1. Families in Utah are in severe need of childcare. The dearth of affordable childcare often keeps a parent (often a single parent) from working, getting training, or going to school, or, if there is available childcare, it can consume a large amount of the compensation a parent makes at a job.
A recent report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (in partnership with the Salt Lake chamber, Utah Community Builders, United Way of Salt Lake, and Voices for Utah Children), entitled “Untapped Potential in Utah,” addresses the impact on parents of insufficient affordable childcare in Utah. Among its findings are:
A recent report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (in partnership with the Salt Lake chamber, Utah Community Builders, United Way of Salt Lake, and Voices for Utah Children), entitled “Untapped Potential in Utah,” addresses the impact on parents of insufficient affordable childcare in Utah. Among its findings are:
- Childcare challenges result in an estimated $1.36 billion loss for Utah’s economy annually
- Families in Utah pay an average of $561 per month for childcare
- During the 12 months prior to the report, 48% of parents had to make a significant adjustment to their school or work training due to childcare challenges
“Access to childcare also allows parents the flexibility to pursue careers or enhance their education or vocational skills. Parents are often forced to weigh competing priorities, balancing their desire to pursue rewarding work or advance their education to advance their career or education with the responsibilities of raising their children. The research draws clear indications that access to childcare weighs heavily on professional development for parents. Without access to childcare, working parents will compromise on their futures for the immediacy of their childcare needs.
‘The barriers created by the current state of childcare in Utah are a reality parents have faced alone for far too long. When parents lose out on career advancement and educational opportunities, their kids lose out too. This report shows how important finding a lasting solution is for the sake of Utah families, as well as our state’s employers and economy as a whole,” said Bill Crim, United Way of Salt Lake President & CEO.’ ” |
Things are now getting worse in Utah because numerous childcare providers are likely closing their doors because of the reduction of 75% of federal pandemic relief funds. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q07i9udefw0; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LwR6e9dEqM; and https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-ranks-high-among-children-to-lose-childcare-as-federal-programs-expire.
The following was Erin Mendenhall’s campaign promise when she was first running for Salt Lake City Mayor:
“Accessing childcare is difficult for families across our city, including those who work inside our city government. As mayor, Erin will work to [sic] a program to provide childcare for the children of city employees. Introducing childcare to Salt Lake City is could [sic] potentially benefit many city employees and possibly others in need of childcare services.”
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“Erin Mendenhall’s Vision for a Stronger Salt Lake City – 46 policy proposals and commitments,” pages 22-23.
She broke that promise, doing absolutely nothing to provide childcare for city employees or anyone else during her four years as mayor. (Like she broke so many other promises, such as her promise to bring back the curbside clean-up program—and her promise to negotiate to achieve 100% renewable energy for all of Salt Lake City by 2023.)
When I was first running for mayor, I often discussed the tremendous need for an after-school and summer program for young people. After I was elected, I conceived of, and, with an amazing team under the leadership of Janet Wolf, implemented Salt Lake City’s first after-school and summer program, YouthCity—which has been a top municipal program providing exceptional after-school and summer opportunities for thousands of young people.
Likewise, after being elected mayor again, I will implement a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week affordable childcare program, not just for city employees but for all families throughout Salt Lake City.
Mayor Mendenhall recently said at a debate that my idea for a childcare program would be “impossible.” That’s just how the can’t-do mayor sees so many things in our city. (According to her, we can’t do permanently affordable non-market housing, preferring instead to keep paying many millions of public dollars to for-profit developers who build mostly unattractive, unaffordable housing throughout our city. According to the current mayor, we can’t hold police officers accountable for failing to do their jobs unless the County D.A. says so. (See https://youtu.be/lGlz9FdPTiA?si=D0OEQciaocu8S-yG.) And according to her, we can’t even restore the magnificent Seven Canyons Fountain at Liberty Park, even though when we faced the same challenges during my first term as mayor, we did restore the Fountain for sixteen more fabulous years of men, women, and children enjoying the wonderful landscaping, sculpture, and entertaining water feature of the fantastic Seven Canyons Fountain.)
The fact is our city, with can-do leadership, can indeed implement 24/7 affordable childcare. Such a childcare service would accept childcare vouchers from the Division of Workforce Services. (See how this works, here: https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/childcare/employmentsupport.html.) Those who do not qualify for childcare vouchers would be charged on a sliding-scale fee basis.
Just as YouthCity is a model after-school and summer program for youth, so too will Salt Lake City’s affordable 24/7 childcare program, modeled after the award-winning Stepping Stones 24/7 childcare program in St. George, offer a major improvement in the quality of life for thousands of families throughout our city.
She broke that promise, doing absolutely nothing to provide childcare for city employees or anyone else during her four years as mayor. (Like she broke so many other promises, such as her promise to bring back the curbside clean-up program—and her promise to negotiate to achieve 100% renewable energy for all of Salt Lake City by 2023.)
When I was first running for mayor, I often discussed the tremendous need for an after-school and summer program for young people. After I was elected, I conceived of, and, with an amazing team under the leadership of Janet Wolf, implemented Salt Lake City’s first after-school and summer program, YouthCity—which has been a top municipal program providing exceptional after-school and summer opportunities for thousands of young people.
Likewise, after being elected mayor again, I will implement a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week affordable childcare program, not just for city employees but for all families throughout Salt Lake City.
Mayor Mendenhall recently said at a debate that my idea for a childcare program would be “impossible.” That’s just how the can’t-do mayor sees so many things in our city. (According to her, we can’t do permanently affordable non-market housing, preferring instead to keep paying many millions of public dollars to for-profit developers who build mostly unattractive, unaffordable housing throughout our city. According to the current mayor, we can’t hold police officers accountable for failing to do their jobs unless the County D.A. says so. (See https://youtu.be/lGlz9FdPTiA?si=D0OEQciaocu8S-yG.) And according to her, we can’t even restore the magnificent Seven Canyons Fountain at Liberty Park, even though when we faced the same challenges during my first term as mayor, we did restore the Fountain for sixteen more fabulous years of men, women, and children enjoying the wonderful landscaping, sculpture, and entertaining water feature of the fantastic Seven Canyons Fountain.)
The fact is our city, with can-do leadership, can indeed implement 24/7 affordable childcare. Such a childcare service would accept childcare vouchers from the Division of Workforce Services. (See how this works, here: https://jobs.utah.gov/customereducation/services/childcare/employmentsupport.html.) Those who do not qualify for childcare vouchers would be charged on a sliding-scale fee basis.
Just as YouthCity is a model after-school and summer program for youth, so too will Salt Lake City’s affordable 24/7 childcare program, modeled after the award-winning Stepping Stones 24/7 childcare program in St. George, offer a major improvement in the quality of life for thousands of families throughout our city.
While various cities have shown innovative leadership in tackling childcare—including through public private partnerships - the direct and indirect benefits to parents, children, employers and communities often remain underestimated. What is clear is that as municipalities embark on their journey to invest in care and make cities more inclusive, measuring the return on investments (including the opportunity cost of foregone incomes and taxes) will help demonstrate the impact of such initiatives for other cities to follow.
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Carmen Niethammer, “Managing Childcare: The Power Of Family-Friendly And Inclusive Cities,” Forbes, February 27, 2021, found here (emphasis added).
2. Rocky had a broad reputation for accessibility and transparency as Mayor. “Anderson has changed the way city officials interact with their constituents, making his administration one of the most accessible in the country." Sasha Abramsky, "The Other Rocky,” The Nation, Dec. 15, 2006, found at https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/other-rocky/.
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As Mayor for 8 years, Rocky returned calls, responded to all letters, and held monthly Saturday Mornings With the Mayor, One-on-One Meetings, and News & Community Conferences, providing the media and everyone in the community frequent opportunities to ask questions, provide information, suggestions, or criticism, and obtain information from Rocky and the directors of all City departments.
Mayor Mendenhall has, at most, set aside one hour per month to meet (often by remote video) with a maximum of six people for no more than ten minutes each. That’s not access; it’s an insulting pretense of accessibility that allows no meaningful opportunity for constituents to communicate directly with their mayor. She has been nearly as inaccessible with the media—through whom the public relies for information about our government. Most often, she has someone else do her speaking for her—as if she were royalty or an out-of-touch celebrity rather than a leader answerable to members of the public. |
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"I wrote to Mayor Mendenhall about crucial matters affecting my business, employees, and neighbors but she never got back to me—until, months later, I went to the news media. That was the opposite of my experience with Rocky when he was Mayor. He always responded and was always accessible, whether we agreed or disagreed."
