As of this writing, we've had several candidates announce they will be running this year:  

Don Jarvis announced first that he would run again in House District 63.  Steve Clark is not running again, which creates essentially an open seat.  That levels the playing field since Don won't be running against an incumbent who has gone through an election in the district.  

Steve Baugh announced he was running again in House District 58.  Steve won 41 percent of the vote last year against Stephen Sandstrom.  Like Don, Steve will be working hard to win this year to retire Sandstrom so the issues of jobs and education that voters care about can be addressed by their representative.  That shouldn't be such a novel concept for a legislator to represent all of their constituents rather than just a small number of delegates from one party, but unfortunately it has been in Utah County.

Deon Turley also announced she is running again in House District 61.  She has learned alot from the experience and, like Don and Steve, will approach this campaign as a seasoned candidate who knows how to win.

The Central Committee of the Utah County Democratic Party will convene its annual meeting on Thursday, March 11, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., at the Provo City Library (room 201), 550 N. University Avenue. 

County Chair Richard Davis will present a State of the Party presentation and provide time for discussion and input from the Central Committee.

Central Committee members include the Executive Committee, Steering Committee (Exec Committee and district chairs), precinct chairs, Utah County residents who are current and previous public officials who have won election as Democrats to public office in Utah County, and currently-nominated Democratic Party candidates for public elected office in Utah County. Precinct chairs who cannot attend are invited to send their precinct vice chairs to represent them. 

Those who are not members of the Central Committee are also invited to attend but will not be permitted to vote on business.

Leave it to our Utah County legislative delegation to ignore the big problems in our state while they sponsor and lobby for their message bills. You would think that with all the focus on Utah-made guns, signs about guns on private property, abortion, and attempts to take away the federal government's land in the state, Utah's economy and educational system were doing just fine. You would think that the economic quality of life for Utahns and their access to educational opportunities -- both elementary and secondary as well as higher -- were both in good shape and legislators didn't have to worry about these things and can pay attention to smaller issues.

When you look at what our legislators like Stephen Sandstrom, Margaret Dayton, Brad Daw, and Chris Herrod attempt to push through the legislature and support with their votes, you have to wonder what planet they live on.

This past week, a legislative committee made a tragic mistake. They passed a bill sponsored by Republican Representative Chris Herrod that would allow an adult not to buckle a child ages 5 to 8 into a car seat if the trip was no more than four miles away from home to church or school, the car did not travel more than 45 mph, and the other child seats in the car were already full.  

It is amazing that anyone would vote for, much less sponsor, such a bill.  This is nothing but legal cover for adults to make some very bad decisions.  We all see a few people in our neighborhoods driving around with their children bouncing around in the back seat or an infant in their arms.  This legislation would encourage more of that behavior.  What police officer is going to stop an adult driving a car with children not in child safety seats?  How would the police officer know whether the occupants in the car are four miles from their home or whether they are going to church or school?  There will be no enforcement.  And there will be a moral encouragement for people to make the wrong decision and not restrain their child properly!  

Chris Herrod doesn't seem to understand all of this.  Instead, he is listening to those people who want the freedom to be able to treat their children as they wish.  They don't want government telling them they should buckle up their children.  How dare the government do that!  Nothing will happen, they say.  There won't be an accident.  It is just a short trip.  What's the harm?