Protect and Expand Open & Green Spaces
Protect and Expand Open & Green Spaces
Protect and Expand Open & Green Spaces
Preserve what makes Salt Lake County livable while ensuring all neighborhoods have access to safe parks and open space.
- Dedicated funding for park maintenance and acquisition: Protect voter-approved open space funds and ensure dollars are used for both land preservation and ongoing maintenance, especially in underserved areas.
- Equitable park access planning: Require county planning staff to map park access by neighborhood and prioritize investments where families lack nearby green space.
- Urban tree canopy expansion: Partner with municipalities and conservation districts to expand tree planting along streets, trails, and public facilities to reduce heat, improve air quality, and lower infrastructure costs.
- Public-private land preservation partnerships: Work with land trusts, cities, and school districts to preserve open land without raising taxes by leveraging matching grants and conservation easements.
Clean Air & Sustainable Transportation
Protect and Expand Open & Green Spaces
Protect and Expand Open & Green Spaces
Improve air quality in ways that protects public health, supports economic growth, and respects how people live and commute.
- County fleet electrification: Set achievable targets to transition county vehicles to cleaner fuels, lowering long-term costs and setting an example without mandates on residents.
- Transit-supportive development policies: Use county zoning and development incentives to support housing and services near transit corridors, reducing congestion and pollution.
- Air quality impact review: Require air-quality assessments for major county projects, ensuring public dollars don’t worsen pollution during inversion seasons.
- Employer and commuter partnerships: Expand incentives for telework, flexible schedules, and vanpool programs for large employers, reducing peak-hour traffic.
Clean Water & Responsible Stewardship
Affordable Child Care & Family Stability
Affordable Child Care & Family Stability
Protect water quality, strengthen drought resilience, and safeguard the Great Salt Lake for future generations.
- Water-wise infrastructure standards: Require county facilities and funded projects to meet high water-efficiency standards, reducing waste and long-term costs.
- Great Salt Lake coordination: Use the county’s convening power to align cities, water districts, and state agencies around lake-level protection, dust mitigation, and habitat restoration.
- Public education and incentives: Expand conservation rebate programs and public outreach that help residents save water without sacrificing quality of life.
- Stormwater and watershed protection: Invest in natural infrastructure—wetlands, bioswales, and floodplain restoration—to protect water quality and reduce flood risk.
Affordable Child Care & Family Stability
Affordable Child Care & Family Stability
Affordable Child Care & Family Stability
Treat child care as essential infrastructure that supports working families, small businesses, and economic stability.
- Use county facilities for child care: Identify existing county buildings that can host licensed child care providers, lowering startup and operating costs.
- Workforce child care partnerships: Collaborate with hospitals, school districts, and major employers to expand child care slots tied to workforce needs.
- Stabilize existing providers: Create small-grant and technical-assistance programs to help child care centers stay open, meet licensing standards, and retain staff.
- After-school and summer programs: Expand county-supported programs that keep kids safe and engaged while parents work.
Responsible Growth, Housing Stability & Infrastructure
Responsible Growth, Housing Stability & Infrastructure
Responsible Growth, Housing Stability & Infrastructure
Manage growth in a way that protects neighborhoods, keeps housing attainable, and ensures infrastructure keeps up with population.
- Infrastructure-first growth planning: Require county-supported developments to demonstrate adequate roads, water, schools, and emergency services before approval, preventing strain on existing neighborhoods.
- Housing stability tools: Support county programs that prevent displacement, including rental assistance partnerships, eviction prevention, and housing counseling—keeping families housed while reducing long-term public costs.
- Smart density in the right places: Encourage mixed-use and workforce housing near transit, jobs, and services, while protecting established neighborhoods from incompatible development.
- Leverage public land responsibly: Prioritize county-owned land for uses that meet public needs—housing, parks, or community facilities—rather than selling assets for short-term revenue.
Safe Neighborhoods Through Smart Public Safety
Responsible Growth, Housing Stability & Infrastructure
Responsible Growth, Housing Stability & Infrastructure
Build safer communities by preventing crime, responding effectively to emergencies, and addressing root causes.
- Invest in mental health crisis response: Expand mobile crisis teams and co-responder programs so law enforcement can focus on serious crime while trained professionals handle behavioral health calls.
- Neighborhood safety improvements: Collaborate with various county municipalities to fund street lighting, traffic calming, safe crosswalks, and park safety upgrades—proven tools that reduce crime and injuries.
- Youth prevention programs: Support mentoring, recreation, and job-training programs that reduce involvement in the justice system and strengthen community ties.
- Data-driven oversight: Use performance metrics and public reporting to ensure public safety dollars are spent effectively and transparently.
Every dollar helps our campaign to build a Salt Lake County Council that works for us all.