-John Gardiner, CEO, Gardiner Properties LLC. |
3. Instead of unsheltered people camping throughout the city, being outside in the freezing cold (leading to at least twelve deaths last winter), and being subject to raids and evictions by the police and the destruction of their property by SLC Streets Division employees or a company contracted with the City, Rocky has favored a central camp and alternative shelter sanctioned by the city that would provide safe, decent toilets, showers, laundry facilities, food, outreach workers, and access to mental health and addiction treatment, such as the Courtyard at Haven for Hope in San Antonio.
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Mayor Mendenhall has opposed such proven, successful solutions, ("Heck no," she said. "Sorry, Salt Lake City is not doing a designated camping area.") https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/11/25/should-utah-give-homeless/ ) and later said she and the City will not provide the leadership for such solutions—that it "must be led by" the County and the State. https://local.sltrib.com/legal-campgrounds/index.php. As a result, there have been homeless encampments in parks, downtown, and in many neighborhoods, they have been raided relentlessly by SLCPD officers, property at those encampments has been confiscated and destroyed, and unsheltered people have been freezing and dying unnecessarily. All of this has been inhumane, cruel, and without justification.
Recently, the mayor jumped on the coattails of the state, claiming credit for a temporary shelter for 50 people on the west side of our downtown. That is a small fraction of the people who need shelter—a political pretense of doing something, while guaranteeing that homeless encampments will continue to grow in our parks, neighborhoods, near schools, and on parking strips throughout our city. This signifies the degradation of the our city, and a disregard for the homeless community, residents, and businesses, that has occurred during the past four years of the Mendenhall administration.
Recently, the mayor jumped on the coattails of the state, claiming credit for a temporary shelter for 50 people on the west side of our downtown. That is a small fraction of the people who need shelter—a political pretense of doing something, while guaranteeing that homeless encampments will continue to grow in our parks, neighborhoods, near schools, and on parking strips throughout our city. This signifies the degradation of the our city, and a disregard for the homeless community, residents, and businesses, that has occurred during the past four years of the Mendenhall administration.
4. While Salt Lake City’s streets, parks, and neighborhoods have been the sites of homeless encampments, with no coherent plan by Mayor Mendenhall for a solution, the camps set up by unsheltered people have been cruelly raided, repeatedly (more than a hundred times) by the SLCPD, the SLC Streets Division staff, and a city contractor, pushing the people off from their camps and destroying their property if they are unable to remove it in time, with no alternatives offered to them for a place to live. As one article described the situation: "Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County are, to a certain extent, currently enforcing no-camping ordinances—but with no designated camping area, it’s simply moving camping around the city and into neighborhoods."
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/10/6/23391389/homeless-camping-salt-lake-city-pioneer-park-coalition-plan-homelessness |
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One SLCPD Captain’s description of the meanness and pointlessness of the raids and confiscations was reported as follows:
One SLCPD Captain’s description of the meanness and pointlessness of the raids and confiscations was reported as follows:
Even when police or county health officials clear people from an area, SLCPD Captain Derek Dimond told city officials that officers know most campers don’t have other options and will likely set up somewhere else—and officers will likely be instructed to clear that space, too.
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The Salt Lake Tribune has described the terrible trauma and suffering incurred by homeless people as a result of the absence of sensible alternatives, a coherent plan by the Mayor, and the inhumane raids by police and others contracted by the Mendenhall administration at https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/01/14/help-us-tensions-build-among/.
Rocky is also extremely concerned about good, compassionate police officers and contractor employees being placed in the position of being ordered to engage in such cruel treatment toward members of the homeless community. According to Rocky, "It must be tremendously demoralizing for many of our city's police officers to be seen as the tools of the Mayor's incredibly inhumane treatment of homeless people, especially when their plight is a result of the failures of leadership by our city's Mayor."
Rocky has termed this "the lowest moral point in Salt Lake City’s history in terms of our treatment of people in need." As Mayor, Rocky always made certain there were adequate shelter facilities for homeless people and that they were treated humanely.
Rocky has termed this "the lowest moral point in Salt Lake City’s history in terms of our treatment of people in need." As Mayor, Rocky always made certain there were adequate shelter facilities for homeless people and that they were treated humanely.
The Los Angeles Times applauded Salt Lake City for providing a large overflow shelter for homeless people during the 2002 Winter Olympics, stating, in an article entitled "Olympian Effort to Handle Homeless," that "as the city prepares to take the world spotlight Feb. 8, it is proving as hospitable to the down-and-out as it is to the moneyed."
The city has gathered hundreds of volunteers to help the homeless and last week opened a new emergency homeless shelter—not in some distant suburb but just a few blocks from where the figure skaters and ice dancers will compete.
It’s the first time, officials say, that an Olympic host city has added an emergency shelter—with 450 beds—to accommodate the expected overflow of homeless people.
* * * Salt Lake City . . . is putting out the welcome mat. "We respect the human and civil rights of everyone, including the homeless, during these Olympics," said Mayor Rocky Anderson, a former attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union. "We won’t be doing roundups or anything like that. This community is very caring toward the homeless."
The ACLU said it has received no complaints of mistreatment from homeless people.
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Tom Gorman, "Olympian Effort to Handle Homeless," Los Angeles Times, January 31, 2002, found at https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jan-31-mn-25711-story.html
As a City, we were proud of our compassionate treatment of homeless people when Rocky was Mayor. Now, the inhumane treatment of homeless people by the Mendenhall administration is a source of community shame and outrage.
5. Rocky was always forthright about his administration’s record in working with others to provide unprecedented supportive permanent housing for chronically homeless people, as well as providing truly affordable housing opportunities for others throughout the city.
During Rocky’s administration, Salt Lake City Housing Authority created the first supportive permanent housing for chronically homeless people, Sunrise Metro. From there, several governmental entities, the LDS Church, and the philanthropic community—all terrific partners—joined in, creating numerous supportive permanent housing facilities for chronically homeless people. The progress we were all making was incredible! We were viewed around the nation as an example for how others could move aggressively toward the elimination of chronic homelessness.
Then, shamefully, it all came to a screeching halt, with not one unit of permanent housing for chronically homeless people built from 2010-2019, during some of which time Erin Mendenhall was on the City Council.
Mayor Mendenhall and her campaign sent out a mayoral campaign flyer recently, stating that the Mayor had “achieved” 777 units of supportive permanent housing for unsheltered people. She repeated that blatantly false claim during campaign events. That would have been really terrific had she “achieved” that—but it wasn’t true. Not even close.
On October 3, 2023, Rocky held a press conference at the site of the abandoned Ville 1659 Project at the old Ramada Inn on Redwood Road and North Temple. As of that date, the mayor and her administration had failed to admit to the news media and the public that the long-promised 197-unit Ville 1659 project—which she had, a year earlier, represented would provide supportive permanent housing for members of the unsheltered population by April 2023—was abandoned by the developer six months after the date the mayor had assured us the project would be open and ready for occupancy by unsheltered people. The following is Rocky’s statement issued during the October 3 press conference:
During Rocky’s administration, Salt Lake City Housing Authority created the first supportive permanent housing for chronically homeless people, Sunrise Metro. From there, several governmental entities, the LDS Church, and the philanthropic community—all terrific partners—joined in, creating numerous supportive permanent housing facilities for chronically homeless people. The progress we were all making was incredible! We were viewed around the nation as an example for how others could move aggressively toward the elimination of chronic homelessness.
Then, shamefully, it all came to a screeching halt, with not one unit of permanent housing for chronically homeless people built from 2010-2019, during some of which time Erin Mendenhall was on the City Council.
Mayor Mendenhall and her campaign sent out a mayoral campaign flyer recently, stating that the Mayor had “achieved” 777 units of supportive permanent housing for unsheltered people. She repeated that blatantly false claim during campaign events. That would have been really terrific had she “achieved” that—but it wasn’t true. Not even close.
On October 3, 2023, Rocky held a press conference at the site of the abandoned Ville 1659 Project at the old Ramada Inn on Redwood Road and North Temple. As of that date, the mayor and her administration had failed to admit to the news media and the public that the long-promised 197-unit Ville 1659 project—which she had, a year earlier, represented would provide supportive permanent housing for members of the unsheltered population by April 2023—was abandoned by the developer six months after the date the mayor had assured us the project would be open and ready for occupancy by unsheltered people. The following is Rocky’s statement issued during the October 3 press conference:
Written and verbal misrepresentations by the mayor relate to the use of millions of dollars of public money for purported permanent supportive housing for members of Salt Lake City’s unsheltered population, when that housing has not been provided—and much of it will not be.
