Watch the debate between Joel Wright & Gary Anderson

Part #1 of 2 below.

Just go to this link:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=electwright&aq=f

And you can see a list of all the videos below.


Noah Webster Debate
Two weeks ago in Orem I had the opportunity to debate my opponent
on several important issues facing Utah County. Many of the
questions brought out clear differences between us on important
subjects. These questions ranged from jobs to the Utah Lake Bridge
to the County spending $40 Million on a Convention Center in Provo.
I believe the responses show clear differences to our priorities and
values.

Below you will find a summary of the responses and a link to watch
the full video for yourself on You Tube. Half of the debate will be in
this email and you will get the other half tomorrow.

Opening Statements
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGZhBT8Ok-A

Summary of Joel Wright's statements:
--We need to get more people involved
--This is a Debate on issues
--We have fundamental disagreements on certain issues
--Are we doing well enough right now? Or can we do better?
--My Experience
+Helped get a sales tax base into Cedar Hills while
on the City Council by removing obstacles to
economic development
--Proper role of Government is to remove obstacles to
Economic Development
--What got me interested in County was the roads that need County
Leadership and it’s not there

Summary of Gary Anderson's statements:
--Lives in Springville
--Ran for County Commission first in 1983
+I was elected to 2 terms then
--4 years ago approached to run for Commission
--Now we have a lot of road projects like I-15 going

Please set forward the top 5 long term problems facing
Utah County now, and discuss your proposed solution
for the biggest problem?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I2BXJmok4I

Summary of Joel Wright's answer:
--Live within your means
--I think Utah County can do a lot better with living within our means
--Must pay attention to new crimes
+Investment fraud gone from 30 million-104 million a year from
2006 to 2009
>It’s undermining our economy and getting worse
+Prescription Drug Abuse
>We need to be engaged
+Child Sex Abuse
>We need to give the Sheriff the resources to
combat this serious crime
--Transportation
+Government’s role is transportation
+We are at mercy of State & Federal Government
for roads
+I will push the State to give us the control and let
us keep our money here in Utah County

Summary of Gary Anderson's answer:
--Number 1 issue is Economy
--Bring good jobs
--Next is Economic Development
--Crime is a problem but we disagree with what is the biggest
problems
--Senior Citizen issues are problems
--Transportation
+Done a lot for this

Recently Utah County borrowed 40 million dollars to
build a convention center in Provo do you think this was
a wise use of taxpayer dollars?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEke_ERefes

Summary of Joel Wright's answer:
--There are some serious concerns
--Decision is made and we have to make it successful though
--Must analyze decision making process
--Why did Utah County put in 40M but Provo around 7M?
--Started out purely Provo project and they get most benefits, why
County now?
--Pleasant Grove has plans for a convention center that could have
been built with private funds
--If they fixed stink at Sewer plant we could potentially get a
convention center built by private sector in Pleasant Grove
--Restaurant sales tax is paying for the Convention center and
residents of Utah County pay 80% of the restaurant tax, tourists
only pay 20%
--We are paying for the Convention center
--Opponent looks at Govt sector first, while I will remove obstacles
to private growth

Summary of Gary Anderson's answer:
--Happened a long time ago I can’t take credit for it
--People came to Utah County saying we need a Convention center
--Nobody else would build it
--By law only County can build Convention Center
--Claims only TRT room taxes pay for the Convention Center and
then rental car fees if we need it from Rental Car & Restaurant
Taxes
--We said we have this much money what are you going to give us
to designers
--The Convention Center in Pleasant Grove “isn’t happening”

Where do you see your role in Economic Development as
a County Commissioner?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBLNN2wu_5I

Summary of Gary Anderson's answer:
--“I think Utah County and State and govt in general has a few core
jobs and one of them is to make sure your people are working,
make sure we have good jobs in this county”
--Govt needs to compete with other states and provide incentives to
lure people in
--We said to Microsoft if you come in we will give you a tax break
--Brought in 7 companies,
--Claims nothing was happening 4 years ago, we are now in EDCU
under his watch

