Crompton says she'll be an active mayor
Workman says she'll run county with efficiency
Salt Lake County voters will find something out of the ordinary on their ballot Nov. 7. In addition to the familiar races for president, governor and Congress, the ballot will have a long list of candidates for county mayor and council.
Voters can participate in history as they choose 9 people who will help the county make the transition to a new form of government.
All voters across the Salt Lake Valley — whether they live inside or outside the incorporated cities — choose these county representatives. So even those who already have a city mayor and a city council are entitled to vote on Nov. 7 for the county mayor, three at-large County Council members and one district council member. Here are the choices:
At-large "A" : Elected for two years to represent the entire county:
Independent Phil Holmes is making his first run for office because he "hates to see tax dollars wasted." For example, Holmes says, county workers drive sport-utility vehicles while "most taxpayers can't afford cars like that." Holmes, 46, is a Federal Express courier and has lived in Salt Lake County all his life.
Democrat Randy Horiuchi was a Salt Lake County commissioner from 1991 through 1998; since then his activities have included serving as vice president of Deseret Certified Development Co., which finances small-business ventures. "Those of us who have served in county government are a little better able to come to grips with what needs to be done" to solve the county's budget problems, he says. "We need to continue to provide outstanding services with a continually shrinking tax base." Horiuchi, 46, is a lifelong Salt Lake County resident and says it's time for a new council to "quickly come to terms with (the county's) problems, roll up our sleeves and address them."
Libertarian Cabot Nelson, a 28-year-old Internet technologist with a degree in urban planning from the University of Utah, says he has "no political baggage." He wants to see the county eliminate "baggage" from its budget, such as the Hansen Planetarium and the municipal services fund.
Republican Richard Snelgrove has served as chairman of the Utah and Salt Lake County Republican parties and worked in governmental relations for Rep. Merrill Cook. "I bring a new set of eyes" to the County Council, he says. "I'll look at things differently, as a small-business person. I've had to make sure budgets get balanced." At 45, Snelgrove is making his second bid for public office. In 1988 he lost the race for Congress to incumbent Wayne Owens. The owner of Snelgrove Travel Centers Inc., he was appointed in 1991 to the Small Business Advisory Council under President Bush's administration.
At-large "B": Elected for four years to represent the entire county:
Unaffiliated candidate Nathan Gedge, 24, graduated this year from the University of Utah with a degree in political science. He's a write-in candidate seeking his first major office. Emergency services, better response times and the countywide 911 system are the concerns he lists as his highest priorities. If elected to the council, "I'll bring youthful energy. I'm a new voice. I haven't been in the system."
Republican Steve Harmsen says that in this race, he has the stronger commitment to retaining communities' local control. For example "zoning ought to be done locally," not by the county. Harmsen, 58, was Salt Lake County's public works commissioner in the late 1970s, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1976 and 1998 and lost to Rocky Anderson in last year's race for Salt Lake mayor. For two decades he has owned the Steve Regan Co., which sells farm supplies across the Mountain West. "Now I have less responsibility with my work," he says, so "I can become a part-time politician."
"Our first issue to tackle," says Democrat Carl Larsen, "will be to develop a five-year plan" for the county budget. "We had a fairly large surplus in 1990 . . . but by the end of 2001 we'll be in a deficit," so the new council needs to rethink its spending priorities. Larsen, 63, owns and operates Larsen and Malmquist Inc., a land-surveying and civil engineering firm. He is on the Salt Lake County Boundary Commission and served three terms as county surveyor between 1977 and '92. "I've had 12 years in county government, and I know how it works." Larsen is in favor of a transit tax for commuter rail.
Libertarian John Pack hopes to redesign the county budget according to what he calls consumer priorities. For example, "You have a lot of people asking for things such as a swimming pool, which only costs each citizen $35 more this year . . . the first question we need to ask is, 'Is this the way the citizen would want to spend that $35?' " Pack, 39, is a database analyst at Safety-Kleen Inc. and has lived in Salt Lake County for three years. "If someone believes the government is too large, I'm the candidate they'd want to select," he said.
