As a coalition dedicated to advancing equity and opportunity for West Salt Lake City neighborhoods, the Westside Coalition is closely following the upcoming special election to fill the vacant Salt Lake County Council seat. This district includes all of Salt Lake City’s Westside—communities that have long faced unique and disproportionate challenges.
Below is a letter we’ve submitted to the Salt Lake County Democratic Party Central Committee, urging them to prioritize meaningful Westside representation in their selection process.
Subject: Selection of Interim County Council Member – Westside Representation
Dear Salt Lake County Democratic Party Central Committee Members,
The Westside Coalition advocates for the health, safety, and quality of life of West Salt Lake City residents. We are writing to share our perspective on the upcoming special election for Salt Lake County Council. As you know, the individual selected will represent the entirety of Salt Lake City’s Westside, along with other neighborhoods ranging East to the lower Sugarhouse area. We implore you to select someone capable of navigating the multifaceted challenges facing the Westside.
Our community has historically shouldered most of the burdens of city and state growth. This includes being home to multiple freeways, railroads, power plants, refineries, and the Salt Lake City International Airport. This trend has only accelerated in recent years, with the nearby freeways and airport slated for expansion, and the placement of a new state prison and inland port on the Westside. These burdens contribute to disparate impacts for Westsiders on nearly all social determinants of health.
As we look forward to the next six-plus years, during which this new county council person will serve, we see many new opportunities and challenges on the horizon. The new Power District and potential major league baseball development will bring many new neighbors and increased economic development to the Westside, but it may also create pressures on existing residents. Solving the public safety challenges and homelessness crisis on and around the Jordan River Trail will be among the most pressing concerns facing the county. Exciting proposals like the SLCSD’s Career and Technical Center, the Rio Grande Plan and an East-West connectivity plan create new opportunities to redress historical red-lining.
It is critical that the Westside have a strong and capable representative on the County Council who can speak to these issues. Selecting such a candidate for this position may help close the public trust gap many Westsiders experience. We urge you to keep this in mind as you consider candidates for this important position.
Thank you, Westside Coalition Board of Directors