I was born in Provo over 70 years ago. I recently returned after 26 years in Houston. Like the frog in the pot of water, I found it too hot, too corrupt (unlike those who stayed?). Utah has taken a wrong turn.
Unsure of their political message, Republicans have silenced any opposition. Salt Lake County is politically volatile (can go either way), but it is gerrymandered into impotence. Nancy Workman (2004) was the last Republican county mayor, yet we have three Republicans in Congress representing the county. Note, there hasn’t been a Republican Salt Lake City mayor since Jake Garn (1975). Are we a Democratic county?
What should be a healthy give-and-take is throttled by anachronistic rural thinking. We left millions of dollars on the table because we thought we could administer Medicaid expansion better. There are five ballot initiatives circulating: medical marijuana, school funding, Medicaid expansion, redistricting and open primaries, because legislators are not listening, do not have to listen.
As it stands, there is no incentive to direct change. If projected growth materializes, demographics will overwhelm Republican intransigence. If the open primary and redistricting initiatives succeed, change may come sooner than later. The sooner the better.
Daniel Read Hanks, Salt Lake City
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