At-large "C": Elected for six years to represent the entire county:
Democrat Jim Bradley, 54, was chairman of the County Commission from 1991 through 1994 and "built a lot of bridges with mayors across the valley." During his tenure, Bradley says, he was involved in reconstruction of the Salt Palace, expansion of youth sports programs and building two libraries. He lost his 1994 bid for re-election to the commission; lost to Gov. Mike Leavitt in the gubernatorial race in '96 and lost in the primary election for Salt Lake mayor last year. A lifelong resident of the county, Bradley owns The Framery in Salt Lake City.
Libertarian Don Johnstun is an investor-services representative from Magna. He wants to see the new government reduce the county's budget to lighten the tax load on citizens. The county should get out of the parks business, he says. "I love parks. I love recreation. But I don't love the taxes" the facilities demand. "I think they should be funded by charitable contributions." Salt Lake County could borrow a page from Johnstun's bid for a council seat, he adds. "My campaign has been run on a shoestring."
Republican James Kennard emphasizes that he is a "citizen businessman . . . not a politician." The new County Council needs his financial background, he adds, as it wrestles with the county budget. Kennard, a certified public accountant, has owned hotels, shopping centers, retail stores and apartment buildings and has "paid the payroll of hundreds of employees" during the past 28 years. In the new form of county government, the county mayor may want to spend more than the council wants to allow, he said, and "we (the council members) will be the watchdogs of the budget." In 1974 Kennard lost the race for state Senate, but in 1990 he managed his brother Aaron Kennard's successful campaign for Salt Lake County sheriff.
District 1: Two-year term
"I want to be a voice for Salt Lake City on the Salt Lake County Council," says Republican Genevieve Atwood. "Many city dwellers don't realize how the county (government) affects our quality of life." Atwood, 54, listed management of growth and open space as the most important issues facing the new council. She was elected in 1974 to represent northeast Salt Lake City in the Utah House of Representatives and served through 1978. Atwood is now chief of the not-for-profit Earth Science Education organization, after serving as Utah state geologist from 1981 through '89.
"I'm running as somebody who has always been bipartisan," she says. "I certainly am Republican, but I'm a big-tent Republican. I've stood up for social issues, and I happen to be very strong, I hope, on budget and money issues. I think this new County Council should not be dominated by party politics."
Reform candidate John Francis is a civil engineer and land surveyor. He has worked for Salt Lake County Development Services for five years and has served on the People's Freeway Community Council. A conversion to countywide fire service could ease the budget troubles, Francis says.
Democrat Joe Hatch says his Salt Lake district is "heavily Democratic," hence he has a closer relationship with constituents. "I think it's important for Democrats to have a voice in government in Utah," adds Hatch, who has been chairman of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party for three years. Yet "I have the ability to reach out to the Republicans. . . . I desperately want to make this new form of government work." The new council will have to "tackle some long-term planning that the County Commission has been unwilling to do," he says. "That's going to require us to make some hard decisions on the budget." Hatch, 47, is a Salt Lake attorney who has practiced law and worked in state and national politics for two decades.
District 2: Four-year term
"This is a huge district, and it's where most of the development is going to occur" in Salt Lake County, says Democrat Jim Brusatto. "The council needs to work with cities and towns to come up with a master plan for that growth," he said, adding that "it would be a shame" for Magna, Kearns and Copperton to be annexed to adjacent cities. "I'm going to fight to keep them as they are and for their self-determination." Brusatto, 36, is a social studies teacher and counselor at Westlake Junior High in West Valley City. A lifelong resident of Magna, he served on the Magna Area Council from 1994 through 1998. As a councilman, he would advocate for curbside recycling in unincorporated areas and natural-gas-fueled county vehicles.
RepublicanMichael Jensen decided to run for the District 2 seat because "I wanted somebody who's very passionate about west-side issues" on the council. "I want to go in and make sure we get our same level of services" provided by the county, he says. "My passion goes to west-side representation, and also to holding the line on spending." Jensen is a 34-year-old paramedic and firefighter. "An everyday guy's perspective on things is what I bring to the table," he says.
Libertarian Chauna Pierce wants to see county government turn to user fees to fund its programs. She is vice chairwoman of the Salt Lake County Libertarian Party.
