Why I am running for Washington County Commissioner

I am running for Washington County Commissioner because I love Washington County. My family relocated to St. George in 1980, the summer I turned 4, and I have very much enjoyed growing up and living all over the county. With many fond childhood memories growing up in St. George, Toquerville, Leeds, and Veyo as well as having lived in Washington City as a young father and newlywed, I’ve lived and worked in seven Washington County communities, and I love each one. From personal experience, I’m acutely aware that each area in our beautiful county has its unique set of challenges and assets, from Enterprise to Zion Canyon. I believe this experience, among many other qualities, makes me uniquely qualified for the job of Washington County Commissioner.

I am running unaffiliated because I believe in creating more balance in our local government and giving people choices. The big issue with one-sided government is that some issues tends to take priority while often another group of items gets neglected.

Specifically, because one does not currently exist, I am in support of a county animal shelter, staffed by inmates and volunteers, near Purgatory Correctional Facility. This project has been talked about for decades but has seen little advancement until just recently. Current county commissioners Victor Iverson and Zachary Renstrom also support the project and are holding an open house on March 29 to hear comments from the public. I look forward to talking with all of you about this important project and will work to make it a reality.

I also support increased wages for our Washington County Sheriff’s officers, currently underpaid by about $5 per hour versus officers in other police departments here in Washington County. This gap is not only making it difficult for our officers to support their families but is creating vacancies in the Sheriff’s department that they are having a difficult time filling.

I am also the only candidate running for Washington County Commissioner who supports alternative plans to the “boondoggle” Lake Powell Pipeline project. This multi-billion dollar project has been sold to the public as a way to guarantee economic prosperity for Washington County, but in fact it would do the exact opposite. I agree with the 20 Utah economists who stated last year that the project would be too expensive for us taxpayers to bear. I agree with them that the costs to our citizens through much-increased impact fees, water rates, and other taxes would make the cost of living in Washington County skyrocket. The impact fees alone would very negatively affect young and lower- to middle-class income earners, pricing even starter homes out of their range and increasing the cost of all housing in Washington County. Officials in Iron County have agreed, and it’s why they opted out of the project in 2012, leaving just Kane and Washington County to foot the enormous bill.

For these reasons, I believe that I will make a great Washington County Commissioner, and I’d love all of your support in this endeavor. Please like my campaign Facebook page and vote for me Nov. 8.