On Sept. 4, the Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board, in a misinformed article, took swipes at Gov. Spencer Cox for appointing me as the director of the new Office of Families.
Without understanding what Utah’s unprecedented Office of Families would do, they called it “another layer of bureaucracy, a useless pander to the state’s right wing.” As I said in my announcement last week, Gov. Cox and I “recognize families come in various shapes and sizes and our focus will be on ALL families — traditional two-parent families, grandparents raising their grandchildren, LGBTQ couples with children, foster families, single parent families and more.”
I would hardly dismiss this new office as unimportant, but rather, believe it to be some of the most serious work a state could undertake.
The Salt Lake Tribune believes that Utah families are just fine when Utahns know that families are struggling on various levels. The Tribune shrugs and thinks that society doesn’t need stronger families when most societal ills can be traced back to the disintegration of strong families.
“A totally unnecessary problem,” the Trib claims, yet the data says otherwise. Mental health issues in the state are at a record high, school children are struggling in math and reading scores because of the pandemic, and our state is grappling with other issues such as domestic violence, not enough high-quality child care and rising inflation which is placing undue burdens on families especially with housing and groceries.
I’m glad the editorial board has their families all figured out, but the rest of us could use some help.
I also take issue with their assumption that I was brought on to the governor’s staff because of my gender. How completely dismissive of my skills, experience and hard work to suggest I was merely a token hire. Blatant sexism like this needs to be called out, and those who have watched my public career know that I always will. Something like this would never be said if I was a man or if the governor was a Democrat.
The Tribune Editorial Board also claims Cox gave “two jobs to one woman.” With all due respect, the people in Salt Lake County District 3 gave me one of those jobs, not the governor. Many elected officials in the state work for government while serving in elected office. Several of my County Council colleagues work for a government entity and like me serve in a part-time elected role. Councilwoman Ann Granato works for the state of Utah. Councilman Steve DeBry is a police chief. Councilwoman Laurie Stringham is employed by a school district.
We can look at part-time elected state legislators to see that some are school teachers, like Sen. Kathleen Riebe. Others work for colleges or universities like Rep. Karen Kwan. And some work for cities like Rep. Angela Romero and previously Rep. Sandra Hollins. These hard working Democrat legislators have been able to navigate this through adequate public disclosures declaring possible conflicts of interest. I, too, will navigate this just fine, just like these Democrat friends who hold an elected position and also work for a government.
If we want to do as the editorial board suggests by changing state laws so that no one is allowed “to serve two masters,” we will miss out on some important voices who have experience in other areas of government.
Despite the arrogance, sexism, and double-standards of the Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board, I’m proud I took this job. Gov. Cox has a vision that the new Office of Families can support and strengthen all Utah families, and that we have an important role in coordinating government services to help parents and children succeed.
I ask them, and all Utahns, to give this new office a chance. Utah’s families are certainly worth the effort.
Aimee Winder Newton
Aimee Winder Newton is a part-time Salt Lake County Councilwoman, mom to four young adults, and serves as the director of the state’s Office of Families.
