Just as we speculated earlier this week, this morning's Standard-Examiner confirms that retired Air Force combat fighter pilot Don Bell has entered the House Legislative District 8 race under the Democratic Party banner, for the seat now occupied by Republican State Representative Gage Froerer. From the tone of the current conversation, we predict this contest will be a lively one. We incorporate here a few snippets form this morning's Marshall Thompson story:
“While the people of District 8 were being abused by horrific property taxes, my opponent was ineffective and participated in a propaganda campaign for 5 months against true property tax reforms,” D-Bell wrote. “It is time to hold him, and the special interests he represents, accountable for the ineffective leadership and representation. My opponent has represented his own business interests and those of his cronies in the Realtors Association and development industry, while neglecting his constituents.”Being the curious type, we navigated through the state's online reporting system, and these are the figures reported for Rep. Froerer's 2006 campaign:
Froerer, who runs a real estate business in Weber County, said Bell is exaggerating and the people of District 8 won’t believe the claims.
“He’s very selective in what he points out there,” Froerer said. “I think the people know the efforts I’ve put out on property tax reform, voting rights and the Powder Mountain deal.”
Froerer has sponsored legislation and amendments that would retroactively change a loophole in a law that allows developers, like Powder Mountain, to incorporate as a town without letting future residents vote or elect the first town council. The law at the center of the debate, House Bill 466, passed unanimously through the Legislature last year.
D-Bell said he would be running as a Democrat in Weber County because of the local party’s strong stance on campaign finance reform in Utah. He said, if elected, he won’t accept any gifts and will only accept campaign donations from individuals for under $250.
D-Bell criticized his opponent for spending nearly $50,000 on his 2006 campaign and getting too many donations from real estate interests, but Froerer said that’s not accurate.
“One of his (D-Bell’s) problems is that he tends to invent numbers that don’t correspond with reality,” Froerer said.
If voters want to see his finances and contributors, Froerer said, they can go to the State of Utah reporting system at https://ucrs.utah.gov/.
Totals: Contributions: $61,552.46; Expenditures: $47,477.69; Balance: $14,074.77. A list of Froerer's 2006 contributors is viewable here.
Close enough for government work, we guess. We suspect this will be a highly-interesting race.
6 comments:
Ah, Rudi Rudi....
Long segment from the article, you posted. Somehow, it managed not to include this:
D-Bell said he would be running as a Democrat in Weber County because of the local party’s strong stance on campaign finance reform in Utah. He said, if elected, he won’t accept any gifts and will only accept campaign donations from individuals for under $250.
No free meals. No golf trips. No jazz tickets. Nada. Curious omission from the post, I thought. An oversight, I'm sure.
And if Gage "Asleep At The Wheel" Froerer intends to make a major campaign issue of this --- "My opponent says I spent $50,000 on my last campaign. Wrong. I only spent $47500 and I banked another $14,000" ---- well, if he does intend to run on that, it's going to be a long campaign for him I'm afraid.
Good point, Curm. Although I'd carved it out first, mainly in an attempt to shorten the quoted text, with an eye toward conforming to "fair use," I realize upon second reflection that it was integral to Bell's announcement, and have now re-inserted the paragraph.
Thanks for the correction. And yes... the omission was entirely inadvertant.
Rudi:
Thanks for picking up the quote on no gifts. And the snarky "inadvertent, I'm sure" was just a little ribbing. Hell, if we can't have fun on the campaign trail, what's the point? I tend to Hubert Humphry's view of a good campaigner: "The happy warrior."
Which reminds me of the famous story of Lyndon Johnson, running one of his campaigns for the House or Senate, I forget which. He told his campaign manager to spread the rumor that Johnson's opponent had sex with a farm animal. The campaign manager complained "but it's not true!" To which Johnson replied: " I know, I know. But I want to see the son of a bitch denying it in tomorrow's paper."
Good luck to D-Bell in his campaign. I think he's clearly wrong on some of his property tax stands and proposals but he is clearly more qualified than the incumbent when it comes to the issues of ethics and integrity.
Unfortunately I'm in Davis County so I can't vote for him but here's hoping those voters who can will come out for him big time.
Ya know, my illustrious Dist 8 opponent challenged my integrity by saying I exaggerated the numbers when I said "nearly $50,000".
So (not wanting to be wrong about such important matters) went back again and using both followthemoney.org and his own reference https://ucrs.utah.gov the "nearly $50K" number checks out precisely. I hilighted individual contributors recognizable as from the Realtor/Developer categories; Utah Property Rights Coalition for example is such a feeder organization as is The UT Ass. of Realtors PAC, construction companies, Froerer Investments, etc. and conservatively speaking, $21,150 came from people with expectations or from his own personal self-business interests.
If we add "his cronies" to the list; Clark, Urquhart, Curtis, Dee, Harper, etc. again "conservatively", another $5,250 is added to the list of contributors with "expectations" and not his constituents ($26,400).
Argue these figures my learned opponent and explain that when you try to tell us all why you voted for HB 466 (The Developer's Dream) and allowed HB 164 (The Deathnail of Powderville citizen's rights) to pass without even attending a meeting on the subject with House Speaker Curtis and representives. Your lip service is no service after the fix as in. I say again, "my opponent is a big part of the problems we have in the legislature, and not a part of the solution."
You have much to answer for Sir, and no 5th week, knee jerk, death bed conversions will sell to the informed public.
D-Bell, District 8 candidate for the House of Representatives
Good job Machman. It is about time we had a candidate stand up and call bull shit on these bull shiters that control the state politics.
Give em hell and don't let Froerer squirm out from under the long overdue spotlight.
Post a Comment