ST. GEORGE – Concerned about the state government’s apparent disregard for the environment and seeking equality in pay between the sexes, Shirley Nelson is running for Utah House District 62 on the Democratic ticket.
“I think I bring a fresh look at the candidacy,” Nelson said. “I feel I am the best candidate and will best serve House 62.”
House District 62 covers Washington City and a portion of eastern St. George, which is currently represented by Republican incumbent Jon Stanard.
“I am running for office because I am worried about the future of Southern Utah,” Nelson said in a statement prepared for a debate held in September. “Thankfully, two-thirds of the state are under federal control and must remain under federal control at any cost.”
Nelson said the Legislature promotes economic development at any cost to the environment. It is a factor the states fails to give consideration, she said.
Air quality is another area Nelson said the state hasn’t done well in. She talked about how the air in the Salt Lake Valley has become infamous throughout the country. To correct this, she said, the state must pass control air emission laws in relation to large industries, such as coal-fire plants and industrial refineries.
“Address, study, measure and come up with a plan (to fight air pollution) and enforce that plan,” Nelson said.
On economic development, particularly in Southern Utah, Nelson said tourism and the potential for wind and solar power in the area are big business. Washington County is already a tourist destination but could become even more so in the future, she said. She also pointed at bringing companies in based on technological development.
As she is against air pollution, Nelson is also against water waste.
“There’s no conservation effort in effect at this time in Washington County,” she said. “We need a conservation program with some teeth to it.”
She said Washington County uses the most water in the nation yet pays the least for it. That is something she wants to see change, and she said she may consider legislation aimed at changing how water is paid for in Washington County if elected.
Relating to issues of water and Washington County, Nelson also said she is against the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline.
“The proposal that I’ve seen is not viable and is not feasible,” she said.
Another of the main issues Nelson is addressing is inequality in pay between men and women in the state. Woman make 70 cents for every dollar a man makes, she said. Along with advocating equal pay, she also supports raising the minimum wage.
“If you want the economy to improve, you raise the minimum wage,” she said.
Her target is a minimum wage increase from $7.75 to $10.10 in the state. Raising the minimum wage would help bring families out of poverty who may otherwise be dependent on food stamps and other taxpayer-funded social services, she said.
“It should eliminate the need for all those families to be on food stamps,” Nelson said. “When the poor do well, we all do well.”
On matters of equality related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, Nelson said she would support Sen. Steve Urquhart’s nondiscrimination bill, which would add protections for LGBT individuals related to housing and employment.
For more information regarding Nelson and her stance on issues, visit her website.
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All St. George News reports related to Election 2014
- Stanard points to Washington County as example for state, seeks re-election in House District 62
- Who should manage public lands? Lockhart, Ivory face off with McCool, Keiter at SUU debate
- Democratic candidates seek to bring different perspective to Utah House, County Commission
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.
Last chance for a vote? Just throw up everything all at once that might stick to the wall and then cherry pic what is left. All I can say is WOW.
And by the way, back up your claim that we use the most water in the nation. That is a strong statement. If you are serious about your commitment you will respond within a day with links to your assumptions.
Lemme help you out bud. You clearly lack the requisite curiosity or skill set to Google up an answer. Pro-life-tip, your web browser can be used for wonderful activities besides FaceBook, sports news and porn.
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From the mouth of the devil itself, WCWCD shows the residential per capita water use per day in Washington County as approximately 300 gallons.
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http://www.wcwcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/WC-Plan-2010.pdf
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Average US daily water use per capita is under 100 gallons.
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http://water.usgs.gov/edu/qa-home-percapita.html
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Here are some sample water use rates for Arizona, a climate more inhospitable than our own. Note that Tucson, a climate similar to our own, is about 100 gallons per day
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http://www.westernresourceadvocates.org/azmeter/percap.php
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Check out the bar graph in showing water use for other countries. It’s in liters per person per day. US tops the chart. Imagine the top bar as being three times longer to represent Washington County’s water use compared to the world. We use about 10 times as much water as UK citizens.
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Check out the per state averages. Washington County is 50% higher than the highest per stage figure.
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http://www.csgwest.org/policy/WesternWaterUsage.aspx
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Finally, a report reviewing water supply needs in Washington County.
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http://citizensfordixie.org/pdf/pipeline/resources/hydrosphere_original_water_supply_report.pdf
strengthen environmental protections?! raise minimum wage?! I SMELL A COMMUNIST!
You ‘smell a communist’? I’d say she just slapped you across the face, sucker punched you, and kneed you between the legs. She IS a communist.
Obviously, you don’t have a clue as to what Communism is. Just an easy label to attach to someone you disagree with. Why not state your arguments against environmental protections and against raising the minimum wage? Or don’t you have any?
Another big government left wing hack . Close coal fired power plants, The federal government can care for Utah land better than Utah can, raise minimum wages, support gay rights . A rubber stamp right out of Obamas play book . No imagination of her own.
What in the H does potential for wind and solar power are big business mean? That sounds like a slogan for Solyndra one of obamas failed multi million dollar investments.
Do you really think that a 2 dollar raise in minimum wage in entry level jobs is going to take people of food stamps?
I can think of many issues more important than gay rights in southern Utah.Do All gays vote there sexual preference at the ballet box? Ms Nelson is going after what’s in it for me vote. …..Shamefully
“Thankfully, two-thirds of the state are under federal control and must remain under federal control at any cost.” Really? What a joke! Typical Dem wanting more Federal control and regulation.
I’m so sick and tired of politicians run on gay rights platform . Please explain why when gays are less than 1% of the population in southern Utah.
How about running on ; decrease domestic violence , drunk driving, job creation ,water supply and conservation and many other things that affect all of use.
Land MUST stay under Feds Control. WOW What about the 40 states East of us that has very little Federal Land. Those POOR states have to suffer without the FED telling them what to do. Maybe she needs to go there and push her land plan.
OLD MAN’s aging brain cells may have deleted the history he learned in high school concerning expansion of the country into the West and the settlement of the states east of the Mississippi. You’re comparing apples to oranges old timer.
Your Apples are as rotten as your brain. It your lack of education is showing. Check out what the founding fathers said about states’ rights and the power of the federal government to own land or were those old men comparing apples to oranges old timer.
If the federal government did not have the power to own land, then the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo was invalid, and Utah could not exist. It is clearly your education that is lacking. I suggest you go post somewhere else where people are as unformed as you. You’re in way over your head here.
This “lady” has made so many misleading statements in her uh “statement” that it is comical. She sounds more like one of the three stooges, or some animated cartoon character than she does a viable candidate. What an idiot!
Nelson=Socialist Communist
…get used to it buddy – as more and more Kalifornia socialist retirees are baited here by pipeline subsidized water and golf course developers, you will have to beat them off with a large cudgel…
Labels sure come in handy when you don’t have an argument.
What is this woman doing out of her kitchen? What Utah man would his property do that?
Coocoo coocoo coocoo
I’m curious as to what the educational level of those leaving most earlier comments is? Rhetorical question. No need to answer. We all get it!