Everyone living in Salt Lake County is aware of the psychological and physical divide Interstate 15 has on our valley. Though the reason for this divide are many and varied, the point remains the same – our county is really two counties that agree to abide by the same rules. The incomes, attitudes, and demographics of 3500 East are quite different from those on 3500 West. It only logically follows that the politics are different as well.
One of the reasons I am running for Second Vice Chair of the Salt Lake County Democrats is focuses around this fact. I want to make sure that, as a county party, we have individuals in a leadership role that will voice the opinions of the West Side.
It is not that the issues of the Avenues, Sugarhouse, or the East Bench don’t matter; it is that the issues of Rose Park, South Jordan, Herriman, and Riverton matter as well.
For far too long the perception has been that the Salt Lake County Democratic Party is the party of Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, and Millcreek. This, despite the fact that we have fantastic leaders from West Valley and Magna areas.
Why is this so? I feel it is because the tone and message emanating from the Salt Lake County Democrats is one that is inherently East Side leaning. I don’t feel that this is malicious; rather I feel that it is because the majority of party leadership lives on the East Side and draws their experience from that.
This year, only two candidates for two separate races for Salt Lake County Democratic leadership offer West Side candidates, my race and the race for treasurer. In other words, of the ten candidates running, two are from the West Side*.
When elected, I will work to place a greater emphasis on West Side candidates and races. The West Side is where the growth is, the West Side is where the potential is, and the West Side is the area where we are starting to slip in races we once thought were safe.
We can and must focus on the West Side, Vote Curtis Haring for 2nd Vice Chair this April 18th at Cottonwood High to make sure that we don’t loose sight of the entire valley. Details on the convention can be found here.
*This is based on the assumption that one of my opponents has, in fact, dropped out as I have heard – even if this were not true it would still be three out of eleven.
