Courtesy photo
Gay Lynn Bennion
Let me share a secret with you. Utah Democrats are working hard for policies that most Utahns and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enthusiastically support. The First Presidency of the Church recently stated, “Simply voting a straight ticket or voting based on ‘tradition’ without careful study of the candidates and their positions on important issues is a threat to democracy and inconsistent with revealed standards.” Now is a great time to unearth that secret and get our state’s voters to support candidates who reflect their values, not just their political affiliation.
Currently, 14 of the 75 members of the House of Representatives are Democrats. We are democrats because we love all our neighbors. As Democrats, half of whom are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are working to implement policies that reflect sensible and compassionate values—values that align with the teachings of Latter-day Saints.
An unhealthy supermajority in our state has resulted in many policies that most of us do not support. Check out some of Utah’s current laws.
Utah is one of four states that allows it more than 600% interest on payday loans. Nebraska and other states have capped interest rates at 36%, which allows businesses to thrive and prevents predatory usury practices. No other state in the country allows just that three working days followed before the eviction for mandatory treble damages, that is, three times the fines and rental costs. Eighty percent of Utahns support universal background checks for the purchase of weapons; however, the current legislation passed does not support these views. The current Legislature has significantly changed or completely overturned special election initiatives that Utahns voted to approve, such as a proposal to establish a bipartisan committee to recommend three alternatives for adjusting voting districts after each US Census. Utahns place a high value on public education, a tradition that began with early settlers in Utah. The supermajority uses public education as a fundraising tool. Democrats have a commitment to public education and prioritize related policies because Utah has the largest percentage of school-aged children in the country.
research it shows that raising teacher salaries would help retain our fantastic teachers. They helped our kids get through the pandemic, and our eighth graders were the only students in the country who didn’t have a significant loss in learning mathematics. Utah’s income tax is constitutionally reserved for public and higher education and the needs of children and the disabled. With excess money in the income tax fund, why do these funds continue to be labeled “surplus” and set aside for the future instead of being used judiciously for our children now?
These are just a few examples of current policies that do not reflect the values of many Latter-day Saints and others who care about justice, helping our communities, and good government. Utah Democrats in the Legislature want to change these policies, but we need your help. If you want to support policies that reflect sensible and compassionate values, including those that are compatible with Latter-day Saint values, it is important that you help the Democratic Caucus achieve our goals of improving state politics by electing candidates who reflect your values. Elect more Democrats to office to give the state more balanced representation. And support Republican candidates who will vote for policies that elevate the values of Utahns, not just the agenda of the supermajority.
It is important to be an engaged voter so that your voice is heard and represented in government. Do you know who your state representative and state senator are? Do you know the policies they sponsor and the proposed laws they vote on? Do their policies and votes reflect your values? Go to le.utah.gov to find your state representative and state senator. Send them an email or invite them to meet with you. If they don’t support the policies you want for Utah, get behind a person who will stand up for those policies, regardless of party affiliation. If you are a passionate advocate, I encourage you to do some research or even contact me to learn how you can run for office. My door is always open for any conversation that benefits the future of our state.
Gay Lynn Bennion represents House District 41 in the Utah Legislature. This is his opinion as an elected official and citizen and is not a statement of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Newsletter
Join thousands who already receive our daily newsletter.
