Some west side Salt Lakers say 'hard pass' to a new freeway underpass
Hits & Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Hard Pass
They know better, if not best. That's the message from the high-and-mighty to their lowly vassals on the west side of Salt Lake. West-siders can't catch a break, living in a divided city, often in food deserts, and held up by noisy, lumbering trains. First, there's the expansion of Interstate 15, which offers more pollution and traffic to west-side neighborhoods. Happy to help, the Utah Department of Transportation came up with the idea of adding an underpass connecting the east and west. Residents could walk or bike through it, despite the creepy prospects of homeless encampments and, of course, crime. When the underpass was dissed by some neighbors, an overpass emerged as a choice. City council members seemed to love the idea, saying anything is better than nothing. Really? Can't officials ask the neighborhoods for better ideas? It's not just about connecting east and west; it's about bringing them together. Baltimore, for instance, came up with a systemic plan to include speed, safety, transit and reliability. Utah came up with an underpass.
Power of Attorney
It's not enough that the Legislature excised Salt Lake County's voting power into four congressional districts. Now they've decided to shackle the district attorney because, you know, he's a Democrat and probably planning a socialist takeover. Lawmakers want him to report "billed time in 15-minute increments to a legislative committee," according to a KSL TV 5 report. Why? They say to "protect their investment" in the yet-to-come hockey arena and Major League Baseball stadium, which will both sit in crime-ridden neighborhoods. After all, you need to arrest all those nonwhite folks in that area to keep everyone else safe. Arresting people may be one answer to crime, but not necessarily the best. And never mind that DA Sim Gill was elected—and re-elected—by the people. The Legislature apparently didn't stifle the democratic vote enough.
Vox Populi
Everyone should listen to KUER 90.1 FM's "What 6 Utah Republicans think of their 2024 presidential choices." Sure we're polarized, but actually listening to what people think can open doors to possibilities. The panel included young to middle-age voters, some Utah natives and others who had traveled widely. They were not all Trumpers, although the conservative vibe came out clearly. One woman said she used to vote because of an echo chamber of conservative ideas. "Everything I thought was the Republican Party wasn't the Republican Party I knew." A young man said he no longer cares if a politician is a "bad person" as long as that person has good policies. You may not like everything you hear from this panel, but it will give you faith that not every Republican voter takes the Twitter road to Fox News.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
More by Katharine Biele
-
Utah Republicans reject election security program in the name of election security.
Hits & Misses
- Apr 24, 2024
-
Deseret News poll shows Donald Trump skating to another victory in Utah.
Hits & Misses
- Apr 17, 2024
-
LDS General Conference dominates local news while stories on diversity and discrimination take a back seat
Hits & Misses
- Apr 10, 2024
- More »
Latest in Hits & Misses