Recently during a debate in the mayoral race, Mayor Mendenhall stated that 300 units of permanent housing for unsheltered people is “still under construction.” She was clearly referring to what her political consultant, Ian Koski, included in his chart of 297 “accomplished” permanent housing units: the Medically Vulnerable Population project and the old Ramada Inn, Ville 1659 project. We urge the media and the public to demand an answer from the mayor to the same question I’m asking today: “WHERE are the 300 units ‘still under construction’”? In fact, where is there one unit of the 300 units of permanent supportive housing, at the Medically Vulnerable Population (MVP) and Ramada Inn (Ville 1659) projects, the mayor claimed in September 2022 and afterward would be provided to members of the unsheltered community last April—April 2023—when the winter overflow shelter was closed? CONTRARY TO THE MAYOR’S REPEATED MISREPRESENTATIONS, THERE IS NOT ONE UNIT OF PERMANENT HOUSING FOR UNSHELTERED PEOPLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Two hundred units have been abandoned, as we can all see here today. No construction has even commenced with respect to the other one hundred units. The current mayor has said repeatedly, including in her campaign literature and statements, that she “accomplished” 777 units of supportive housing for “our unsheltered neighbors,” knowing that is absolutely untrue. She is taking credit for what others have done and, in addition, falsely claiming that 300 units she promised would be ready for occupancy last April when the winter overflow shelter was closed are “still under construction.” The constant misrepresentations by the mayor to the public and her failures to provide housing for the unsheltered people in our city—as well as her failure to provide any shelter for the hundreds of people left out in the freezing weather last winter, has been the source of unprecedented tragedy, bringing our city to the point of its moral low-point in terms of the treatment of those most in need. It has all led to several deaths from exposure and the amputations of toes, fingers, and lower limbs due to frostbite suffered by people who had nowhere else to go due to the mayor’s indifference and lack of effective action to provide shelter, which has severely harmed not only unsheltered people, but has resulted in the intolerable destruction of the quality of life for residents and businesses, some of which have been forced to leave our city.
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Not only did the MVP facility fail to open for occupancy by unsheltered people by April 2023, there still is not one unit available for occupancy, with another winter coming soon. The facility is now planned to be in Sandy, but the Sandy City Council has not yet approved the zoning for the facility. Even if approval occurs soon, there will be no housing for unsheltered people there until, at the earliest, January 2024 or later--almost a year after 100 or more additional units in connection with the MVP facility was supposed to be available, according to our mayor. Although the mayor recently represented to the public that 300 units of permanent housing are “still under construction” (referring to the MVP facility (100 units) and the Ville 1659 project (197 units)), there is not one unit under construction at the MVP (nor at Ville 1659, as I will now describe).
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As with the Point Fairpark and the MVP facility, according to the mayor Ville 1659 was to have been ready for occupancy by the time the winter overflow shelter was closed last April—six months ago. Not one unit has been available for occupancy, although another winter is now advancing.
In addition, the developer was known by the mayor to have insisted on receiving market-rate rents (about three times the monthly rent charged by the Point); hence, all tenants would be required to have government-issued housing vouchers. Almost none of the unsheltered people the mayor said she had in mind for the housing have housing vouchers and, therefore, would not have found housing at Ville 1659 even if it had been renovated, notwithstanding the mayor’s representations to the public. Finally, the project has, for months, clearly been abandoned, so none of the permanent housing claimed by the mayor to now be under construction is under construction. These 197 units have been abandoned. In fact, the LLC for the developer has expired. |
Three hundred units could each house 1-2 or more people. Conservatively, the 300 units of permanent housing claimed by the mayor to be her “accomplishments”—200 of which have been abandoned and 100 of which have never been under construction (as the mayor falsely claimed), could have housed at least 500 people. Those are 500 people who have been left outdoors, living in tents, in parks, in neighborhoods, near schools, and elsewhere throughout our community, even though the mayor represented to us all they would be housed. The entire community is reeling as a result. Businesses and residents have suffered immeasurably, with parents unable to send their children to our parks—and parents worrying every day about the safety of their children walking to and from their schools, as people are shooting up heroin or smoking and selling meth along the way.
The mayor obviously did not do her homework before representing to the public, beginning in September 2022, that the MVP and Ville 1659 projects would be ready for occupancy by April 2023. Didn’t she check to see if they were making the promised April deadline? No, the city just kept the millions of dollars in escrow and failed to find substitute developers who could deliver as the mayor promised us. Then, when it became clear the housing was not going to be provided by last April, as we were all told it would be, the mayor and her administration, Council, and RDA should have withdrawn the funding and provided it to experienced, reliable homeless housing developers so there would be available housing for hundreds of unsheltered people at the earliest possible time.
This is no way to run any business, especially our city, and especially when so many lives and the quality of life for everyone is at stake!
It’s reminiscent of the Mayor, in April 2021, telling us all that her administration was working at “light speed” on the Other Side Village and that homes would be up and occupied by that winter—the winter of 2021! Now, the unsheltered community has gone through two vicious winters, with deaths from exposure and numerous amputations because of frostbite, and, going into another winter, nothing has yet been built!
What shareholders—what Board of Directors—would ever put up with the chain of baseless or broken promises and misrepresentations, time after time, when so much is on the line, and not hold the CEO accountable?
We all want leaders who will be straight with us—and competent enough to follow up on their representations. Far too much is on the line to continue with a mayor and administration that blow so much smoke at us, but who don’t get the job done. And far too much is on the line for us to continue with a mayor who is seldom straight with any of us, and who is so utterly ineffective, regarding our homelessness crisis, which undermines the quality of life for so many residents and businesses, which have lost any tolerance for the continuation of the dismal status quo.
The mayor obviously did not do her homework before representing to the public, beginning in September 2022, that the MVP and Ville 1659 projects would be ready for occupancy by April 2023. Didn’t she check to see if they were making the promised April deadline? No, the city just kept the millions of dollars in escrow and failed to find substitute developers who could deliver as the mayor promised us. Then, when it became clear the housing was not going to be provided by last April, as we were all told it would be, the mayor and her administration, Council, and RDA should have withdrawn the funding and provided it to experienced, reliable homeless housing developers so there would be available housing for hundreds of unsheltered people at the earliest possible time.
This is no way to run any business, especially our city, and especially when so many lives and the quality of life for everyone is at stake!
It’s reminiscent of the Mayor, in April 2021, telling us all that her administration was working at “light speed” on the Other Side Village and that homes would be up and occupied by that winter—the winter of 2021! Now, the unsheltered community has gone through two vicious winters, with deaths from exposure and numerous amputations because of frostbite, and, going into another winter, nothing has yet been built!
What shareholders—what Board of Directors—would ever put up with the chain of baseless or broken promises and misrepresentations, time after time, when so much is on the line, and not hold the CEO accountable?
We all want leaders who will be straight with us—and competent enough to follow up on their representations. Far too much is on the line to continue with a mayor and administration that blow so much smoke at us, but who don’t get the job done. And far too much is on the line for us to continue with a mayor who is seldom straight with any of us, and who is so utterly ineffective, regarding our homelessness crisis, which undermines the quality of life for so many residents and businesses, which have lost any tolerance for the continuation of the dismal status quo.
6. Rocky has made clear throughout this campaign that he would insist on an ambitious goal of effectively eliminating chronic and vulnerable homelessness in four years. Bringing governmental entities and the philanthropic and business communities together, and setting far more ambitious goals than the very timid goals signed off by the State Office of Homelessness and, among others, Mayor Mendenhall, this goal can be achieved. Rocky would never have signed off on the minimalist goals to which Mayor Mendenhall agreed and would have pushed for other signatories to set far more ambitious goals.
In the February 2023, document entitled “Statewide Collaboration for Change: Utah’s Plan to Address Homelessness, Mayor Mendenhall signed off on the incredibly timid goals of (1) decreasing the number of people who are unsheltered (e.g., living in tents, under tarps, or in cars, considered to be “uninhabitable”) by merely 5% in two years and (2) decreasing the number of “vulnerable” homeless people (e.g., chronically homeless people, veterans, victims of domestic violence, youths, and people with disabilities) by merely 7% in five years. See the stunningly fainthearted goals to which Mayor Mendenhall agreed in the report at https://jobs.utah.gov
/homelessness/homelessnessstrategicplan.pdf, pages 6, 10.
