Democrat Stephen Middleton would support incentives for water conservation and broad zoning reform to help address some of the state’s biggest challenges.
Middleton and Republican Doug Fiefia are running for the Utah House District 48 seat supporting part of Salt Lake County.
The Salt Lake Tribune submitted the same set of questions, based on top issues readers said they were watching in this election, to each candidate.
The questions and their answers that appear below — with the candidates listed in alphabetical order — may have been edited slightly for length, style or grammar. The questions were sent to candidates before a Utah judge voided multiple amendments from ballots.
Utah’s largest electricity provider has canceled plans to replace its coal-fired power plants with nuclear power and has walked back comments about investing in clean energy. Should Utah be looking for more sustainable and less fossil fuel and carbon-dependent energy sources? If so, how?
Doug Fiefia: Did not answer.
Stephen Middleton: Yes. Utah should be pursuing more sustainable energy solutions.
Water scarcity continues to be a challenge for the state. Recent legislation has attempted to conserve water and to get more water to the Great Salt Lake and Colorado River. Should Utah do more to subsidize homeowners’ efforts to conserve water? What other steps should be taken to deal with water scarcity?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: Utah should incentivize conservation from homeowners and agricultural users. Water rights currently drive “use it or lose it” decisions, and steps should be taken to change these incentives.
What policy changes would you support to address Utah’s affordable housing crisis?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: We need to have broad zoning reform to increase supply. Housing prices will not go down until there is more supply. We also need to invest in broader public transit so housing can expand but allow mass movement of people to employment centers.
Following the Utah Supreme Court’s recent decision to keep a near-total abortion ban blocked, anti-abortion lawmakers and advocates called for additional legislative action to circumvent the court-ordered injunction. Would you support banning abortion after six weeks?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: No.
Would you support a state constitutional amendment to ban abortion?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: No.
Should there be other restrictions on reproductive health care — especially fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: No. Health care decisions should be between individuals and their medical providers.
Are you voting for or against the constitutional amendment that removes the requirement that income taxes be used for education and social services? Why?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: I am voting against removing the earmark on income tax for education. Utah has one of the lowest spending per pupil in the country. We shouldn’t look at diverting resources away from our students to drive political pet projects.
A Utah judge has voided Amendment D and said votes for or against it cannot be counted, but the state is appealing. Do you support changing the Utah Constitution to guarantee that the Legislature can repeal or amend ballot initiatives?
Fiefia: Did not answer.
Middleton: No.
