Candidate Questionnaire: Salt Lake City Council District 5
Sweet Streets reached out to each candidate running for the five seats up for election during this year’s municipal election. Candidates were asked to keep answers to no more than 250 characters. Their answers appear in alphabetical order by last name. As a 501(c)3 affiliated group, Sweet Streets cannot endorse candidates. Look up your City Council district here.
In terms of funding city priorities, what is your philosophy?
George Chapman:
“Basic services, police, air quality, affordable housing, safe well maintained streets.”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“I’m guided by a definition of public safety focused on reducing violent crime & maintaining infrastructure to support healthy lives: safe roads, water and sewage, equitable access to public utilities, internet, and safe environmental conditions.”
Darin Mano:
“Adopting the city budget is a process of balancing many competing priorities. My guiding principles include seeking community input, helping people, developing equity, improving neighborhoods, maintaining infrastructure, and preparing for the future.”
Sarah Reale:
“City priorities fit into two camps: Immediate need & sustainable future. There are clear immediate needs the city needs to address. However, many of our issues are from poor planning for our future and growth.”
If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city, how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?
George Chapman:
“does it meet basic services and will it be utilized with the cost”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“New infrastructure should meet a higher bar than repairing/maintaining current infrastructure. My cost-benefit analysis asks: would this new infrastructure address critical public safety or public health needs? Would it address east-west disparities?”
Darin Mano:
“I prioritize projects with a broad impact, community support, and which match our goals of improving neighborhoods, walkability, sustainability, and equity. I also evaluate the upfront cost, funding source, and the plan for ongoing maintenance.”
Sarah Reale:
“I would only approve if we have done our research on how the new infrastructure would impact the community in which it is built. We can't build to build. We need to understand how that new structure will change the neighborhood, traffic patters, etc.”
If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?
George Chapman:
“open up the 10s of thousands of acres, 80% of the City to housing (that doesn't allow it now.)”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“I would require an equitable public process in placing new homeless shelters, removing the loophole that currently requires Salt Lake City to approve Conditional Use applications for shelters or homeless resource centers in CG zoning districts.”
Darin Mano:
“The most desperately needed fix in our code is to re-write our RMF-30, 35, and 45 zones. These are zones intended for multi-family housing but the restrictions are so great that it is difficult or impossible to build housing within them.”
Sarah Reale:
“It is archaic and in need of a major re-examination. It does nothing to help us maintain our neighborhoods and plan for a more sustainable city. If I had to pick it would be completely updating all west side zoning to plan for the new growth.”
Do you think our downtown is healthy and successful? Please explain.
George Chapman:
“Unhealthy, 15mph scooters are alllowed, not enforced on sidewalks and bicycles are not allowed, despite encouraging families downtown.”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“It may be getting there. With multiple high rise residential buildings going up, it seems like our downtown is moving to more of a balance between spaces where people work, live, and recreate—the balance that ultimately drives a resilient city space.”
Darin Mano:
“We are on our way but still have room for improvement! Great neighborhoods are active all the time, not just during business hours. I'd love to see Main St. become a pedestrian mall and more housing and 24-Hour businesses come to our downtown area.”
Sarah Reale:
“I think we've built a downtown that works for our visitors-- tourists. I'm not sure we've been thoughtful on creating a downtown for residents. So, it depends on the stakeholder.”
If elected, what will you do to address Salt Lake City's air quality?
George Chapman:
“stop projects that increase pollution like road diets on 2100S (1300E increased congestion, mile backups, pollution increased 7x near the street and it shifted traffic to formerly quiet and bikeable streets. 4 lanes are better for bicyclists.)”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“We must commit to measuring SLC's air quality & to allow public access to these data. We should promote working from home, limit vehicle trips, incentivize the purchase of e-bikes but we cannot diminish air pollution produced by industry.”
Darin Mano:
“I will continue pushing policy that makes our city easier to travel through by bike, on public transit, and on foot. This includes moving faster on the goals in our 2015 Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan and building truly mixed-use neighborhoods.”
Sarah Reale:
“Absolutely, getting SLC to 100% renewable by 2030 is one of my biggest priorities. The science and the economics both show this is easily attainable. We have to.”
If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
George Chapman:
“walking police patrols in parks to make parks safer for families, wider bike lanes, remove the sharrows on 500E that increase pollution and drive speeders to 400E”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“I would create Public Safety Data Scientist position(s) for the next 5-10 years. Because public safety concerns don't follow city boundaries, these scientists would establish interjurisdictional relationships and act as data ambassadors to the state.”
Darin Mano:
“I would put that money into the SLC's new Adopt an Alleyway Program. Our initial investment of $200k should transform 3 alleys from a blight into a neighborhood asset. $1M could fund around 15 more, with massively positive neighborhood impacts.”
Sarah Reale:
“In this moment, I'd put it towards helping our public health crisis supporting people without homes. All current issues aside, I'd put it toward our public parks and open spaces. They need to be a priority as we grow.”
If elected, how will you work with your colleagues on the City Council to ensure that municipal investment is fairly distributed throughout the entire City?
George Chapman:
“UTA does not serve westside well. Where are big parks on westside central area besides Jordan River (Rose Park?). More pocket libraries, parks, This questionaire is too abbreviated.”
Amy J. Hawkins:
“I will work for further data-driven oversight of resource allocation processes like the Capital Improvement Project and new Alley Improvement programs. These processes should be proportioned so that each district receives equal resources.”
Darin Mano:
“Surveys like the 2017 Pavement Condition Report should be done for everything from park conditions to street lighting or traffic calming. This helps create equity by directing funds to those with the greatest need, not those who ask the loudest.”
Sarah Reale:
“Our city is so connected. Looking at our city size and the districts, it must be viewed as a whole. There are neighborhoods with greater need, and many of them are outside of my district. It is only fair to look comprehensively.”
http://www.georgechapman.net/
https://amyjhawkins.com/
https://www.darinmano.com/
https://votereale.com/
