Voters in this northern Davis County town will see a lot of familiar names on their election ballots next Tuesday.
The current mayor is running against a former mayor, a former councilman wants to win his old position back and two current councilmen are seeking re-election. In fact, only one of the candidates in this year's elections has never held a political office in Sunset.Those candidates that voters elect Tuesday will likely win, at least partially, because of their stands on issues such as taxes and open meetings.
Two years ago, the city implemented a 4 percent franchise tax officials said was necessary to cover expenses. But many residents say they were promised the tax would be repealed after six months. Some candidates argue the repeal should have happened long ago while those in office say the city lacks the money to repeal the franchise tax. All believe that it will likely be eliminated soon - largely because of a new Smiths store in the city that should open this spring.
Which brings up another issue.
Some residents complain that city representatives gave up too much tax revenue by offering Smiths officials too many incentives. But the mayor and City Council strongly defend their actions and say the grocery store would not be located in Sunset if such incentives had not been given.
MAYOR
Incumbent Larry C. Ashdown, 428 W. 1300 North, is opposing former mayor Norman R. Sant, 1704 N. 250 West, in a rematch of 1985's election. Controversy plagued Sant's re-election efforts that year, largely because of internal office problems. Both candidates, however, said they feel the controversies of yesterday are past and will not play a part in this year's campaign.
"I think people have realized that I paid my dues," Sant said.
Ashdown, 58, has served as mayor of Sunset for the past four years and was a councilman for four years before that. He said he has accomplished many good things for the city as mayor and is especially proud of the way he has managed the budget.
"I think if (residents) take a good luck at the budget, they'll realize I've done more with the budget than my predecessor," he said.
But Sant said he had a balanced budget when he left office in January 1986. "Three months later, there was a franchise tax," he said. "I never believed in a franchise tax."
However, Ashdown, a customer engineer with IBM, said spending during his administration has been more responsible because there has been a better management of the city's finances. He said morale in the city offices has also improved under his jurisdiction.
"If you pay your help and treat them as human beings, you get a lot more out of them," Ashdown, 58, said. "We are making progress in the city. We're actually doing things when it was just lip service before."
Sant, 51, said his experience, management ability and communications skills make him a good candidate for the city's highest office. He also served on the City Council, was chairman of the State Council of Mayors and was president of the Utah League of Cities and Towns.
Sant, who is Chief of the F4 Aircraft Production Branch at Hill Air Force Base, said he believes in open government. "The present city government has had many closed meetings in the last three or four years," he said. "People feel they have been deceived and it has not been open government."
Sant also said the tax incentives the city gave to Smiths officials was unprecedented. "There should be incentives, but not to that extent," he said.
City Council
Four men are vying for two seats on the City Council - incumbent James S. Bridges, 2547 N. 300 West; incumbent Fred C. Childs, 2122 N. 400 West; former councilman Eugene R. Kidd, 1754 N. 300 West; and Taylor (Ty) Swenson, 1888 N. 200 West. Bart Johnson filed for the campaign, but later withdrew.
Bridges, 53, works for Flameco Aerospace Company in Ogden. He has served on the council for four years and said he is running for re-election so he can complete the projects that the council has begun.
"I pledge to work for the upgrading of the city's aging water and sewer systems" that are deteriorating because of age, he said.
"We're going to have to spend a lot of money on that, but we don't want to put the city in debt," he said. "We're doing it little by little."
Childs, 54, is a supervisor at Western Dairymen. He, too, has been on the council for four years and defends the incentives given to Smiths. He said the process to bring the story to Sunset was laborious and competitive and will likely mean the franchise tax can be removed.
"(Some residents) think we gave away the ship," he said. "But I've always had the philosophy that 50 percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing."
Bridges said his experience qualifies him for the job. "I have a good communication with the public. I just feel like with my experience I'd like to continue with it," he said.
Kidd, 61, is a retired post office worker, and served on the City Council for 12 years. He said residents have encouraged him to run again because many are concerned about the high number of closed meetings being held.
"I feel it's the people's city and that's what I intend it to be," he said, adding that many residents don't feel good about their current representatives and are looking for a change.
"I feel that I can represent them. I feel that I did in my previous experience on the council."
Swenson, 35, is employed by Mountain Fuel and is the only candidate who has not worked in city government. He believes the city needs new ideas and new faces.
"The people that have been there now have been there way too long. There needs to be a change," he said. "We've all heard the statement that still waters run deep. But still waters are also stagnant. I propose to the citizens of Sunset that I will not sit still."
He said he would like to help instill more pride into the city and believes that can happen with property cleanup campaigns, restoration of the city's Fun Days and other activities.