The Role of Government
I believe the best state government is fiscally responsible, limited in scope, and fully accountable to the people it serves. It must prioritize local control, protect our families and the environment, support effective public education and training, and foster a competitive business climate that creates opportunity. I will actively work for transparency, responsible development, and rooting out backroom deals and self-enrichment.
Fairness for All
I will always strive for win-win solutions! In 2015, negotiations over religious liberty and LGBTQ rights resulted in “The Utah Compromise” which simultaneously banned discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in housing and employment and protected religious liberty. This type of negotiation and compromise came to be known as “The Utah Way” or “Fairness for All.” This is important to me and the model I will follow and advocate for.
Optimizing Government for Utah Families
Prioritizing is an inherent part of decision making. In engineering, we call it optimization. We maximize the desired results and minimize the undesirable effects within given constraints. I will always choose to optimize solutions for maximum benefit to Utah families! I will oppose any efforts to maximize for party control, legislative power, re-election bids, or special interests.
Saving the Great Salt Lake
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A Comprehensive, Data-Driven Plan
A drying Great Salt Lake is the single greatest threat facing Utah. Toxic dust threatens the air quality of every family along the Wasatch Front, while falling water levels put our winter snowpack, recreation, and local economy at serious risk.
Solving this crisis requires systems thinking and strict accountability with tax dollars. In the Utah House of Representatives, I will focus on four connected pillars: shepherding water down our rivers, legally protecting it for the lake, saving water where it counts, and auditing the results.
1. Shepherding: Securing the Delivery Route
My first lake-related priority in the Legislature will be closing the $70 million technology and infrastructure gap needed to monitor and control river flows.
Our rivers have hundreds of canal gates and complex water rights. If someone leaves water in a river for the lake, downstream users can legally pull it out before it ever gets to the shore unless we can measure the flow and control the gates. Without physical control on the river, our conservation efforts are largely wasted.
In the House, I will:
- Fund River Automation: Sponsor funding to complete the estimated $70 million network of automated canal gates, flow sensors, and real-time computer tracking across our river systems.
- Empower River Officials: Make sure state river managers have the legal authority and digital tools to actively manage river flows—preventing water meant for the lake from being taken along the way.
2. Designating: Legally Protecting Water for the Lake
Utah has spent nearly $300 million in taxpayer funds to help farms upgrade their irrigation systems. Unfortunately, this money was handed out without requiring any of the saved water to be legally sent to the lake—and as a result, virtually none reached it.
Taxpayers deserve real results for their money. In the House, I will:
- Require Real Results from State Grants: Sponsor legislation requiring that any farm receiving state funds to upgrade equipment must legally protect a portion of the saved water to stay in the river for the lake.
- Pay Farmers to Rest Fields Late in the Season: Expand funding for voluntary programs that fairly pay farmers who choose not to water crops during late summer, leaving that water in the river.
- Clear the Way for Cities to Send Surplus Water: Remove legal barriers that currently penalize city water districts if they voluntarily release extra reservoir water to the lake.
3. Saving: Targeting Water Lost to the Air
To save the lake, we have to cut back on water that evaporates into the air, not water that already goes back into the system. Over 90% of indoor water (from sinks, showers, and toilets) is treated and returned to the lake. Restricting indoor fixtures does almost nothing to refill the lake. The real savings come from cutting outdoor waste and removing invasive plants.
In the House, I will:
- Fund the Removal of Thirsty Invasive Weeds: Prioritize ongoing state funding to clear invasive Phragmites reeds along our shorelines. Replacing them with native grass can return up to 75,000 acre-feet of water each year to the lake at about one-fifth the cost of leasing water rights.
- Enforce Outdoor Metering Deadlines: Hold the line on Utah’s 2030 deadline for water districts to install meters on pressurized outdoor secondary water systems, ensuring we have the data to stop excessive outdoor watering.
- Replace Unused Grass: Continue state rebates to replace purely decorative grass—like park strips and commercial curbs—with water-wise landscaping, and set smart standards for new commercial builds.
4. Measuring: Auditing Every Dollar Spent
Because the consequences of failure are devastating and the state is spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, we must verify that we actually put water in the lake.
In the House, I will:
- Measure Actual Lake Inflow: Require every state water program to measure how much additional water actually reaches the lake, rather than just counting pieces of equipment purchased.
- Demand Independent Audits: Direct the Legislative Auditor General to conduct recurring audits of every lake-related dollar to ensure taxpayer money is spent strictly as promised and delivers measurable gains for the Great Salt Lake.
Childhood Literacy and Education
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Canyons District is one of the best in the state, yet in 2024, only 69% of Canyons District K-3 students tested at grade appropriate reading proficiency. For grades 3-10 it was only 51%. This is a tragedy. Working together, we can do better.
In 2022, SB127 established statewide standards for the science of reading. SB241 from 2026 makes a number of changes and dedicates funding for paraprofessionals who support literacy. Governor Cox has made literacy a priority for his administration this year.
I believe it will be critical to continue to monitor reading proficiency and work with teachers, researchers, administrators, school boards and parents to help every child read. I will also work with these stakeholders to develop a statewide volunteer program to support literacy. Together we can help children experience the joy of reading!
Money for education is important. How we optimize the use of that money is critical! Money must get where it is needed to help the students!
