U-Talk: Do you trust local leaders to make decisions in your best interest?
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- Laramie Leaver
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- Diane Newland
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- Anya Beus
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- Denise Stratton
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- Elizabeth Robbins
“Sure. Because, so far, they have done a good job. I’m 26, I’ve lived in Lehi for 20 years, I have nothing to complain about. They haven’t proven otherwise, other than on some of the government level, like, with public lands. There, it gets a little iffy when you are on the state level, but, they’ve done nothing to prove otherwise.” — Laramie Leaver, Lehi
“No, I don’t. I feel that they originally go in with integrity to try to do that, however, I feel that they are persuaded by other lobbyists, and so forth, that will change their mind. And, so, if they are sticking with their integrity, they normally get out of office, and if they don’t stick with their integrity then they’re not making the best decisions for me. Local? It doesn’t matter. Politician is politician, and that is just how it works.” — Diane Newland, American Fork
“I want to trust my local leaders, and that is why I go and vote. And if I get the candidate that I voted for, then I do trust them. If I don’t, I’m skeptical. I say, overall, yeah, I think I trust… I’ve tried to learn what they stand for and what they say they represent, (if) they’re ambitions and plans are for our community. And then I’ve made my voice heard. And obviously, if I get the candidate that I’ve chosen, then I’m like, ‘okay, we’ve got a guy or gal that’s representing my interests or at least some of them.’ … But, if I don’t get my candidate, then I trust that the people around me did their research just like I did.” — Anya Beus, Lehi
“Depends on what the decisions are about. I mean, what is it about? Education? What is it about? What? And, depends on the local leader. I mean, really. That’s just too vague. … I’m from Highland. I don’t know the local leaders in Lehi, really. I mean, I’m Highland, our city council’s pretty good, our mayor’s pretty good, so I guess that’s… that can answer your question I guess. Yes. I might as well say yes. Well, we get to go to city council meetings, and we get to give input, and they listen to us.” — Denise Stratton, Highland
“Do I trust them? I do. Mostly because I feel like, with local office in government, a lot of those people are fueled by some kind of care and interest in other people, otherwise they wouldn’t pursue that… There’s a lot they have to give in that position… I think their heart is definitely in the right place. I do think there are times, though, I don’t know these particular leaders at this point, but I do think that there are times where I think people will disagree on the ways to go about things, and I think in some ways that can obviously negatively affect people depending on, I think the policy, and, whether sometimes that can affect people voluntarily, or even just in a social level.” — Elizabeth Robbins, Lehi
Photos and interviews by Tiana Lao, Special to the Daily Herald.
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