Unfortunately for all of us, the majority of voters in this area have decided that they must vote Republican without any consideration of candidates’ qualifications. We now have a tremendous opportunity to elect a highly qualified county commissioner, Paul Van Dam. Or, we can elect the Republican candidate, who has few qualifications.
Unlike the Republican candidate, who just needs a job, Mr. Van Dam is running as a matter of conscience. He strongly believes that Washington County government can and should do a better job to insure the best possible future as the county population grows. This cannot happen when the three county commissioners march in lockstep and work in an echo chamber where differing ideas and viewpoints are drowned out. For instance, in spite of giving it lip service, they have utterly failed to implement Vision Dixie, a joint effort by several thousand county residents to provide local government with a road map to a preferred future which maintains our wonderful quality of life by properly planning and guiding development, transportation, and other areas of concern to all residents.
It makes absolutely no sense to elect an inexperienced person whose primary goal is to get a job, and whose primary qualification appears to consist of being angered by the Endangered Species Act because it could hamper developers from bulldozing and paving every square inch of Washington County.
Instead, we can elect a man who truly cares about the future of this region, a man with the knowledge, vision, experience, ethics, and stature of Paul Van Dam. Mr. Van Dam – former Utah Attorney General and Salt Lake “County” District Attorney – will help guide Washington County to a great future that accommodates growth and prosperity while preserving the beauty and sanctity of the incredible public lands that make this county such a desirable place to live. In particular, Mr. Van Dam’s experience as Salt Lake County DA required him to advise the county commissioners on every issue that came before them, giving him extensive insight into all of the problems and challenges encountered at the county level.
Please, vote for the best candidate for Washington County, not for a political party! Don’t let the extreme ideologies running rampant in Washington, D.C. prevent us from electing the best possible leaders for our local governments.
Waid Reynolds
St. George, UT
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