Stuart Reid says Salt Lake City is working, but it can be better by building on what's good while improving weak areas.
His economic development policies will lead to a prosperous city, where money will naturally flow into city coffers without tax increases or roads going unrepaired, Reid said.In short, if you want someone who will make the city grow and work, he's the man.
Like former Mayor Palmer DePaulis, Reid is not native born to Salt Lake. When he decided to leave a military career as a chaplain a decade ago, he found a job working in the public relations office at the LDS Church headquarters here.
Soon he was involved in trying to make his Rose Park neighborhood better. And that led to a successful run for the City Council six years ago.
After a stint as council chairman, Mayor Deedee Corradini tapped Reid to be her new director of community and economic development, a job from which he's taken a leave during this summer's mayoral race.
Married with three teenage children, Reid, 42, has clearly tailored his primary campaign to reach moderate-to-conservative voters. His effort was not helped by the entrance into the race by Steve Harmsen, a Republican who is trying to capture some of the same political base.
But Reid forges on, saying his experience in the private and public sectors, his business-oriented approach is what the city needs now.
"I have the leadership skills and experience to run City Hall. I have been doing it already for several years" in his city job.
In response to Deseret News questions, Reid said:
He'll try to make the city live within existing revenues in hosting the 2002 Olympics. The $20 million identified in city services for the Games is "a wish list. It can be scaled back." If federal or state Olympic grants don't come in, Reid would just spend less on the Games.
Police Chief Ruben Ortega has done a fine job in fighting crime. Reid is glad to have the support of the chief and other top law officers. (Ortega took out a full-page ad in local newspapers defending his administration. The ad ad was approved by Reid's campaign.) Reid would decentralize the department into three main precincts, hire 10 new officers a year and create a DNA database for sex crimes, among other crime-fighting improvements.
He wouldn't change the approach to the Gateway development. As economic development director, he helped put the plan together. "It is a sound investment." The $17 million in city money goes to infrastructure and affordable housing, not for retail or office space. And the $17 million comes from increased property values of the project itself.
He won't support raising taxes or fees if elected. "We need to live within our means. My plan is to grow revenues by expanding business opportunities, not by taxing residents."
He supports the sale and closure of Main Street for the LDS Church and he supports west-east light rail -- specifically the 400 South alignment.
He wants more "quality" development in downtown, not less. "My plan is to grow downtown so there is a 24-hour presence with unique experiences."