Summary of Joel Wright's answer:
--This is a critical difference between us
--Government's job is to remove obstacles to Economic Development,
keep taxes low (instead they’ve been going up), fight crime and
build infrastructure
--Tax breaks and incentives - doesn’t work long term
--Unemployment rate has grown in last 4 years, Govt isn’t responsible
for jobs, but if they are, they have done a dismal job
--We should stay in EDCU Utah
--None of the companies identified on opponent's flyer would say
opponent had anything to do with them coming
--EDCU has been in place for us since before my opponen came into
office and we should stay with them
--My job will be to remove the obstacles and let you create the jobs
and the innovation not government

On the topic of Econ Dev what can the county do about
the sewer treatment smell in the PG area?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_epUc1WAU

Summary of Gary Anderson's answer:
--Joel said that Commission is responsible but its independent but we
could get rid of the district and take it back over
--I’ve never smelled it but I believe them
--Problem is composting
--My stand is this, we have a new system coming in, in June or July,
until then compost should be moved off site, when done move it
back and try again, if that doesn’t work we take drastic measures
Summary of Joel Wright's answer:
--I agree the problem has to be solved
--There was a window to solve this earlier but we didn’t get it done
earlier, County failed at leadership
--Utah County is changing we were rural but we are rapidly becoming
urban
--Competing Property Rights is becoming a big issue
--Govt should define property rights and say who needs to take care
of what
--The independent district isn’t fair or proportionate to users or
effects, Cedar Hills with 10,000 people shouldn’t have same vote
as Pleasant Grove with triple that amount and the smell

The two of you have conflicted on whether the County has
raised taxes recently, will you please explain your position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQdx4R-5DGk

Summary of Gary Anderson's answer:
-Shows chart
--Tax rate went up about 8% in 2008-2009 but its set by state, but we
still collect the same amount of taxes
--Talked about his and Joel’s tax payments for their homes
--Talks about Joel has nice house and he has a picture of it here
--Says he pays less now
--We needed to be made whole

Summary of Joel Wright's answer:
--We disagree
--Gary and I are privileged people in nice homes that have gone down
in value in last few years
--If you have home that is 200k or less you are paying more, property
taxes are a regressive tax
-- “We have shifted [property] tax from rich attorneys to hard
working school teachers and other working [people] of the
county”
--Ut Co has grown dramatically in last few years 68% more
expenditures since 2003, population growth only 29%
--Anderson amended the budget up by 7% in 2007, then another 14%
in 2008
--Anderson increased salary from 94k to 104 K in 2008 the same year
he raised property tax rate
+I will not vote for a budget with that commission salary
increase
--Anderson also voted to increase the sales tax by largest increase
ever not approved by vote
--Anderson wants government to be made whole, and doesn’t care
what’s happening with the people
--On property tax we can have honest debate, on sales tax there is no
debate he raised the tax
--Anderson thinks govt can solve problems, and get you a job with
taxpayer money
--It’s not commission’s job toget you a job, government's job is to
remove obstacles

What is the total county budget and how much of that
money is from Fed govt?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjbzdgYK4U4

Summary of Joel Wright's answer:

--Total budget is about 80M but I don’t know percentage of Fed
money in there, I admit I don’t know everything
--This is a frustrating issue when Fed govt takes money from us and
offers to give it back if we do it their way
--State govt often does the same, and so does the County to our cities
--We need to press down decisions and money to lowest level to local
officials
--I came through a small city that got hit with mandates too often
--We should get as much of this money back as we can

Summary of Gary Anderson's answer:
--We didn’t increase budget 50%
--We get 22% from Fed Govt
--I am happy to get these monies from Fed government it is good
--We don’t want one time stimulus money
--Those guys are way out of line
--Haven’t had to raise taxes everything we’ve done without raising
taxes

As you can see we have very different views on these issues. I look
forward to talking with you more about the issues that affect Utah
County.

You are always welcome to call me on my
cell phone at 801-368-5385.

As always, I also ask for your vote April 24th at the
Utah County Convention!
Warm Regards,

Joel Wright

Joel Wright

p.s. Please always feel free to call me or email me questions or
concerns, I will always be engaged and look forward to earning
your vote!