In the February 2023, document entitled “Statewide Collaboration for Change: Utah’s Plan to Address Homelessness, Mayor Mendenhall signed off on the incredibly timid goals of (1) decreasing the number of people who are unsheltered (e.g., living in tents, under tarps, or in cars, considered to be “uninhabitable”) by merely 5% in two years and (2) decreasing the number of “vulnerable” homeless people (e.g., chronically homeless people, veterans, victims of domestic violence, youths, and people with disabilities) by merely 7% in five years. See the stunningly fainthearted goals to which Mayor Mendenhall agreed in the report at https://jobs.utah.gov
/homelessness/homelessnessstrategicplan.pdf, pages 6, 10.
7. Rocky has made clear throughout this campaign that he would insist on an ambitious goal of effectively eliminating chronic and vulnerable homelessness in four years. Bringing governmental entities and the philanthropic and business communities together, and setting far more ambitious goals than the very timid goals signed off on by the State Office of Homelessness and, among others, Mayor Mendenhall, this goal can be achieved. Rocky would never have signed off on the minimalist goals to which Mayor Mendenhall agreed and would have pushed for other signatories to set far more ambitious goals.
In the February 2023, document entitled “Statewide Collaboration for Change: Utah’s Plan to Address Homelessness, Mayor Mendenhall signed off on the incredibly timid goals of (1) decreasing the number of people who are unsheltered (e.g., living in tents, under tarps, or in cars, considered to be “uninhabitable”) by merely 5% in two years and (2) decreasing the number of “vulnerable” homeless people (e.g., chronically homeless people, veterans, victims of domestic violence, youths, and people with disabilities) by merely 7% in five years. See the stunningly fainthearted goals to which Mayor Mendenhall agreed in the report at https://jobs.utah.gov
/homelessness/homelessnessstrategicplan.pdf, pages 6, 10.
In the February 2023, document entitled “Statewide Collaboration for Change: Utah’s Plan to Address Homelessness, Mayor Mendenhall signed off on the incredibly timid goals of (1) decreasing the number of people who are unsheltered (e.g., living in tents, under tarps, or in cars, considered to be “uninhabitable”) by merely 5% in two years and (2) decreasing the number of “vulnerable” homeless people (e.g., chronically homeless people, veterans, victims of domestic violence, youths, and people with disabilities) by merely 7% in five years. See the stunningly fainthearted goals to which Mayor Mendenhall agreed in the report at https://jobs.utah.gov
/homelessness/homelessnessstrategicplan.pdf, pages 6, 10.
8. The current mayor has sent the message to her police department that arrests are not to be made for drug offenses. (Officers have told several business owners of that instruction by the mayor. See https://youtu.be/27u3X5Wq41M?si=2xant5bddNA5eWOH.) She has disregarded the laws, enacting by dictatorial fiat a de facto legalization of drug dealing and use—even conspicuous use—of dangerous drugs in our community. Such disregard of the laws by the mayor and the police department has sent a message of impunity to people who now believe they can disregard drug laws without any consequences or accountability.
Just looking the other way when people are violating laws against trafficking in or using dangerous drugs is not a compassionate response. It is irresponsible and fails to promote solutions that benefit those addicted to drugs, residents and families, and businesses and their employees.
Years ago, Rocky was an advocate of completely legalizing or de-criminalizing all drugs and handling the problems solely as a medical and public health education issue, with affordable treatment offered on demand. However, his further research and knowledge of the circumstances of many people (including a family member who was addicted to crack cocaine until she was arrested and had to go before a judge to decide which path in life—and in the relationships with her family and friends—she chose to take), has persuaded him that most often the decisions by people addicted to dangerous drugs as to whether to seek treatment are made by poor thinking and decision-making caused by the drugs themselves.
Rocky is a vigorous advocate of restorative justice principles, pursuant to which people are held accountable for their conduct and the focus by everyone involved is on constructive problem-solving, not punishment, retribution, and humiliation. Working with the City Prosecutor and the Police Chiefs, Rocky implemented the nation’s most comprehensive restorative justice program in the U.S. (See a letter to the editor by Jerry Buie describing one of Rocky’s restorative justice projects here: https://www.cityweekly.net/utah/feedback-from-october-19-and-beyond/Content?oid=20639419.)
The best thing that could happen for most people engaged in illegal use of drugs, as well as for SLC residents and businesses/employees, would be for illicit drug users to participate in community-based therapy programs (such as Mental Health America of Utah), other drug programs not associated with the criminal justice system, or Drug Court or other diversion programs that provide effective drug abuse treatment and dismissal of criminal charges when possible. That would be a very constructive approach for everyone concerned, including people addicted to dangerous drugs, loved ones of people struggling with drug addiction, and residents and businesses adversely impacted by the anti-social conduct of people addicted to drugs.
The following photo was taken by Rocky from inside the lobby of the office building where his law practice was on 300 South and Main Street:
Just looking the other way when people are violating laws against trafficking in or using dangerous drugs is not a compassionate response. It is irresponsible and fails to promote solutions that benefit those addicted to drugs, residents and families, and businesses and their employees.
Years ago, Rocky was an advocate of completely legalizing or de-criminalizing all drugs and handling the problems solely as a medical and public health education issue, with affordable treatment offered on demand. However, his further research and knowledge of the circumstances of many people (including a family member who was addicted to crack cocaine until she was arrested and had to go before a judge to decide which path in life—and in the relationships with her family and friends—she chose to take), has persuaded him that most often the decisions by people addicted to dangerous drugs as to whether to seek treatment are made by poor thinking and decision-making caused by the drugs themselves.
Rocky is a vigorous advocate of restorative justice principles, pursuant to which people are held accountable for their conduct and the focus by everyone involved is on constructive problem-solving, not punishment, retribution, and humiliation. Working with the City Prosecutor and the Police Chiefs, Rocky implemented the nation’s most comprehensive restorative justice program in the U.S. (See a letter to the editor by Jerry Buie describing one of Rocky’s restorative justice projects here: https://www.cityweekly.net/utah/feedback-from-october-19-and-beyond/Content?oid=20639419.)
The best thing that could happen for most people engaged in illegal use of drugs, as well as for SLC residents and businesses/employees, would be for illicit drug users to participate in community-based therapy programs (such as Mental Health America of Utah), other drug programs not associated with the criminal justice system, or Drug Court or other diversion programs that provide effective drug abuse treatment and dismissal of criminal charges when possible. That would be a very constructive approach for everyone concerned, including people addicted to dangerous drugs, loved ones of people struggling with drug addiction, and residents and businesses adversely impacted by the anti-social conduct of people addicted to drugs.
The following photo was taken by Rocky from inside the lobby of the office building where his law practice was on 300 South and Main Street:
Rocky called for police, hoping the man would be taken off the streets and afforded drug treatment through Drug Court. However, over the course of three days, no police officer ever showed up and no one even called. It was just one more instance of city government looking the other way while our city streets are filled with more people selling and using drugs with abandon, knowing there will be no accountability. And one more lost opportunity of being able to help those whose lives are consumed by their dangerous drug addictions.
9. As a resident of Salt Lake City, with his law office downtown, Rocky wrote to Mayor Mendenhall and a City Council member, pointing out many of the serious problems relating to filth and crime in the downtown area. He urged that public toilets be provided for those who need to relieve themselves, noting that human feces and urine were commonly found throughout the downtown area and in several neighborhoods. In fact, Rocky’s dog Teddy, while being walked, picked up a large piece of human feces just a few feet from Main Street and Exchange Place.
Almost every morning, Rocky and other tenants of the beautiful, historic-renovated building where his law office was located on 300 South and Main St. were greeted at the art deco entrance with puddles of urine. (At one point during the frustrating course of his correspondence with the Mayor and the Council Member, Rocky sent them an email with a photo of a urine puddle in the doorway and noted that, in fact, there was a public urinal, after all—the entrance to his building.) The correspondence continued for several months, with the Mayor arrogantly shuffling the matter off to a staff person. The only answer provided was that the City would pay a private company to clean up the feces and urine if they were called. |
Rocky expressed his utter dismay and anger that there was no concern or compassion by the elected officials regarding the human dignity and hygiene of people who need to relieve themselves but have no access to a bathroom. He also expressed his disgust that they also seemed to have no concern for the residents, businesses, and visitors in our city who are so often exposed to the human filth in our downtown and throughout several neighborhoods.
