Well, for starters, Gary Anderson upended Jerry Grover in a Republican runoff. And Brierley is a Democrat trying to oust Republican incumbent Steve White in the reddest of Utah's red counties.

Despite the seemingly long odds, Brierley sees an opportunity for a blue breakthrough.

"The impression I get, as a county resident, is that the county employees and mayors have a sense of frustration with Steve White, as they did with Jerry Grover," Brierley said, "that he's not listening and dictating too much. I want to come across as a person who is different, who is a change. A person willing to listen and articulate more than dictate."

Still, no Democrat holds office in Utah County government and no Democrat is challenging Anderson for the other commission seat. But Brierley sees the GOP stranglehold as part of the problem.

"If one party is strong, the possibility of corruption is so strong," he said. "The one-political-party system will destroy itself."

For his part, White isn't worried about democracy's demise in Utah County. He believes the commission has run like a well-oiled government machine during his four years, and he isn't planning on going anywhere.

And as to Brierley's allegations of disgruntled employees and county mayors, White shakes his head.

"I just had lunch with the mayor of Orem; it's not true," White said. "If [employees] need 20 minutes or two hours, whatever they need, I've always met with them."

The first-term commissioner points to a laundry list of endorsements from fellow politicians and his frugal fiscal record as proof of a satisfied electorate.

Under his watch, he said, the county has increased funding for law enforcement and aging services without increasing taxes while cutting costs for mental health services by 38 percent, without sacrificing patient care.

He said he has kept his campaign promises to accept no pay raise, to vote only for a property tax hike if voters approve and to accept no gifts from those who do business with county government.

For three straight years, White also has voted to decrease the county's restaurant tax.

"Who's demonstrated that he's going to continue lowering taxes and fighting against [increasing] taxes to make sure the public dollars are spent very carefully?" White asked.

But it is the tax issue that Brierley believes needs a bit of restructuring. The Spanish Fork Democrat argues the county needs to dump what he calls increasingly regressive taxes - taxes that place more of a burden on those with lower incomes.

Brierley would like to shift away from taxing based on property values and instead assess property taxes based on people's incomes.

"People that can afford more taxes ought to be paying more and not less," Brierley said.

That may be fine, White said, but property taxes are regulated by the Utah Constitution, not county government. White suggests Brierley should run for state government if he wants to work for those changes.

"Once again we find someone who wants to run on issues that have nothing to do with being a good county commissioner," White said.

If re-elected, White pledges to add 400 new county jail beds without a tax hike, to continue to increase prosecutors at the County Attorney's Office and to bolster sheriff's deputies to investigate child sex crimes.

Brierley would like to see property taxes eliminated on resident-owned businesses and a county law to protect residents from certain city council decisions (such as the appointment of unelected city managers with high salaries).

Above all, Brierley hopes his campaign helps push the county toward a two-party system.

"The one-political-party rule in Utah County has created such political apathy," he said. "The extension of their involvement in government is just a vote. People must get more involved in the political system."

thollingshead@sltrib.com

Steve White

* AGE: 57.

* FAMILY: Married, four children, six grandchildren.

* EDUCATION: Attended San Jose City College, Brigham Young University.

* CAREER: Vice president/GM Bluefin Design Group (AKA Office Essentials) 1980-2003.

* POLITICAL: County commissioner, 2002-2006; vice chairman of state GOP, 1997-2001; chairman of Utah County GOP, 1995-1997.

* INTERESTING FACT: Two or three days a week, White walks to work, five miles each way.

Utah County Commission Seat B

Joseph Brierley

* AGE: 53

* FAMILY: Married, four children (one deceased), four grandchildren.

* EDUCATION: bachelor's in business administration, University of Phoenix.

* CAREER: Financial adviser with Intermountain Financial Group, insurance agent.

* POLITICAL: Utah County Democratic Party South Region supervisor, Utah County Democratic Party treasurer.

* INTERESTING FACT: Enjoys illustrating, mostly pencil work, and was a Sterling Scholar art nominee for Spanish Fork High in 1971.

Do you support increased funds for transportation?

* BRIERLEY: Yes, but not through revenues created by another regressive sales tax.

* WHITE: Yes. I voted to put a tax increase on the ballot two years ago and voted to do so again this year.

What are your thoughts on hotel tax and restaurant tax rates?

* BRIERLEY: Resident-owned businesses shouldn't pay any form of tax.

* WHITE: Rates are where they belong for now and can be increased later for a convention center.

* Do you back funding for a county convention center?

* BRIERLEY: No. County funds shouldn't be used for that. That falls under public education.

* WHITE: Yes, but willing to use only hotel taxes, restaurant taxes and motor vehicle rental taxes for funding.

Where do they stand?