Canyon Transportation (Stopping the Gondola)
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UDOT has approved a 3 phase plan for Little Cottonwood Canyon with phase 3 being a highly unpopular Gondola. Currently no evaluation of phase 1 or phase 2 effectiveness is included in the UDOT plan. I will work to ensure that Phase 1 and 2 are not just stepping stones to phase 3. Phase 1 and 2 must be implemented, evaluated, and iteratively improved. Testing of the effects of varying toll and private vehicle restrictions during peak times must be required.
I will also work with stakeholders on what level of transportation reliability we want in the canyon. UDOT’s recommendation came primarily from a focus on achieving 95% reliability despite accidents or avalanches. Although that is a nice theoretical feature of the Gondola, it seems it is not important enough to residents to justify the Gondola. Different requirements require different solutions.
Finally, building the gondola requires funding from the legislature. I will build a coalition of representatives to block a taxpayer funded gondola.
An environmental study of plans for Big Cottonwood was released in December and is being revised after the public comment period. No gondola is included. We need to carefully evaluate how the Big Cottonwood Canyon proposals will affect our district.
Water Rates and Representation
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Most of our district gets water from Salt Lake City Public Utilities. Depending on your usage, your water bill has nearly doubled in the last few years and another increase went into effect in August 2026.
We are actually paying 40% more per gallon for the same water to the same utility than Salt Lake City residents are! Despite the millions of extra dollars they’re taking from us, they have done nothing to maintain our aging infrastructure. They waste millions of gallons of water each year because the lines break and they are slow to respond. The public utilities’ leadership, appointed by SLC mayors, have been indifferent and we have no representation on the voting board.
As a legislator I will explore specific solutions such as: requiring equalized rates, joining metropolitan water directly, having rates reviewed by the public service commission, or taking control of our own water rights and infrastructure. I will find a more optimal and equitable solution.
Wildfire Mitigation and Failing Infrastructure
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Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon are considered at the highest risk of catastrophic wildfire. This would be devastating to our watershed and our way of life.
For years Salt Lake County and the Water Conservancy district have restricted wildfire mitigation efforts thinking they were protecting the watershed. That is not the correct approach. Recently there has been some progress made towards starting wildfire mitigation, but no work has been completed.
We must ensure that barriers are removed and work moves forward before we have a disaster. I will work closely with private landowners, Salt Lake County, the US Forest Service and the water district to make sure this moves forward.
In our neighborhoods we see almost constant repair of broken water pipes. The American Society of Civil Engineers most recent report gives Utah a D- grade on levees, and a D+ grade on canals. In many cases the actual state of levees and canals is unknown. This is very concerning.
I will work to get a clear evaluation of our critical infrastructure and how it can be maintained, repaired, or replaced.
Housing Affordability
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The median home price in Utah has jumped 134% since 2016 while the average household income has only increased 44%.
We currently have a shortage of over 30,000 homes and a surplus of apartments. Starter homes and middle income homes are the most scarce. This lack of supply and high demand naturally leads to higher prices. We need to adjust regulations to make building starter homes more financially attractive. For example: municipal fees are often as expensive for small homes as luxury homes and condominium developments carry higher liability risks for developers than apartment complexes.
Utah already has a first time home assistance program to provide a $20,000 interest free loan for the purchase of a home. However the program is currently restricted to new construction. We need to modify the program so it is available for existing homes. This will have the added benefit of helping reverse the declining enrollment in the schools in our district.
With the high rates of appreciation on residential property, and the difficulty of assessing commercial property, the property tax base has shifted and residents are paying a higher percentage of property taxes than they used to. This needs to be corrected, preferably in a permanent way.
Out of Control Healthcare Costs
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Health Insurance premiums for a family are about $27K a year (before employer contributions or federal tax credits). High deductible plans can be lower but are still high.
Insurance costs rise because medical costs rise. I believe we need to find and address the root causes of rising medical costs. For example, we need more price transparency. Costs for common tests and procedures can vary widely, but doctors, nurses, and patients have no idea what they are. Even talking to billing departments, patients are usually only able to get vague price ranges and no guaranteed pricing. This makes it impossible, to choose wisely and reduce costs.
Fiscal Responsibility and Limited Government
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As a legislator I will always remember that the money we are budgeting is your hard-earned money. I feel a great responsibility to make sure your money is spent wisely and responsibly.
I will analyze budgets and identify spending that is not meeting goals, is extravagant, or is not positive for Utah families. I will not stand for back room deals that benefit lawmakers or special interest groups.
State government has important roles, but there are many instances where solutions are better handled by local government, non profits, and the private sector.
Government Caused Inefficiency
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Have you heard of, “addition by subtraction?” I believe we can achieve great results by getting rid of outdated, wasteful, and burdensome laws and regulations.
I will review existing laws and regulations and seek input from families, schools, businesses, cities, and others to find and remove barriers and inefficiencies to improve outcomes and achieve better affordability and quality of life for Utah families.
Communication
Reach out to me! I have provided my personal phone and email address. I will also reach out to you to inform you in clear, concise ways what is happening, what I’m working on, and why I plan to vote a particular way. Representative government needs good two-way communication!
I will listen to all sides and will communicate with kindness and respect. I will give you clear, accurate, and complete information about issues. I will not attempt to manipulate your emotions or foster contention.
Issues Summary
- Fairness for All
- Saving the Great Salt Lake
- Childhood literacy and education
- Canyon transportation
- Outrageous water bills
- Wildfire mitigation
- Housing affordability
- Out of control healthcare costs
- Fiscal responsibility
- Government caused inefficiency