Riverton voter guide 2023

City Council candidates

District 1

Andy Pierucci

Unopposed.

District 2

David Gatti

No response.

Troy McDougal

Occupation: Seminary teacher for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Riverton High.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options to your residents? Would you support higher-density housing?

I believe you can have well-thought-out sustainable growth that protects existing property rights while allowing for affordability to meet the needs of new residents. Working with other council members, we established a senior housing ordinance. We also have several wonderful projects that allow for smaller homes and lot sizes to meet seniors’ needs and affordability, while maintaining the integrity of the existing neighborhoods. Smaller more affordable home lots can be established as buffers near commercial areas and transportation hubs. With proper rules and management, they are nice long-term communities. We have several like these in our city that meet the affordability needs of young families and people needing affordable options. My goal has been to work with existing residents, fellow council members to establish a long-term plan and stick to it so everyone knows what to expect.

What is your city’s responsibility in addressing homelessness, and what would you do within the boundaries of your community to help unhoused Utahns?

Riverton is a smaller landlocked city, which has not had to address homelessness on a large scale like many other communities in the valley. We currently have several locations that provide food services and support to residents who are struggling. Our goal has been to intervene early on to avoid people becoming homeless. I have spent a lot of time volunteering in Salt Lake City and other communities with a larger homeless population. Speaking with those city officials about their concerns, I feel that this is a problem that needs to be addressed on a state and county level. It crosses so many borders that no one city should be burdened with the responsibility. We, as cities, need to pressure county and state officials to come together and develop a long-term plan that crosses city boundaries and meets the needs of the homeless.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge your city faces, and how would you address it?

One of our greatest challenges is transportation. The south end of the valley has experienced explosive growth, and the current transportation infrastructure is not meeting the needs. Working with the Utah Department of Transportation and surrounding cities, we have coordinated the upgrades of the Bangerter interchanges at 12600 South and pushed up the timeline for 13400 South and Redwood Road upgrades. Recently, we met with these partners and are beginning planning for the Mountain View Corridor expansion starting in the south end of the valley. The goal is to get ahead of construction so infrastructure is in place to handle traffic patterns and the increased flow as the area grows. We are also working with the county to establish a better traffic-flow lighting schedule during peak traffic time to allow residents to move quicker east and west. It requires a lot of coordination between different entities, but we are having those discussions and will continue to work on it.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I love working with youth. I coached football at Riverton High, refereed basketball, and grow espalier fruit trees for fun.

District 5

Spencer Haymond

Occupation: Sales.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options to your residents? Would you support higher-density housing?

Educate the public on the root of the problem: the privately owned Federal Reserve monetary system and its publicly stated goal to promote inflation. Results are perpetual price increases and constant crushing pressure on the middle class. In years past, everything worked off dad’s income. Then dad had to get an extra job, then mom had to go to work, then mom needed to get an extra job. When that ceased to be sufficient, people began to borrow for everything. Next, the banks “generously” offered credit cards and thus tied another flaxen cord around our necks. To compound the problem, businesses and our governments at all levels became addicted to debt. The issue? Businesses don’t pay interest on debt; consumers do. Governments don’t pay interest on debt; taxpayers do. Affordable and high-density housing are not the correct questions. Why perpetual price increase?

What is your city’s responsibility in addressing homelessness, and what would you do within the boundaries of your community to help unhoused Utahns?

I see the root cause of the homeless issue is due to four problems. One: government overstepping its bounds and creating massive dependency. Two: see response to affordable housing. Three: the removal of God from society and public discussion. Four: the attack on the family. Work to undo these horrible acts and their terrible consequences.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge your city faces, and how would you address it?

Other than socialist thought creep, it would be east-west transportation connectivity. I would work to increase strategic economic development to promote closer shopping, working, manufacturing and entertainment to our places of residence.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I believe God and the nuclear family are the basic building blocks of a prosperous society.

Steven Winters

No response.