Download Rocky's Letter (PDF)

Dear Friend,

Janneke House will make an enormous, positive difference for District 3 and our entire city as a Citycouncil Person.

The re-election of Eric Jergensen will mean just more of the same -- delay, obstruction, and ineffectiveness.

When you are deciding for whom you will vote, ask yourself:
* After four years of Eric's representation on the City Council, why are monster homes and out-of-scale garages still undermining the historical integrity of District 3 neighborhoods?
* Why is Pioneer Park the same as it was four years ago?
* Why is the RDA, which Eric has chaired for the past two years, a slumlord at the Regis Hotel and surrounding properties, rather than helping to transform that area into an urban mixed-use project? And why has the RDA failed to implement its own affordable housing policies?

Janneke House understands what the City's priorities should be. Her educational accomplishments include a Masters Degree in Urban Planning. Her experience in the public sector includes work in the Salt Lake City Planning Division and her leadership in the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, & Parks program. Her youth, which the Salt Lake Tribune and her opponent appear to hold against her, would be a major asset on the City Council, as would her intelligence, energy, and passion. She will also work collaboratively with the Council and my administration, in contrast to the uncooperative approach of the incumbent, Eric Jergensen.

You deserve to know the facts before you vote.

Here are a few things you should know:

I worked out a deal with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for it to invest $6 million in Pioneer Park. The agreement was made public and our City was about to receive a wonderful gift, transforming Pioneer Park into a beautiful inner-urban jewel. I traveled out of the country and returned to discover that, in my absence, Eric Jergensen had undermined the agreement, working to divert the SLOC contribution to the Gallivan Center. Because of Eric's intermeddling, our downtown lost the SLOC gift, with almost all of the contribution diverted to the Cauldron Park at the University of Utah. Our city will feel the loss of the opportunity to obtain $6 million for Pioneer Park for generations. Had Eric not intermeddled in this matter, we would have a downtown park with Olympic and historic markers; beautiful landscaping; an area for concerts, plays, and other productions; and, perhaps, an Olympic-size ice skating rink, surrounded by the flags of all nations and lit at nights during the winter. These amenities would have made Pioneer Park a beautiful, vibrant, safe attraction for people throughout the year.

I have sought, by whatever legal means are necessary, to protect the open space owned by North Salt Lake that is located within Salt Lake City's boundaries. North Salt Lake acquired the property many years ago by means of condemnation. I have petitioned to condemn the property. Although Eric talks a lot about support for the preservation of open spaces, he has never publicly supported condemnation, perhaps the only means by which we can protect this astounding geo-antiquity. Janneke believes that some things are worth fighting for - and that we need to do all we can to make certain the stunning open space owned by North Salt Lake is protected, now and for the future. We need leadership, not just bluster, if we are going to save our few remaining open spaces.

We started a city-wide book club, called Salt Lake City Reads Together. The recommended books were chosen by a selection committee comprised of booksellers, library staffers, and other book lovers. The first fiction selection was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Instead of supporting the initiative, Eric publicly complained about the choice of the book because it contained cuss words. That was embarrassing enough - but most appalling was the fact that Eric had not even read the book!

The City Council and I agreed to seek counsel from the City Attorney as to who has the authority to set policy regarding equal employee benefits. The City Attorney concluded that, except for dependent and bereavement leave, the authority rests with the mayor. I then issued an executive order, providing that, except for dependent and bereavement leave, employee benefits previously extended to employees' spouses and their children would also be available to domestic partners of employees, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. Eric Jergensen has not supported that executive order; rather, he is now seeking to dodge the equality issue by means of a very peculiar ordinance that will boost costs for taxpayers and/or employees.

We need people on the City Council who can help make things happen - a cooperator, not an obstructionist - a progressive, not a foot-dragger. We deserve someone who will move vigorously to protect the historic integrity of our neighborhoods, rather than someone who, after four years in office, only makes excuses.

Please vote for Janneke House - for a refreshing, intelligent, effective change on the Salt Lake City Council. Your vote for Janneke will be a vote for better neighborhoods, a better city, and a better quality of life for everyone.

Best wishes,

Rocky Anderson