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Vowing to boost school funding and reduce Republicans' clout, Utah County businessman Vaughn R. Cook has formally launched his Democratic bid for Utah governor.

The party activist and CEO of biometric-devicemaker ZYTO in Lindon intends to collect nominating-petition signatures in hopes of landing on June's primary ballot.

"If we had a stronger governor and someone more visionary," Cook said, "we would get more done and we could make the state even better than it is."

Having announced his petition efforts in January, the 65-year-old Cook officially unveiled his candidacy at an event Monday in Salt Lake City.

He highlights education as a leading campaign theme and the need for Utah to "invest resources to ensure our children receive every educational advantage."

Beyond more public spending, Cook called for greater involvement in public schools by the private sector and senior citizens, as well as innovative thinking on ways to improve the quality of education.

"We talk about reducing class size — and I believe there is an optimum class size — but it might be smarter to put two teachers in the class," Cook said. "It would save a lot of money if we don't have to build that added infrastructure."

Cook's platform also calls for raising Utah's minimum wage, with potential exemptions for smaller and startup companies; tougher pollution-control mandates to improve air quality; expansion of Medicaid programs covering the poor; and greater transparency with an end to closed-door caucuses on Utah's Capitol Hill.

"We suffer from the supermajority of one party," Cook said. "The fact that they're Republicans is neither here nor there. It's just not healthy for us to have a government system so controlled by so few people."

A Logan native and graduate of Utah State University, Cook holds a degree in Oriental medicine and founded ZYTO a dozen years ago.

The fifth-generation Utahn previously served as chairman of the Utah County Democratic Party. He co-founded the Utah Centrist Democratic Council, a group Cook described as seeking political solutions based "in the consensus of common sense" rather than "the extreme, uncompromising edges of the political spectrum."

"Used to be," Cook said, "that compromise was not a dirty word in Utah politics."

The business executive goes up against fellow Democrat Michael Weinholtz, who joined the gubernatorial race in January.

Instead of gathering signatures, Weinholtz, co-founder of CHG Healthcare Services in Cottonwood Heights, has said he will rely on delegates to the state Democratic Party convention to win his spot on June's ballot.

Cook has touted his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an advantage in winning over Utah voters, most of whom are Mormon.

Though he called Weinholtz "a fine man and a worthy opponent," Cook said he would be painted by Republicans as "a downtown Salt Lake City ultraliberal outsider."

"I'm a better candidate because I'm more electable," he said. "I understand the culture of the state."

Weinholtz has said he welcomes Cook's presence in the race and looks forward to the debate, according to The Associated Press.

Either Democrat would face an uphill climb against Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, who also faces an intraparty challenge. Jonathan Johnson, chairman of Overstock.com, announced his run for Utah's top elected post at the state Republican convention in August.

tsemerad@sltrib.com Twitter: @TonySemerad