Rocky found it disgraceful that the "solution" of having a private company clean up after the fact appeared to be "good enough" for our City in the minds of the Mayor and the Council member. You can read the correspondence at: https://www.rocky4mayor.com/uploads/1/4/2/8/142863209/2020-2021_rcaemailswithmayormendenhallsofficereneedforslcpublictoilets
_upload2.pdf
Rocky found it disgraceful that the "solution" of having a private company clean up after the fact appeared to be "good enough" for our City in the minds of the Mayor and the Council member. You can read the correspondence at: https://www.rocky4mayor.com/uploads/1/4/2/8/142863209/2020-2021_rcaemailswithmayormendenhallsofficereneedforslcpublictoilets
_upload2.pdf
10. The Mendenhall administration has handed out millions of dollars in subsidies to developers, including for housing for homeless people, without requiring buildings be electrified and that the electricity come from a clean, renewable source. As a decades-long internationally renowned advocate for climate protection and clean air, Rocky would attach to all SLC subsidies for construction a requirement that clean, renewable energy be utilized.
11. During her last campaign, then-candidate Mendenhall issued a mailer “that strongly hints she is a Mormon, when in fact she is not.” Bob Bernick, “Mendenhall mailer makes religion a last-minute issue in race for SLC mayor,” Utah Policy, October 31, 2019, found here. “The mailer, signed by several faithful LDS Church members, says they have ‘worshipped with her,’ ‘visit taught’ her and ‘served with her’—all Mormon societal buzz phrases that could well lead readers to believe Mendenhall is LDS.” Id.
That letter refers to “her policy vision and plans” including “the return of neighborhood cleanup day.” Mayor Mendenhall hasn’t since mentioned the return of the curbside clean-up program and has wholly failed to fulfill her promise to return to our residents that hugely popular program, even after raising our property taxes by 4.9%.
During Rocky’s eight years as Mayor, the curb-side clean-up program was reliably conducted every year, all within budget and without any property tax increases. Rocky will restore the program immediately upon being sworn in for the third time as Salt Lake City’s greenest and most responsive, accessible Mayor.
Then-candidate Mendenhall also promised us four years ago she would negotiate with Rocky Mountain Power to move up the 2030 goal of the Biskupski administration to achieve 100% renewable electric power for all of Salt Lake City by 2023. That promise was set forth explicitly in her written campaign literature and in her statements quoted by The Salt Lake Tribune. Yet, during a recent debate, Mayor Mendenhall stated that she “never promised 2023” as the date for achieving 100% renewable energy because “that was never a reality.” That was directly contrary to what she said when she was running for mayor four years ago. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvyoGW9ZWsY
Four years ago, candidate Erin Mendenhall also stated the following in her campaign literature:
That letter refers to “her policy vision and plans” including “the return of neighborhood cleanup day.” Mayor Mendenhall hasn’t since mentioned the return of the curbside clean-up program and has wholly failed to fulfill her promise to return to our residents that hugely popular program, even after raising our property taxes by 4.9%.
During Rocky’s eight years as Mayor, the curb-side clean-up program was reliably conducted every year, all within budget and without any property tax increases. Rocky will restore the program immediately upon being sworn in for the third time as Salt Lake City’s greenest and most responsive, accessible Mayor.
Then-candidate Mendenhall also promised us four years ago she would negotiate with Rocky Mountain Power to move up the 2030 goal of the Biskupski administration to achieve 100% renewable electric power for all of Salt Lake City by 2023. That promise was set forth explicitly in her written campaign literature and in her statements quoted by The Salt Lake Tribune. Yet, during a recent debate, Mayor Mendenhall stated that she “never promised 2023” as the date for achieving 100% renewable energy because “that was never a reality.” That was directly contrary to what she said when she was running for mayor four years ago. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvyoGW9ZWsY
Four years ago, candidate Erin Mendenhall also stated the following in her campaign literature:
“Accessing childcare is difficult for families across our city, including those who work inside our city government. As mayor, Erin will work to [sic] a program to provide childcare for the children of city employees. Introducing childcare to Salt Lake City is could [sic] potentially benefit many city employees and possibly others in need of childcare services.”
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“Erin Mendenhall’s Vision for a Stronger Salt Lake City – 46 policy proposals and commitments,” pages 22-23.
She hasn’t since mentioned what she had promised and nothing at all has been done to fulfill her promise regarding childcare for city employees.
12. When Rocky was Salt Lake City Mayor, our city’s streets and parks were well maintained and improved in numerous respects. The streets were never allowed to become deteriorated and dangerous to drive—or ride a bicycle on—because of the ubiquitous potholes, as we all experience now.
Cottonwood Park was expanded and a dog park, popular to this day, was created there. The International Peace Gardens was spruced up and Jordan Park was improved, including the addition of the city’s first skateboard park. Liberty Park was improved in numerous respects, including the renovation of what is now the YouthCity building, new restrooms (closed by the Mendenhall administration during the winter), a running trail, a separate bike/skating lane separated from the road for vehicles, the addition of the Paralympics legacy Rotary Play Park, and the repair and addition of a filter system and water recirculation system for the amazing Seven Canyons Fountain—which, in a terrible betrayal to the artists and funders of the original Fountain and its renovation, as well as the thousands of people who would love to enjoy and play in the Fountain in the future, Mayor Mendenhall seeks to turn into a dry concrete feature.
Now, not only is the Seven Canyons Fountain closed—as it has been for six years, with no problem-solving by the two administrations that have left it languishing—but our parks are run down, poorly maintained, and even the Rotary Play Park appears to be completely abandoned by the present administration, with graffiti, several missing swings, missing mallets on the music-makers, and a generally run-down appearance. It’s all such a betrayal of those who worked and contributed to make the Rotary Play Park such a beautiful, fun addition to Liberty Park.
Cottonwood Park was expanded and a dog park, popular to this day, was created there. The International Peace Gardens was spruced up and Jordan Park was improved, including the addition of the city’s first skateboard park. Liberty Park was improved in numerous respects, including the renovation of what is now the YouthCity building, new restrooms (closed by the Mendenhall administration during the winter), a running trail, a separate bike/skating lane separated from the road for vehicles, the addition of the Paralympics legacy Rotary Play Park, and the repair and addition of a filter system and water recirculation system for the amazing Seven Canyons Fountain—which, in a terrible betrayal to the artists and funders of the original Fountain and its renovation, as well as the thousands of people who would love to enjoy and play in the Fountain in the future, Mayor Mendenhall seeks to turn into a dry concrete feature.
Now, not only is the Seven Canyons Fountain closed—as it has been for six years, with no problem-solving by the two administrations that have left it languishing—but our parks are run down, poorly maintained, and even the Rotary Play Park appears to be completely abandoned by the present administration, with graffiti, several missing swings, missing mallets on the music-makers, and a generally run-down appearance. It’s all such a betrayal of those who worked and contributed to make the Rotary Play Park such a beautiful, fun addition to Liberty Park.
13. Rocky changed the culture of the SLCPD during his tenure, making it clear that good police should be respected and appreciated by the community, but that police who abused their power or failed to perform their jobs would face accountability. Rocky also formed the state’s first Civilian Review Board, investigating and making discipline recommendations in individual cases. He also formed the state’s first Crisis Intervention Team, training police officers how to recognize and deal with mental illness.
Mayor Mendenhall and the current Chief of Police have both said they "support" the failure of two police officers to put into practice their training and give aid to a man who was bleeding to death from a knife wound. Mayor Mendenhall has said the officers did what they were trained to do and Chief Brown has said the officers did a great job (as they stood watching a man bleed to death without providing him any aid).
Also, note from the below investigative pieces how the changing excuses for the first-responders’ failure to give aid to a man with a severe knife wound were promoted by the Mayor, who when asked if she would prefer that first-responders be willing and able to utilize their first-aid training to help a person in need, stated (like the School Police Chief in Uvalde) that "I want our officers to be safe. That’s their job."
Rocky would never tolerate the failure of SLC’s first-responders to provide assistance to a person who was bleeding profusely.
Mayor Mendenhall and the current Chief of Police have both said they "support" the failure of two police officers to put into practice their training and give aid to a man who was bleeding to death from a knife wound. Mayor Mendenhall has said the officers did what they were trained to do and Chief Brown has said the officers did a great job (as they stood watching a man bleed to death without providing him any aid).
Also, note from the below investigative pieces how the changing excuses for the first-responders’ failure to give aid to a man with a severe knife wound were promoted by the Mayor, who when asked if she would prefer that first-responders be willing and able to utilize their first-aid training to help a person in need, stated (like the School Police Chief in Uvalde) that "I want our officers to be safe. That’s their job."
Rocky would never tolerate the failure of SLC’s first-responders to provide assistance to a person who was bleeding profusely.
