Salt Lake Tribune - Utah:Hillside not all that divides North Salt Lake's mayoral candidates

Today, the Tribune focused on the race for Mayor in North Salt Lake. Juan Arce-Larreta says that our city leaders aren't listening. From the article.

"At a recent public meeting on parks, participants selected preserving the bench on the hill as the top priority, says Arce-Larreta, who serves on North Salt Lake's trails committee."

First, I was at that meeting. When given the choice between building a park (open-space), or building a trail(open space). The consensus will be for open space. If we had been given an alternative to open space, and we still voted for it, and Briggs had ignored the vote, then Juan may have had something. Except for one thing, Mayor Briggs does want to preserve open-space on the hillside.

Second, It was made clear at the beginning of the meeting that Arce-Larreta had the same agenda then that he has today. He has demonstrated, since that time, the same fidelity to his own ideas as the Mayor has to his. If the Mayor is guilty of not listening, then so is Arce-Larreta. Both have remained true to their original viewpoints.

Those who are grounded in reality want a balance between open-space and development. They want a cemetery, trails, parks, and also the means to pay for them. Briggs is fighting for a reasonable comprimise that should satisfy most people. He is also fighting a bully, in Rocky Anderson, that wants to impose an outsiders will on a smaller neighbor right to choose.

Salt Lake Tribune - Utah