Candidate Background Information
Occupation: President of Bonneville Research
Education: B.S. Economics, B.S. Political Science, Certificate in International Relations
Prior Experience: President Salt Lake Rotary
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Questions
The League of Women Voters has made every effort to present accurately the candidates' responses as they were submitted.
1. If elected, what two things do you hope to accomplish as Governor for the people of Utah?
Provide a world class education for all our children and ensure that the Executive Branch is a separate but equal branch of state government.
2. How would you address the following issues?
- Adequate funding for education, including funding for the disadvantaged populations such as non-English speakers and prison inmates
I view education as the primary family values issue. Improving our children's and our grandchildren's education should be a top priority of every elected official in Utah. The problem with education funding in this state has been a legislature unwilling to commit to the necessary increases in funding. Last year, the current Governor pushed for a 7% increase in education funding. Though this was nowhere near enough, it was a step in the right direction. The legislature opposed this and the Governor gave in. They compromised on a 3% increase which does not even keep pace with growth while they sequestered $100 Million of education funding that could have been used to improve Utah education today. As Governor I will veto any omnibus education bill that attempts to reintroduce already defeated legislation and I will veto any education bill that does not improve on the status quo. We do not want tax cuts at our children's expense. For too long our elected officials have been out of touch with the citizens of Utah. We are letting down our children and this must stop. - Energy resource development and clean air
When it comes to Utah's energy future and environmental health, we face a crisis of historic proportions. Rocky Mountain Power projects that Utah's energy supplies will be 750 megawatts short of demand in two years, and 2,500 megawatts short by 2012. Furthermore, two of Utah's cities, Logan and Salt Lake City, rank among the top ten most polluted metropolitan areas in the country. In addition to the health implications Utah risks losing federal highway funding if this does not improve. The Republican leadership of this state is obsessed with oil shale and "clean coal". These are stop-gap efforts and not a solution to our energy crisis. It does nothing to improve our air quality. Despite four years of talk about the need for clean energy, a paltry 2.3% of electricity in our state comes from renewable sources. As Governor I will pursue a balanced energy plan that includes reinstating tax credits for citizens who install renewable energy systems in their homes, rewarding businesses that implement green energy policies, encouraging exploration of alternative renewable energy sources such as biomass, geothermal, wind and solar. Instead of remaining beholden tied to old energy, we must emphasize sustainability and renewability. - Water development and conservation
Due to both population growth and climate change there is an increased demand for Utah's diminishing water resources. Utah needs to have a sensible and efficient water policy based on conservation and fair allocation. However, both our current Governor and the Republican nominee for President have broached the subject of renegotiation the 1922 Colorado River Compact. Essentially, opening the door to giving away our share to California, Nevada and Arizona. This must not happen. Southern Utah would run dry in a matter of a few short years. AS Governor I will protect Utah's water resources while I implement a state-wide conservation plan. Conserved water is the least expensive "new" water. It has already been developed. Each water district will be strongly encouraged to update its conservation plan, so that a plan to meet our future water needs can be formulated. - Better communication between elected officials and their constituents
There is a large disconnect between elected officials and their constituents. There are several factors that contribute to this problem. Our campaign finance laws facilitate the easy reelection of incumbent candidates through roll-over funds and lobbyist/corporate contributions. Therefore, I will aggressively pursue campaign finance reforms that will put elections back into the hands of the voters. Furthermore, after being elected, the Republican members of the state Legislature meet in closed caucus. With their super-majority this ensures that most policies coming out of the Utah Congress are formulated in secret, behind closed doors with no public input. This process avoids opposing thought, sidesteps functioning democracy, and, often, produces horrible legislation. I believe that clear and transparent government, accessible to the public is a hallmark of Democracy. As Governor I will veto any legislation that comes out of a closed caucus and strive to make the government more accountable to the people.
3. If the State had a revenue surplus of $100 million, how would you allocate the money?
Evenly split between:
Increased teacher pay and a program to recruit and retain new teachers.
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