Campaign Phone
8016137649
Current Employment
Self Employed
Education
BA
Campaign Website
https://www.stephenforslc.com/
On most issues, I believe the state should establish a bare minimum standard and allow municipalities to establish greater protections to their citizens as their unique needs may require. The state should not be able to punish municipalities for exceeding these standards as they do now. Issues like renters' protections, minimum wage, and gun safety will look different in different cities, and these cities should be able to create ordinances surrounding these issues that make sense for their city.
Utah should not cut taxes at the expense of education or other essential services. Utah has cut taxes from 5% in 2017 to 4.5% in 2025. This has created a loss of $600 million in 2024 alone for education and services for the disabled that has crippled our schools and other essential services even while our state's economy grows. I intend to introduce a progressive tax structure similar to what other states already have instead of the flat tax rate we currently have. This structure would give most working-class Utahns a tax break while increasing taxes modestly on our highest earners and could bring in more than $1 billion in new revenue for our schools and other essential services.
Our state and some of our municipalities are more concerned with criminalizing poverty than taking concrete steps to getting people off the streets and into homes. It also takes keeping people who already have homes in their homes and preventing them from being priced out. I would introduce legislation that allows renters and cooperatives the first right to purchase their buildings when their landlord sells. This will help more renters become owners and keep people in their homes. As for homelessness, our number one priority should be getting people off the streets and into permanent, stable housing. Only then will people be able to effectively manage the problems that may have led them to be homeless in the first place.
Utah has been in a chronic drought for years, and with the Great Salt Lake drying up right before our very eyes, Utah needs to prioritize decreasing water consumption so it can be used to bring the Great Salt Lake back to healthy levels. Most water consumption in the Great Salt Lake watershed is used in agriculture. The quickest way to get water into the lake is by leasing agricultural water shares. I would introduce legislation to lease upwards of 500,000 acre feet of water to immediately get the necessary amount of water the lake needs to survive in the lake. This would buy the state more time to find other solutions to reduce water use and would prevent further ecological damage to the lake and the health of the state as a whole.
I believe that Utah should diversify how we get clean energy, especially since clean energy sources are oftentimes more cost efficient than fossil fuel sources. With that said, Utah is a dry state, and I believe that the energy we produce must be water wise. We do not have the water needed to sustainably afford new high water use energy projects. Solar and wind energy offer us high energy production at a low economic and water cost, so I will prioritize those projects over nuclear due to traditional nuclear energy production's high water needs. While new innovations in nuclear energy technology may make it so that nuclear is no longer a water-intensive energy production method, current technology is still too water-intensive for my comfort.
Campaign Phone
8016049098
Current Employment
Idynify
Education
University of Utah
Campaign Website
Wileyfor21.com
I believe decisions should be made as close to the people as possible. Local governments should lead on issues like zoning, parks, and community development, while the state should focus on statewide concerns such as education, transportation, water, and public safety. The state should only override local governments when there is a clear statewide interest or constitutional concern. As a West Side candidate, I want to ensure our communities have a stronger voice in decisions that affect our neighborhoods, families, and future.
I support responsible tax relief, but not at the expense of education, infrastructure, public safety, or water investments. Before cutting taxes, we should evaluate long-term revenue projections, population growth, reserve funds, and our ability to meet commitments to essential services. West Side families need strong schools, safe roads, and economic opportunity. Our goal should be to lower costs for working families while continuing to invest in the services and infrastructure that keep Utah strong.
Utah must increase housing supply by supporting starter homes, workforce housing, and other attainable options while investing in infrastructure that supports growth. We also need stronger mental health, addiction recovery, and job training programs to address the root causes of homelessness. On the West Side, too many working families are being priced out of their communities. We need practical solutions that help people find stable housing while preserving opportunities for future generations.
Water conservation requires action from everyone. We should expand water-wise landscaping programs, modernize irrigation systems, improve aging infrastructure, and encourage water reuse. Agriculture, businesses, and residents all have a role to play. Protecting the Great Salt Lake must remain a priority because it affects air quality, public health, and our economy. Smart water management will help secure Utah’s future while supporting continued growth and protecting West Side communities.
Utah should pursue an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes nuclear, solar, wind, and emerging technologies. We need reliable, affordable power to support our growing population and economy. Nuclear can provide dependable baseload energy, while solar and wind help diversify our energy mix. Investments should be guided by reliability, affordability, and innovation. For West Side families, energy development also means creating good-paying jobs, supporting skilled trades, and strengthening Utah’s long-term economic future.