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14. A mother of an autistic child who was seeking help during the boy’s mental health crisis called for police assistance. A police officer responding to the call arrived and shot the child, causing lifetime injuries. The city settled a lawsuit for $3 million. The District Attorney found the shooting was unjustified, but decided, because one “expert” said he believed the shooting was justified, that criminal charges would not be brought against the officer.
The officer still works for the SLCPD and there has been no accountability within the police department for the shooting. The latest information is that the officer is still employed by the SLCPD on “modified duty.” See https://www.npr.org/2020/09/09/
910975499/autistic-13-year-old-boy-shot-by-salt-lake-city-police; https://apnews.com/article/autistic-boy-shot-by-police-utah-133f2a0a0a45bdd8ea5c5a3660aac425; https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/prosecutors-decline-charge-officer-shot-wounded-autistic-utah-102210999.
The officer still works for the SLCPD and there has been no accountability within the police department for the shooting. The latest information is that the officer is still employed by the SLCPD on “modified duty.” See https://www.npr.org/2020/09/09/
910975499/autistic-13-year-old-boy-shot-by-salt-lake-city-police; https://apnews.com/article/autistic-boy-shot-by-police-utah-133f2a0a0a45bdd8ea5c5a3660aac425; https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/prosecutors-decline-charge-officer-shot-wounded-autistic-utah-102210999.
Rocky has represented plaintiffs following unjustified police shootings, the excessive use of force, and medical indifference. (See, e.g., https://rockyanderson.org/law-practice/evans/; https://rockyanderson.org/law-practice/kendall-vs-salt-lake-city/; https://rockyanderson.org/law-practice/ostler/ ) He also formed the state’s first Police Civilian Review Board when he was mayor.
The following is an excerpt from Rocky’s 2007 State of The City Address:
The following is an excerpt from Rocky’s 2007 State of The City Address:
A few years ago, we formed, for the first time in the City’s history, a Police Civilian Review Board to examine individual complaints about police officers’ conduct. Under the Review Board system, greater fairness and accountability are provided for citizens and officers alike. Thanks to the dogged efforts of Ty McCartney and the several dedicated volunteers who devote so much time, energy, and talent to their service on the Board, greater trust has been built between our police officers and members of the public. That is important progress. We are proud to learn that use-of-force complaints against police officers were 18% lower in 2006 than in 2005. That, too, is significant progress.
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Rocky has been a consistent, vigorous advocate for transparency and accountability regarding claims of police officer misconduct. At the same time, Rocky has been very supportive of police officers who act professionally and help provide for the safety and security for everyone in our community. Rocky believes that every good police officer is served by making certain there is full accountability for officers who misuse their authority or fail to do their job.
15. Mayor Mendenhall thinks that the Chief’s job regarding internal investigations and discipline is actually the job of the County D.A. See this: https://youtu.be/lGlz9FdPTiA?si=vRiHY7AK5ccWiOH6.
But that’s not how it works. A Chief of Police has no business holding up an investigation for more than 3 years because the criminal case against a police officer has not yet gone to trial. They are two different things.
The Chief, with the help of Internal Affairs and the Civilian Review Board, is to determine if an officer has acted appropriately, without regard to what a D.A. does or doesn’t do in a criminal context. Taking over three years for a determination of an internal complaint and investigation is a complete failure to meet the duty of a Chief of Police regarding internal discipline.
The justification by the mayor for that delay is bizarre and in violation of the city’s contract with the Police Union to conclude internal investigations within 75 days (unless the Chief grants an extension). To await the outcome of a criminal case more than three years after the event complained about is in derogation of a Chief’s responsibility to have internal matters investigated and decided in a timely manner. This entire matter is an outrage, from the initial incident to the interminable delay and the excuses offered for it. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXSwxCCYhkw.
But that’s not how it works. A Chief of Police has no business holding up an investigation for more than 3 years because the criminal case against a police officer has not yet gone to trial. They are two different things.
The Chief, with the help of Internal Affairs and the Civilian Review Board, is to determine if an officer has acted appropriately, without regard to what a D.A. does or doesn’t do in a criminal context. Taking over three years for a determination of an internal complaint and investigation is a complete failure to meet the duty of a Chief of Police regarding internal discipline.
The justification by the mayor for that delay is bizarre and in violation of the city’s contract with the Police Union to conclude internal investigations within 75 days (unless the Chief grants an extension). To await the outcome of a criminal case more than three years after the event complained about is in derogation of a Chief’s responsibility to have internal matters investigated and decided in a timely manner. This entire matter is an outrage, from the initial incident to the interminable delay and the excuses offered for it. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXSwxCCYhkw.
16. At the behest of Mayor Mendenhall, who has recklessly increased City government spending, including for the creation of several new departments and department directors and other administrators, Salt Lake City property taxes were recently increased 4.9%.
During the eight years of Rocky’s time as Mayor, he did not propose raising property taxes and increased the "rainy day" reserve fund by more than 62%.
During the eight years of Rocky’s time as Mayor, he did not propose raising property taxes and increased the "rainy day" reserve fund by more than 62%.
17. The Mayor’s Office pays the Chief of Staff (with a Deputy Chief of Staff) almost a quarter of a million dollars a year. Compensation of other Mayor’s Office staff would be quite shocking to most taxpayers. The Mayor recommended a budget of $6,820,067 for her Office for FY 2023-24. That constitutes a massive increase—65%—from the FY 2021-22 actual of $4,137,853.
When he was Mayor, Rocky respected taxpayers and spent far less than the revenues, increasing the reserve (rainy day) fund by more than 61%. There was no tax increase during the eight years Rocky was Salt Lake City Mayor. There won’t be one when he’s mayor again.
When he was Mayor, Rocky respected taxpayers and spent far less than the revenues, increasing the reserve (rainy day) fund by more than 61%. There was no tax increase during the eight years Rocky was Salt Lake City Mayor. There won’t be one when he’s mayor again.
18. Rocky conceived of the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival and partnered with Jerry Floor, the extraordinary director, to make it happen for seven incredible years. The Festival was 3 or 4 days long each year—twice, the Utah Symphony performed with jazz greats at Abravenal Hall—and, at Rocky’s insistence, it was all free-of-charge to everyone, making it a premier community-building event for everyone, including out-of-state guests who came each year for our renowned Jazz Festival. Rocky and Jerry were able to make the Festival free through their hard work raising the necessary funds.
Rocky’s successors didn’t carry on the tradition and, after several years of trying hard to still make it work (but never again free-of-charge), Jerry and the dozens of amazing volunteers were left only with the hope that Rocky would be elected again someday to bring back the Jazz Festival in all its glory. Rocky has pledged, and insisted, that the Jazz Festival will be revived and again be made free-of-charge for everyone to enjoy together. See this article about one of the Festivals: https://www.ksl.com/article/76877/jazz-festival-brings-many-firsts-to-utah
Rocky’s successors didn’t carry on the tradition and, after several years of trying hard to still make it work (but never again free-of-charge), Jerry and the dozens of amazing volunteers were left only with the hope that Rocky would be elected again someday to bring back the Jazz Festival in all its glory. Rocky has pledged, and insisted, that the Jazz Festival will be revived and again be made free-of-charge for everyone to enjoy together. See this article about one of the Festivals: https://www.ksl.com/article/76877/jazz-festival-brings-many-firsts-to-utah
20. This says it all: “Rocky Anderson: More affordable housing is possible. So is keeping a neighborhood’s character.” The Salt Lake Tribune, May 7, 2023, found at https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/05/07/anderson-more-affordable-housing-is/
21. Air pollution is causing tremendous health problems for residents along the Wasatch Front and even shortening lives by an average of over two years.
According to the new Air Quality Life Index, conducted with the assistance of researchers at the University of Chicago, poor air quality is shortening a person's life.
The report, which was put out just last week, concludes that particulate air pollution takes 2.2 years off global average life expectancy, or a combined 17 billion life-years, relative to a world that met the WHO guideline. The report states bad air is killing us at roughly the same rate as tobacco and lowers your life expectancy more than three times that of alcohol, six times that of HIV/AIDS, and 89 times that of conflict or terrorism. |
Jim Spiewak, “Air pollution reduces life expectancy by more than two years, study says,” KUTV, June 21, 2022, found at https://kutv.com/news/local/air-pollution-reduces-life-expectancy-by-two-years-more-than-alcohol-global-who-quality-tobacco-hiv-aids-utahns
The current mayor has repeatedly emphasized that she wants “a place at the table” and won’t take the leadership required to directly challenge the rich and powerful when it is required for the public health and safety.
