- Do you support or oppose the Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act that Utah voters approved in 2018? Please explain your reasoning.
- Yes, this is one of the reasons I am running: to help protect Utahns’ ability to use citizen initiatives and preserve that right in general. It is clear that the state legislature wants to consolidate power and choose its voters. This must be fought, and we must stop legislature overall attack on public lead ballot initiatives
- What should happen when the legislature disagrees with a map the commission produces, and what would you do in that situation?
- Respect the commission’s outcome. Voters choose politicians, not the other way around. I would always vote against pressure to change this relationship established in 2018 and would be very vocal about my opposition to the Republicans trying to undermine it.
- Do you support Utah's vote-by-mail system as it stands?
- YES!
- What would you do to encourage more people to vote who currently don't vote?
- Democracy works best when more people participate. I see it as a failure of the legislature that we don’t have higher voter turnout (due in part to apathy and Gerrymandering). We need to encourage people to participate and make it easier for them to do so to ensure we have a healthy democracy.
- Utah voters can put questions on the ballot through citizen initiatives and referenda. Should the threshold for passing them be changed? Why or why not?
- Yes, the legislature has worked over the last few years to make citizen initiatives harder and more costly, limiting the ability of average Utahns to hold the legislature accountable. We need to roll back these rules, which clearly exist to discourage voters and citizens from even trying to get initiatives on the ballot
- What do you see as the relationship between transparency and corruption?
- One thing I see as absolutely corrupt is that there is currently no limit on how much individuals can donate to state House races. There should be a cap to ensure that a few very wealthy individuals can’t buy entire races or prop up candidates who will only do their bidding.
- I believe our legislature currently has too many incentives that encourage money in politics. We need to move toward more equitable elections and systems that not only allow average Utahns to run for office but also ensure that elected officials remain accountable to their voters.
- I believe by moving money out of politics and more toward grassroots campaigns, we will have more transparent politicians and will limit the incentives to be corrupt in the first place.
- Does Utah's GRAMA support the public's right to know, or does it need strengthening? Or is it too stringent?
- It needs to be strengthened. I believe we need to bring the GRAMA Commission back into this process, as I don’t believe a governor-appointed individual can fulfill this role in a truly unbiased and transparent manner.
- Describe a specific action you would take in office to make sure every person in your district has equal access to government services and equal protection under the law, regardless of citizenship status.
- My goal is to make government work for the working and middle classes, not just the wealthiest individuals, data center developers, or land developers. Every vote I make will ultimately come down to three questions: Does this improve the lives of working and middle-class Utahns? Does this protect our environment? Does this provide resources back to the people and communities from whom our current legislature has been so eager to take away from to support another round of tax breaks at our expense?
- I will work to keep our state from cooperating with ICE, ensure our services remain available to those who need them, and protect the constitutional rights of everyone, regardless of their background.
- One thing I believe is too often forgotten is that the Constitution and the rights it guarantees apply to everyone on our soil. There are no exceptions based on a person’s background, race, age, sex, or citizenship status when it comes to protecting their constitutional rights.
- Is there anything else you think is relevant that our questions did not reach?
- In short, it is time for the legislature to start working for working families who keep Utah running. I am running for those who have to choose between paying all their inflated bills or putting food on the table. I am running for those who, like me, have run up against a nearly impossible real estate market that only continues to put pressure on young families. I am running for those who want to protect wild Utah and ensure that Utah isn’t only livable for future generations but keeps it natural beauty.
- Overall, I am a strong labor advocate who knows the affordability crisis must be addressed head-on, while also building for the Great Salt Lake until we get it back to a healthy and sustainable levels.
