Mayoral candidates
Robert M. Hale
Occupation: Mayor.
As the Salt Lake Valley continues its booming growth, what are your solutions for affordable housing, preserving community character and creating a high quality of life for city residents?
My solutions for affordable housing include assuring only the highest standards are accepted for apartment builders, making accessory dwelling units more available and conversion of rental apartments to owner-occupied condominium apartments.
In regards to preserving community character, our central location in the valley makes Midvale a great place to reside and to flourish in a business. Midvale is in the Center of Everything in the Valley. Residents and visitors have access to two TRAX lines, two freeways, many health services, many choices for housing stock, employment centers, and restaurants by the dozens — all this in a six-square-mile city that only has 36,000 residents.
Midvale’s Main Street is one of a kind in the valley with fun shops and stores, an ethnic market, intimate-size theaters and performing arts. Our city parks are playgrounds for disc golf, football, basketball and pickleball, as well as summer festivities and car shows.
In creating a high quality of life for city residents, our city is full of cultural opportunities, history, ultra-modern elementary, middle and high schools. Over the last 10 years, Midvale has become a “crown jewel” of commerce along the Silicon Slopes. National and international headquarters, large distribution centers are located here, and people can play golf 24-7 for 365 days a year.
Besides affordable housing, what are the two biggest challenges facing the city in the next four years, and what are some specific programs or policy changes you will introduce to solve them?
First, water access. Second, disposal of solid waste and waste water. Society brings a thirst for natural resources and a requirement for disposal once used. Providing the quantity and quality of water will be addressed as the city expands its abilities to provide water. Recycling and disposing of solid waste must be addressed. Automated industries that can sort, condense and prepare recyclable materials should be ready to assist society in making multiple uses of unused manufactured goods, like packaging, over and over again.
What are your ideas for investing federal pandemic aid in the city, including funds left over from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act?
Midvale has committed to using a large portion of its rescue plan funds to upgrade and enlarge the water supply systems for our city. Midvale is served by systems of varying ages and capacities; upgrades are necessary to maintain acceptable service.
What is a fun or unique fact about you?
I am trilingual — English, Portuguese and Spanish — and hold a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and a master’s degree from American University of Washington, D.C.
Marcus Stevenson
Occupation: Political director, O2 Utah.
As the Salt Lake Valley continues its booming growth, what are your solutions for affordable housing, preserving community character and creating a high quality of life for city residents?
As recent homebuyers, my wife and I have experienced our out-of-control housing market firsthand. With many Midvale residents concerned about continued growth and housing prices, I’d like to see the city increase engagement with residents so that all residents feel they have a voice in determining Midvale’s future. Further, we need to be able to think about “affordable housing” and housing that is affordable as different areas to work on. To help ensure more housing is affordable, I’ll work to diversify our housing options and push for mixed-use zoning.
Ensuring that we preserve our community character while we grow can go hand in hand. Midvale has pushed growth for several years in order to build its tax base. Part of that tax base should be used to preserve specific areas in our community that need the investment. Old downtown’s Main Street is a perfect example of how booming growth and community character can work together. We should continue investing in old downtown by fixing crumbling infrastructure, bringing in new businesses, and supporting our existing businesses on this historic street.
Besides affordable housing, what are the two biggest challenges facing the city in the next four years, and what are some specific programs or policy changes you will introduce to solve them?
Two major issues facing Midvale in the next two years are continued development and crime.
Midvale has been pushing for development over the last several years. From the many conversations I’ve had at people’s doorsteps, this increased growth has made many residents feel frustrated and disconnected from their city. The reality is that as the U.S. population continues to grow, so will Utah’s, and with it Midvale’s. Our city needs to be ready for this demand in growth, but we have to do it responsibly. I believe our city can continue to grow without giving developers the many incentives we have in the past and grow smartly by ensuring any new development is walkable and is mixed use to ensure local access to open spaces and grocery stores.
To address crime, I believe we have to focus on actually fixing the problem and not just putting a band-aid on it. This means pushing for community policing with more social services that’s focused on rehabilitation over heavy-handed punishment. By taking this approach, I want to ensure that our city actually addresses the root of the crime. I’ll work with the Unified Police Department and social services to best address our crime.
What are your ideas for investing federal pandemic aid in the city, including funds left over from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act?
I’d like to see CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act funds used for immediate impacts, such as small businesses and low-income families. Many people have struggled because of the pandemic, but small businesses and low-income families have been hit particularly hard, and we should be investing in them.
What is a fun or unique fact about you?
I’m a huge rock ‘n’ roll music history buff. Because of this, I know way too much about Jimi Hendrix.
Amanda Hollingsworth
No response.
City Council candidates
District 4
Bryant S. Brown (running unopposed)
District 5
Dustin Gettel
Wayne Sharp