Rocky demonstrated that he worked well with numerous diverse people—including numerous Republican legislators, Mitt Romney during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and Jon Huntsman, Sr., in convening the Alliance for Unity. But he was willing to stand on important principle and even engage in litigation when necessary to protect the environment, public health, and the civil rights of people in Salt Lake City.
Hence, when he was mayor, he joined with the Sierra Club in suing to stop the initial illegal, environmentally harmful plan for the Legacy Highway, forcing the state back to the drawing table to design a more environmentally friendly, legal Legacy Parkway. “Court of appeals overturns approval of Legacy Highway,” September 17, 2002, found at https://www.deseret.com/2002/9/17/19677869
/court-of-appeals-overturns-approval-of-legacy-highway.
He successfully defended against a lawsuit challenging his issuance of an Executive Order providing equality in benefits (including domestic partner insurance), regardless of sexual orientation.
Rocky demonstrated that he worked well with numerous diverse people—including numerous Republican legislators, Mitt Romney during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and Jon Huntsman, Sr., in convening the Alliance for Unity. But he was willing to stand on important principle and even engage in litigation when necessary to protect the environment, public health, and the civil rights of people in Salt Lake City.
Hence, when he was mayor, he joined with the Sierra Club in suing to stop the initial illegal, environmentally harmful plan for the Legacy Highway, forcing the state back to the drawing table to design a more environmentally friendly, legal Legacy Parkway. “Court of appeals overturns approval of Legacy Highway,” September 17, 2002, found at https://www.deseret.com/2002/9/17/19677869
/court-of-appeals-overturns-approval-of-legacy-highway.
He successfully defended against a lawsuit challenging his issuance of an Executive Order providing equality in benefits (including domestic partner insurance), regardless of sexual orientation.
In September 2005, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson signed an executive order creating domestic partnerships for city employees. Quickly thereafter an Arizona based Christian legal group called the Alliance Defense Fund sued the city, claiming that the policy violates Utah constitutional Amendment 3. The American Civil Liberties Union has joined the city in its defense saying the policy is needed on the basis of having "the right to be free from discrimination based on their relationships and the right to equal compensation for equal work."
State legislators Chris Buttars and LaVar Christensen are highly critical of Anderson's measures. Buttars said, "Rocky has attracted the entire gay community to come and live in Salt Lake County." And Christensen said he may propose a law in the state legislature to prevent the Mayor's policies. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation put Anderson on their top ten list of supporters of gay rights in 2005. |
“Salt Lake City domestic partnerships,” Susan’s Place, found at https://www.susans.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Utah#Salt_Lake_
City_domestic_partnerships.
City_domestic_partnerships.
He also successfully challenged the application of the state’s English-only law to municipalities. See “Anderson testifies about limitations of English-only law,” Deseret News, January 30, 2001, found at https://www.deseret. com/2001/1/30/19566738/anderson-testifies-about-limitations-of-english-only-law.
Rocky strongly believes in the rule of law. If someone is violating a law protecting the environment, public health, or the civil rights of someone, he knows that resort to the courts is sometimes necessary to vindicate the rights and interest of the public.
Mayor Mendenhall has several times made it clear that she will not engage in litigation to fight for the interests of the public, believing instead that it is her role to “find a seat at the table” with those who often are the ones who violate the public interest.
Leadership requires a toughness and commitment to principle that Mayor Mendenhall has demonstrated she does not have. The difference was on display during the Salt Lake Tribune/PBS/KUER debate when the candidates were asked if they would sue to stop the expansion of I-15. Rocky said he would if there were a good-faith legal basis. Mayor Mendenhall said she would not. Rocky believes that such a position is a betrayal of the interests of those who will be harmed by the highway expansion, now and far into the future.
Rocky strongly believes in the rule of law. If someone is violating a law protecting the environment, public health, or the civil rights of someone, he knows that resort to the courts is sometimes necessary to vindicate the rights and interest of the public.
Mayor Mendenhall has several times made it clear that she will not engage in litigation to fight for the interests of the public, believing instead that it is her role to “find a seat at the table” with those who often are the ones who violate the public interest.
Leadership requires a toughness and commitment to principle that Mayor Mendenhall has demonstrated she does not have. The difference was on display during the Salt Lake Tribune/PBS/KUER debate when the candidates were asked if they would sue to stop the expansion of I-15. Rocky said he would if there were a good-faith legal basis. Mayor Mendenhall said she would not. Rocky believes that such a position is a betrayal of the interests of those who will be harmed by the highway expansion, now and far into the future.
22. The candidates were asked by the Great Salt Lake Collaborative how much of a priority saving the Great Salt Lake would be for them. On a 1-10 scale (where 10 was the top priority), Rocky answered that saving the Great Salt Lake would be a top priority (a 10) for him as mayor. Mayor Mendenhall said it would be a 6 out of 10 priority for her. See Rocky’s statement about saving the Great Salt Lake here:
23. Salt Lake City’s housing is now incredibly unaffordable for most people. Unaffordable housing is the major cause of homelessness. (Please read this excellent article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/01/homelessness-affordable-housing-crisis-democrats-causes/672224/)
The failure of City government to stop the rampant gentrification of Salt Lake City and to provide adequate affordable housing is a betrayal to us all. Mayor Mendenhall has proposed nothing other than the old formula of zoning changes and subsidies to developers.
Rocky is passionate about doing what works best—and about making radical changes to provide adequate mixed-income affordable housing (for people at all income levels). He vigorously advocates that the city directly build mixed-income social housing that could provide hundreds or thousands of housing units for people at almost every income category (see Peter Dreier, "Why America Needs More Social Housing," The American Prospect, April 16, 2018, found at https://prospect.org/infrastructure/america-needs-social-housing/), in addition to partnering with the State, County, and philanthropists to build far more permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people, as was being done when Rocky was Mayor.
The failure of City government to stop the rampant gentrification of Salt Lake City and to provide adequate affordable housing is a betrayal to us all. Mayor Mendenhall has proposed nothing other than the old formula of zoning changes and subsidies to developers.
Rocky is passionate about doing what works best—and about making radical changes to provide adequate mixed-income affordable housing (for people at all income levels). He vigorously advocates that the city directly build mixed-income social housing that could provide hundreds or thousands of housing units for people at almost every income category (see Peter Dreier, "Why America Needs More Social Housing," The American Prospect, April 16, 2018, found at https://prospect.org/infrastructure/america-needs-social-housing/), in addition to partnering with the State, County, and philanthropists to build far more permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people, as was being done when Rocky was Mayor.
24. Rocky’s position that Salt Lake City should stop subsidizing for-profit developers with millions of dollars of public money and, instead, build its own well-designed, mixed-income, non-market housing that will be permanently affordable was recently summarized as follows:
Amidst the growing affordability crisis in Salt Lake City, Mayor Rocky Anderson proposes a bold solution to ensure middle-income Utahns can buy homes in the city. Anderson focuses on ending subsidies for profit-driven developers who have constructed unaffordable housing. Instead, he suggests building beautifully designed, mixed-income, nonmarket, permanently affordable housing. By eliminating the profit margin, rents and sale prices would be significantly lower, making homeownership more accessible for middle-income residents.
This approach takes inspiration from successful nonmarket housing models around the world. In cities like Seattle, initiatives for nonmarket housing have been passed, and in Singapore, the majority of citizens own affordable homes. Anderson believes that by following this path, Salt Lake City can alleviate the affordability crisis and provide truly affordable housing for its residents. Additionally, Anderson addresses the need for redevelopment at Smith’s Ballpark. While he acknowledges the possibility of bringing a triple-A baseball team to the city, he suggests exploring the creation of a world-class venue for women’s sports. This venue could accommodate soccer, football, baseball, softball, rugby, and volleyball, and also serve as a space for music and arts festivals. By repurposing the ballpark in a way that promotes diversity, inclusivity, and community engagement, Anderson aims to enhance the city’s cultural and recreational offerings. Aside from housing and homelessness, Anderson highlights the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake as another significant challenge that Salt Lake City faces. He emphasizes the importance of preserving the lake’s ecosystem and preventing the release of harmful metals into the air, which can lead to severe health risks for residents. Anderson proposes diverting water from alfalfa farming to ensure the sustainability of the lake. By collaborating with other communities and advocating for legal remedies and public policy changes, he intends to protect the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding environment. FAQ: Q: What is nonmarket housing? A: Nonmarket housing refers to housing that is not driven by profit motives. It is typically subsidized or managed by the government or nonprofit organizations to ensure affordability and accessibility for residents. Q: What is the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake? A: The desiccation of the Great Salt Lake refers to the process of the lake drying up over time, which can have severe ecological and health consequences for the region. Q: How can diverting water from alfalfa farming help save the Great Salt Lake? A: Alfalfa farming consumes a significant amount of water in Utah. By redirecting water resources from alfalfa farming to the preservation of the Great Salt Lake, it ensures a sustainable water supply for the lake and protects its ecosystem. Sources: – Seattle Nonmarket Housing Initiative: [seattle.gov](https://www.seattle.gov/dpd/housing/) |
Sharna Bass, “New Housing Solutions for Middle-Income Utahns in Salt Lake City, November 4, 2023, Off Plan Property Exchange, found at https://offplanpropertyexchange.com/news/salt-lake-city-voter-guide-2023/301195/.
