Mayoral candidates
Jake Christensen
Occupation: Corporate learning and development manager at Les Olson Co.
As the Salt Lake Valley continues its booming growth, what are your solutions for affordable housing, preserving community character and creating a high quality of life for city residents?
As Utah’s population continues to boom, South Salt Lake must develop a long-term vision for housing that embraces the benefits of density while preserving the characteristics that make our community unique. In a city where even long-term residents are struggling to keep up with costs, smart density and well-planned development will decrease costs and support our city’s growth. A long-term vision for South Salt Lake that includes more mixed-used development and density, coupled closely with improvements to transit, infrastructure and public amenities, will not only increase affordability but improve quality of life as well.
Current city leadership has been slow to address the situation and both residents and business owners have expressed frustration with the status quo. In particular, South Salt Lake has yet to update numerous outdated and burdensome zoning regulations, which contribute to the affordable housing crisis. As mayor, I will work closely with our City Council, residents and business community to introduce an ordinance package to modernize our zoning laws to support affordability and develop a city that can better handle future growth.
Besides affordable housing, what are the two biggest challenges facing the city in the next four years, and what are some specific programs or policy changes you will introduce to solve them?
As mayor, my first priority will always be the safety and well-being of our residents. Many in South Salt Lake are concerned about rising crime and public safety challenges, and it’s time for the city to take a proactive role in combating those trends. I will ensure that our police officers have access to the resources they need as I also work to build ties between our police and residents. Yet the South Salt Lake Police Department has been burdened with the sole responsibility for public safety for far too long — by taking bold steps to fund education and prevention programs, build strategic community partnerships, and increase regional collaboration on public services, we can ensure our law enforcement officers are not alone in managing public safety.
As we take steps to increase public safety, we cannot forget the vital infrastructure that supports our city. As mayor, I will adapt our city’s transit infrastructure to handle rapid growth while also providing residents with a safe and comfortable way to get around. It’s time for us to look to the future by embracing sustainable multimodal transportation options like walking, cycling and public transit. As we make it easier to walk, bike and utilize public transportation, we will save money, increase quality of life, and build a healthier community.
What are your ideas for investing federal pandemic aid in the city, including funds left over from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act?
Despite the pandemic’s hardships, the aid currently available could allow South Salt Lake to make transformational investments in transit, development, tourism and more — but only if we’re proactive in securing those funds. As mayor, I will work with our city, state and federal partners to obtain the funding needed to address our city’s most pressing needs.
What is a fun or unique fact about you?
My dad taught me how to drive when I was 9 — but only in pastures, and only when “feeding the cows” was on my chore list.
Cherie Wood
Occupation: Mayor.
As the Salt Lake Valley continues its booming growth, what are your solutions for affordable housing, preserving community character and creating a high quality of life for city residents?
I am a strong advocate for maintaining our city’s neighborhoods and communal character. Our residents feel strongly that we need to focus and expand on what makes our neighborhoods unique. This summer, I launched our Neighborhoods Department to realign services to better serve residents and to work with existing and new neighborhoods to support their desires.
Preserving our single-family residential neighborhoods is priority one while also managing growth that is thoughtfully planned for. I continue to advocate for density in housing along our TRAX transit lines and around each TRAX stop.
We are currently working on affordable housing issues by leveraging our Redevelopment Agency tools such as property acquisition and incentivizing affordable housing development proposals. We are also working on an accessory dwelling unit ordinance with the goal of providing additional affordable housing options and to also ensure it will add to our neighborhoods and not detract.
I have invested and leveraged grant and partner dollars to enhance and add green space in our city, including new park space, an all-abilities playground, community gardens, and improved public spaces with recreational opportunities. This work will continue with emphasis on a recreation center, and investment in walk and bike ability.
Besides affordable housing, what are the two biggest challenges facing the city in the next four years, and what are some specific programs or policy changes you will introduce to solve them?
Quality of life • Promise South Salt Lake (PSSL) meets our youths, residents and families where they are, and connects them to resources and partnerships that provide safe, stable, secure environments. Since the inception of PSSL we have seen improvements in our students’ academic successes, graduation rates have increased, and our youth crime rate has decreased 60%. This work is accomplished through grants, partnerships with over 100 partners and philanthropic donations. This work is vital to the future of our community and will continue as our communities’ needs are identified.
Safety • Safety is paramount as crimes of opportunity have increased in our community and nationwide. Working closely with the City Council and police chief, action was taken this August to provide a more competitive salary for our law enforcement officers. This ensures we have a fully staffed Police Department and provides our officers time to provide proactive enforcement rather than strictly reactive. In addition, we have a trained division of homeless resource officers to help our homeless population enter the state’s continuum of care resulting in housing. This division was recently named a best practice by the state auditor when auditing the state’s homeless continuum of care.
What are your ideas for investing federal pandemic aid in the city, including funds left over from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act?
Infrastructure • This funding is being used to improve our water delivery system, provide digital equity throughout our community, and we are currently discussing ideas to help our small businesses. This funding is also being used to maintain our current level of service (employees) that was impacted by COVID-19.
What is a fun or unique fact about you?
I am a third-generation, lifelong resident of South Salt Lake. Additionally, I have worked in nearly every city department.
L. Shane Siwik
No response.
City Council candidates
At-large candidates
Olivia Spencer
Clarissa J. Williams
District 2
Sam Garfield
Corey Thomas
District 3
Sharla Bynum
Aileen Hampton
