Over the last several years, South Jordan’s Republican Rep. Jordan Teuscher has been at the forefront of some of the Legislature’s most conservative policies — trying to crack down on unions, restricting youth access to social media, restricting transgender girls’ participation in youth sports and promoting the Legislature’s ability to repeal or amend ballot initiatives.
This year, his opponent couldn’t be more different. Democrat Greg Green is campaigning on expanding diversity programs and rights for LGBTQ Utahns, opposing book bans, building a sustainable environment and improving health care access.
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 amendment 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?
Green: We need to embrace clean energy by investing in development of clean energy tech and producing jobs to replace economies built on fossil fuel industry.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
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?
Green: Water rights are coming to a legal loggerhead and we need to prepare for a revision on shared water resources. Reshape agriculture with less water-intensive crops and stock and revise community plans to support water conservation and more shared spaces.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
What policy changes would you support to address Utah’s affordable housing crisis?
Green: Use infrastructure (public transit/broadband) to incentivize suburban growth; revise permitted use for combination business/residential; improve multi-generational tenancy and alternative dwelling units; enact home improvement programs; build small homes (less than 1,200 square feet); starter incentives.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
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?
Green: No.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
Would you support a state constitutional amendment to ban abortion?
Green: No.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
Should there be other restrictions on reproductive health care — especially fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization?
Green: Services need to be generally available to the public that start with appropriate sex education in schools and no bans on reproductive health care.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
Are you voting for or against the constitutional amendment that removes the requirement that income taxes be used for education and social services? Why?
Green: Against. Legislators want access to spend that money and force public education to compete in the general fund. This is one more step to dismantle public education in Utah.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
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?
Green: No.
Teuscher: Did not respond.
