http://www.sltrib.com/closeup/ci_14182457
Race is on for commission seat in Utah County
By Donald W. Meyers
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune
Updated:01/14/2010 08:42:39 AM MST
Former Cedar Hills City Councilman Joel D. Wright will seek the Utah County Commission seat now occupied by Gary J. Anderson.
Wright recently announced his intention to seek Commission Seat A in this year's election. He stressed that he is not running against Anderson at this point.
"I don't know if [Anderson] is going to run again," Wright said.
Anderson and commission chair Steve White, who occupies Seat B, are both up for re-election this year.
Wright said Anderson hasn't done enough to keep the county budget in check on his watch. Specifically, he pointed to the commission awarding raises in 2008, just before the county was rocked by the recession. His calls for the commission to cut wages went unheeded.
He said it was especially insulting in light of the fact that many people in the county have seen their wages cut because of the economy.
Anderson, who confirmed he is running to keep his seat, said the county has already made cutbacks. The current budget does not include cost-of-living increases and there is a hiring freeze in place.
As for the raises, Anderson said a market study recommended the increases to bring county employees into parity with their counterparts around the state, and to keep staff who were leaving for better pay. He said the county also altered its benefits program to give employees more take-home pay.
"We had a lot of young families who couldn't afford formula or diapers for their babies," Anderson said.
He said the commission has struggled to stretch dollars and to obtain federal funding for projects around the county.
Anderson said Wright may not fully understand how county government works.
Anderson first served on the commission from 1983-89, and was elected again in 2006. He previously worked for the Utah County Attorney's civil and criminal divisions and also had a private law practice.
dmeyers@sltrib.com