25. Rocky posted the following on Instagram about the importance and feasibility of restoring the extraordinary Seven Canyons Fountain:
Seven Canyons Fountain was a unique jewel in our city – a tremendous, creative work of art, a representation of our amazing geography (including water from our canyons), and a fun place for kids (and others) to play in the water. When I was Mayor, we faced health issues with the fountain, raised money, and fixed the problem, providing many years of enjoyment for residents and visitors. https://www.deseret.com/2001/7/13/19596205/fountain-runs-dry-151-but-not-for-long
Similar problems arose 6 years ago —and there has been nothing but delay, expensive consultants, and inaction, leading to a dystopian result by the Mendenhall administration, which has decided to “paint” the water on concrete. The kids will sure love that! What a betrayal of our community, now and for generations, denying them of what we all enjoyed and valued so much. |
26. The Mendenhall administration has said it will, down the road, sign a deal for clean energy with Rocky Mountain Power, as 17 other cities will also do. But the Mayor has not done anything innovative or effective about cleaning up our air or reducing greenhouse gas emissions to earn national or international attention.
When he was Mayor, Rocky arranged with Rocky Mountain Power for Salt Lake City to be the state’s largest purchaser of clean, renewable energy. Rocky was known as one of the greenest mayors in the nation and, according to Bloomberg Businessweek, was one of the top 20 climate protection activists worldwide. Because of his effective, innovative environmental programs, he received the EPA’s Climate Protection Award, the World Leadership Award (Environment), and the national Distinguished Service Award from the Sierra Club.
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A presentation produced and narrated by Rocky, describing how Salt Lake City reduced greenhouse gas emissions in its municipal operations by 31% in three years, and how it provided international climate protection leadership, is found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MKcHOqJp6Y&t=6s.
Rocky teamed up with Robert Redford and ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) in hosting mayors from around the country annually for three years at the Sundance Summit, to teach about the climate crisis, how best to educate constituents about it, and the best local practices to combat it. See Leigh Dethman, "Rocky hopes local fight on climate won’t cool," Deseret News, September 8, 2007, found at https://www.deseret.com/2007/9/8/20040158/rocky-hopes-local-fight-on-climate-won-t-cool.
Rocky teamed up with Robert Redford and ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) in hosting mayors from around the country annually for three years at the Sundance Summit, to teach about the climate crisis, how best to educate constituents about it, and the best local practices to combat it. See Leigh Dethman, "Rocky hopes local fight on climate won’t cool," Deseret News, September 8, 2007, found at https://www.deseret.com/2007/9/8/20040158/rocky-hopes-local-fight-on-climate-won-t-cool.
27. In March 2021, Mayor Mendenhall said her administration was working at "light speed" to get housing for homeless people at The Other Side Village "up and running" by winter of 2021. (See "Mayor Mendenhall, The Other Side Academy to Partner on Tiny Home Pilot This Winter," March 29, 2021, found at https://www.slc.gov/mayor/2021/04/29/mayor-mendenhall-the-other-side-academy-to-partner-on-tiny-home-pilot-this-winter/.) By the winter of 2023, nothing has yet been built! Had the administration acted with the urgency the matter deserved, hundreds of people could have been out of the cold in the homes at The Other Side Village during the winters of 2021 and 2022—and now, as the winter of 2023 begins.
The same has happened with so many other projects, such as the former Public Safety Building at 500 East and 200 South and surrounding property, which has been, for the entirety of the Mendenhall administration, nothing but an eyesore, public nuisance, and lost opportunity. Rocky has pledged that, under his administration, the property will be developed into an attractive and beneficial amenity for our City.
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Also, consider the Seven Canyons Fountain at Liberty Park, which, for the entirety of the Mendenhall administration (and even before), has remained closed because of inaction, inattention, and plodding, wasteful government-by-consultant-and-committees.
When Rocky was Mayor, the Seven Canyons Fountain had to be shut down because it didn’t initially have a filter system. Rocky immediately raised substantial money from private sources, worked to have the City allocate money toward the project, and Seven Canyons was rapidly fixed and opened for the public’s enjoyment. (See footnote 25.)
The difference has been that Rocky knows how to get things done.
When Rocky was Mayor, the Seven Canyons Fountain had to be shut down because it didn’t initially have a filter system. Rocky immediately raised substantial money from private sources, worked to have the City allocate money toward the project, and Seven Canyons was rapidly fixed and opened for the public’s enjoyment.
The difference has been that Rocky knows how to get things done.
When Rocky was Mayor, the Seven Canyons Fountain had to be shut down because it didn’t initially have a filter system. Rocky immediately raised substantial money from private sources, worked to have the City allocate money toward the project, and Seven Canyons was rapidly fixed and opened for the public’s enjoyment. (See footnote 25.)
The difference has been that Rocky knows how to get things done.
When Rocky was Mayor, the Seven Canyons Fountain had to be shut down because it didn’t initially have a filter system. Rocky immediately raised substantial money from private sources, worked to have the City allocate money toward the project, and Seven Canyons was rapidly fixed and opened for the public’s enjoyment.
The difference has been that Rocky knows how to get things done.
28. During Rocky’s term as mayor, the City devised a system of enforcing against repeated drunken, loud parties that undermine the quality of life in neighborhoods. Both the tenants and landlords would be ticketed, at increasing amounts, with warnings to landlords that they would be held liable for their nuisance properties. Now, nothing is done by the city to provide for the peaceful use of properties where people’s quality of life is undermined.
Again, the sense of impunity so many people have because of the lack of action by the city has led to increasing boldness by offenders and a sense of powerlessness for neighbors who are adversely impacted. The same goes for those who are subjected to loud, illegal drag races, which are increasingly attracting gambling, drugs, and guns.
As mayor, Rocky will make certain the city enforces against nuisance party houses and drag racing. We’ll all have an increased quality of life with a mayor who understands the role of the city in protecting everyone from the frustration, hostility, and sleepless nights resulting from repeated loud parties and drag racing.
Again, the sense of impunity so many people have because of the lack of action by the city has led to increasing boldness by offenders and a sense of powerlessness for neighbors who are adversely impacted. The same goes for those who are subjected to loud, illegal drag races, which are increasingly attracting gambling, drugs, and guns.
As mayor, Rocky will make certain the city enforces against nuisance party houses and drag racing. We’ll all have an increased quality of life with a mayor who understands the role of the city in protecting everyone from the frustration, hostility, and sleepless nights resulting from repeated loud parties and drag racing.
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29. According to former Chief of Police Chris Burbank, while Rocky was Mayor, he set a goal of 6 minutes or less for priority 1 calls to the police and monitored its accomplishment by calling the Chief regularly.
Under Mayor Mendenhall, SLCPD response times have been abysmal and, instead of improving performance to meet the prior goal, the SLCPD Chief has dangerously lowered the bar by setting the "goal" at 10 minutes.
Mayor Mendenhall said it is not her job to set police response times, because it shouldn’t be "politically directed." Watch this disturbing investigative report: https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/fox-13-investigates-salt-lake-city-lowers-the-bar-for-police-response-times. Keep in mind that if someone is being raped or assaulted, but police don’t arrive in time to find anyone on scene, the crime statistics will not include the crimes. Violent crime rates don’t correctly reflect the level of crime when the police fail to show up.
Mayor Mendenhall said it is not her job to set police response times, because it shouldn’t be "politically directed." Watch this disturbing investigative report: https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/fox-13-investigates-salt-lake-city-lowers-the-bar-for-police-response-times. Keep in mind that if someone is being raped or assaulted, but police don’t arrive in time to find anyone on scene, the crime statistics will not include the crimes. Violent crime rates don’t correctly reflect the level of crime when the police fail to show up.