Working to Serve Salt Lake County

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.

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.

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.

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.