District 3: Two-year term
Democrat Mark Walsh has worked for 23 years with the Utah Association of Counties and was assistant state planning coordinator for Gov. Scott Matheson from 1977 through 1978. "I've worked with county officials all over the state of Utah," he says. "I bring to the council an understanding of how county government works." The county executive-and-council form of government has been fairly effective in Cache County, he added — and it will work in Salt Lake County only if the newly seated council members make a concerted effort to create harmony. "The council has to . . . put personal agendas and political preferences aside. We have got to get along." If the county is duplicating municipal services and taxing residents twice for them, "that needs to be address-ed and redressed," he said. "We need to unify services to make for better coordination."
The most critical task of the new council, for Republican David Wilde, is to ensure that property taxes don't rise. Wilde says that's his mission, along with serving as a voice against consolidation of county services. He also hopes to see the new form of government avoid old commission-style squabbling. "I like to think I can get along with people and not engage in the name-calling we've seen" in recent years. Wilde, 44, graduated from law school at the University of Utah in 1985 and publishes the Rocky Mountain Verdicts newsletter on court cases around the Mountain West. He lives in Murray, where he grew up. This is his first bid for elective office.
District 4: Four-year term
Annexation of unincorporated communities should be halted, says Democrat Michael Duncan. He calls the blending of county land into cities "silliness." The new County Council should support the consolidation of public safety services valleywide, he added. "I want to try to make a public-safety tax area, where (revenue and services) could all be combined," Duncan says. "That way the vehicles will be where they belong, instead of in (city) parades." Duncan, 58, owns Just Emissions and Inspections, a chain of auto emissions-testing centers. Running that company for 11 years prepared him for work on the county budget, he says.
Republican Russell Skousen says the new council's task will be to "simply run the county like a business." Let's see what it costs the private sector to provide some of the services that come from the county, he says, and then we'll have a benchmark to use for a reasonable cost-cutting discussion.
"I think we ought to impose a moratorium for 18 months on all annexations and incorporations and changes in the way (the county) provides services," Skousen adds. "During the moratorium, the new council and mayor can analyze the budget, maybe with outside experts. And then we need a special session of the Legislature to deal just with these issues." Salt Lake County residents make up half the population of Utah, he said, so the county budget warrants attention at the state level. "It's the ideal time for us to make some sweeping changes," said Skousen, 38, a Salt Lake attorney and small-business adviser.
District 5: Two-year term
"My passion is making sure government meets the needs of the public, not of its own bureaucracy," says Democrat Paulina Flint. "People have felt like the government abandoned them." Flint, 50, lives in unincorporated White City and is chairwoman of the White City Water Improvement Board. Flint has also served as president of the county's United Association of Community Councils. As budget monitor for that group, Flint says, she attended every county budget hearing from 1988 through 1993. Flint was also a citizen lobbyist at the state Capitol from 1985 through 1996, and four years ago she ran for Salt Lake County Commission and lost by a narrow margin.
The new County Council is "what you make it," Flint says. "And I don't intend to be a yes-person."
Republican Winston Wilkinson says he's determined to balance the county budget, but "not on the backs of public employees, and not by raising taxes." During the 1970s Wilkinson worked for the Prince George's County, Md., executive, whose position was similar to that of the new Salt Lake County mayor. "I understand this particular type of government," he says. "I bring a background of leadership to the council." Wilkinson, 56, is chairman of the Sandy Republican Club and an attorney for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
District 6: Four-year term
Democrat Pete Kutulas says a county budget shortfall is imminent, and the first damage-control move should be a hiring freeze. Until now, county officials have been too quick to create new positions, he says. The new council must "come in and justify each and every position . . . look at early retirement incentives and certainly add no more new positions or new services." Kutulas was a county commissioner from 1973 to 1979 after working for the sheriff's department for 18 years. "I understand all of these communities" in District 6, "because I've worked in a patrol car. I know what the people are interested in." At 66, Kutulas is officially retired but has been serving as an unpaid reserve officer with the Murray Police Department.
Republican Marvin Hendrickson, owner of Treasure Valley Real Estate and Construction, says he brings a private-sector perspective to county government. "I've had to meet a payroll and make tough decisions," he says. "Controlling the budget for the county is like controlling the budget on a new project." Cities, he adds, are like businesses: "They continue to thrive if they have room to grow, and they grow through annexations." Hendrickson, 60, has lived in Salt Lake County for five decades, four of them in the real-estate business. This is his first run for public office.
E-mail: durbani@desnews.com