Tooele County voters will have a choice in only one of two state House of Representatives districts on Nov. 5.

District 21 Rep. James R. Gowans, a Democrat and former Tooele County Schools superintendent, is seeking his third term. Republican Jay E. Collier, a former private detective who now works as a self-employed loan broker, will challenge him. The bulk of Tooele County's population is in District 21.District 1 Rep. Eli H. Anderson, D-Tremonton, is unopposed in his re-election bid for a third term.

Gowans unseated Republican Merrill F. Nelson with 54 percent of the vote in 1992 and was unopposed in 1994.

Traditionally, District 21 has been a Democratic district. Gowans hopes it stays that way.

"I have the experience in the Legislature, I have been placed on some very important committees (energy and natural resources and revenue and taxation), plus I'm on the state Water Development Commission," Gowans said. "I think I have a good record."

Collier said most of the contributions to his campaign have come from Democrats who no longer support Gowans.

"The big thing that people really got mad about is that he voted for gay rights," Collier said of the Republican-backed bill than bans gay and lesbian student clubs in schools. "It's a backlash and that's one of the big things. They want to get rid of him."

Gowans said he opposed the student club bill because he believes school boards, not the state, should decide which clubs to permit. To characterize him as pro-gay rights is incorrect, he said.

Gowans and Collier responded to a two-page questionnaire given to all House and Senate candidates by the Deseret News. One question on the survey asked if the Legislature should retain the ban on same-sex marriages and refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Both candidates answered "yes."

HOUSE DISTRICT 21

District 21 includes the Tooele County communities of Tooele, Grantsville, Stansbury Park and Stock-ton.

James R. Gowans

Address: 240 S. 200 West, Tooele

Age: 67

Occupation: Cattle rancher, retired school administrator

Personal: Gowans and his wife, Patsy, have four sons and four grandchildren.

Experience: Seeking his third term in the House

Stance on transportation issues: The Legislature should commit to starting and finishing the I-15 expansion project in Salt Lake County. He would reluctantly support an increase in the gas tax or long-term bonding to pay for the project, but would rather dip into the state's surplus revenue. He supports Gov. Leavitt's proposal for a Western Transportation Corridor if the route is financed by a toll. He opposes state funding of the Salt Lake County light-rail project.

Government reform: He would oppose an attempt to require the full disclosure of all gifts given to legislators. He also opposes requiring greater disclosure of legislators' conflicts of interest.

Education: He would oppose a voucher system allowing parents to "spend" their education tax money on a private or religion-supported school.

Abortion: The state does not need tougher anti-abortion laws.

Taxes: He would probably vote for a sales tax increase but would oppose any increase in state income tax. He is undecided whether he would support a property tax increase to fund education.

Gun control: Churches and school districts should be allowed to bar guns from their buildings.

Other comments: "I'm interested in working for the people. I'm not interested in partisanship. Once you're elected, I think you're there to do what's in the best interest for the state of Utah and your constituents."

Jay E. Collier

Address: P.O. Box 634, Tooele

Age: 44

Occupation: Self-employed loan broker

Personal: Collier and his wife, Mary, have six children ranging in age from 2 to 14.

Experience: He worked on two campaigns for Republican candidates running for the House of Representatives.

Stance on transportation issues: The state should not raise taxes to pay for I-15 reconstruction. He opposes Gov. Leavitt's Western Transportation Corridor and does not want state funds used to build a light-rail line from Salt Lake City to Sandy.

Government reform: He favors full disclosure of all gifts given to legislators and wants greater disclosure of legislators' conflicts of interest.

Education: Collier would support a voucher system allowing parents to "spend" their education tax dollars on private or parochial schools.

Abortion: He believes the state should pass tougher anti-abortion laws, even if those laws are challenged in the courts.

Taxes: He would not support a tax increase of any kind for any reason.

Gun control: He believes guns should be allowed in churches, school buildings, private businesses and government facilities.

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Other comments: Collier, a member of the Alcohol Policy Coalition and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, wants the state to lower the blood-alcohol content level used to define drunk drivers from .08 to .04. He wants to change state tax codes to reduce the tax burden on residents. He advocates zero-percent growth in state government.

HOUSE DISTRICT 1

Eli H. Anderson, 41, is a quality analyst for Thiokol and is a farmer. As a hobby, he restores old wagons, and he was wagon master this year for the state's Centennial Wagon Train.

District 1 comprises Tooele County areas west of Grantsville; Rush Valley and Vernon areas of Tooele County; north and west Box Elder County, including Tremonton, Garland, Deweyville, Elwood, Bear River City, Plymouth and Park Valley; and western Cache County communities of Clarkston, Newton, Amalga, Mendon and areas west of the Logan and Smithfield city limits.

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