. I personally audited Weber County’s budget in 2016, and after finding a significant amount of waste, I spoke out against the tax increase at both public hearings. I also oppose the constant taxing and redistributing of wealth that seems to come out of our State Legislature every year. In a year where Utah had a surplus, our state legislators voted to send a 33% gas tax increase to the ballot and increased state property tax revenue by $125 million. In addition, they allocated $6.6 million to purchase temporary homeless facilities, and then allocated another $7.5 million to mitigate the impact of those shelters. I feel like enough is enough. We need a fresh face in Weber County Government—someone who has opposed rather than encouraged the rapid expansion of government at the county and at state levels. Please visit the following sites to find CANDIDATES cont. on page 12 PARKS cont. from page 1 Valley, including the 7 acres dedicated to the county for a park at the base of Trappers Loop road. Liberty Park just added 4 acres through a generous $200,000 donation by David and Jerre Winder, and with help from the property owner. Additionally, the Valley will have a unified voice on recreation issues with Weber County. With the proliferation of events that impact our Valley, the park board will have the ability to work with the county to ensure that revenues from these events stay in the Valley. Mayor Jim Truett and Council Member Bill White of Huntsville Town stated, “This has been a process that has been in the works for two years. We have held public meetings, had information booths at the 4th of July in the parks, run newspaper articles, and sought input from residents in Huntsville and throughout the Valley. We feel that this structure will benefit the residents of Huntsville Town, and will allow us to work more closely together on issues that impact all of the residents in our Valley.” Weber County will soon post openings for three new park board members within the annexed area. One position will be filled from Huntsville Town, the other two from the newly annexed areas in East Huntsville (including the upper valley). Anyone interested should contact Stacy Skeen at Weber County at sskeen@ co.weber.ut.us or 801-399-8403. Laurie Van Zandt (801) 388-8103 Landscape Designer Designing Creative Unique Outdoor Architecture and Landscapes for Fine Residential Living www.theardentgardener.net |
