Who is the most liberal Democrat for Salt Lake City mayor?

[Sean Reynolds]

Next month Salt Lake City will vote for a Democrat as their mayor; something they have done since the early 1970s. BUT while both are Democrats, one is liberal, the other is a moderate.

Rocky Anderson (running for re-election) likes to call himself a Socialist Democrat. He ran for congress in 1996, but lost. In 1999 he was elected as mayor of Salt Lake City and is known as one of the most liberal mayors in the nation.

Frank Pignanelli is too a Democrat. But while Anderson is liberal, Pignanelli is a DLC Democrat that supports Lieberman for president (I asked himself) - Rocky supports Dean.

So where do these two stand on the issues? Read for yourself and you can make the choice as to who is more liberal.
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Guns

Frank Pignanelli

While Rep. Pete Suazo argued for "empowering cities to tailor gun laws to their own needs,"1 Pignanelli voted to prevent cities from enacting gun ordinances more strict than statutes passed by the State Legislature. Without the law supported by Pignanelli, Salt Lake City could prohibit guns in schools and churches and it could require stricter background checks on young gun buyers not currently required under state and federal law.2

Rocky Anderson

Mayor Anderson favors gun education, and reasonable restrictions on where guns can be carried, including a ban on guns in churches and schools. Also, Mayor Anderson is a vigorous advocate of home rule, permitting local governmental entities to make local decisions on matters like this.


1The Salt Lake Tribune, February 8, 1995
2Deseret News, February 8, 1995 ("Rep. Mary Carlson, D-Salt Lake, lambasted her colleagues for their 'presumption of arrogance' for dictating to local governments what the Legislature decides is best, and then complaining when the federal government does the same thing to the state. . . . Bill proponents . . . swayed an unlikely ally to their side in the final moments of the debate. House Minority Leader Frank Pignanelli, D-Salt Lake, admitted he has never owned or fired a gun, but added 'I am not convinced that gun control works to solve crime problems.'"); The Salt Lake Tribune, February 8, 1995.

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Lobbyist Disclosure

Frank Pignanelli

While a legislator, Pignanelli prepared a lobbyist disclosure report for his employer (the largest contributor of Jazz tickets to legislators) and failed to disclose the names of legislators receiving gifts (until he was asked about it by a news reporter) with the excuse that he thought corporate box seats at Jazz games, dinner, and drinks were worth only $18.3

Rocky Anderson

Rocky has always been a vigorous advocate for a ban on gifts to legislators and other elected officials. He lobbied for two years at the Utah Legislature as a volunteer with Common Cause, advocating for a ban on gifts from lobbyists. Soon after he became Mayor, he issued an Executive Order banning gifts to all non-Council city employees.


3Deseret News, March 12, 1996

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Resolution of Main Street Plaza

Frank Pignanelli

Pignanelli has repeatedly complained about the resolution of the Main Street Plaza, offering up inconsistent scenarios of what would have happened had he been mayor. At one time, he said he would "try to win some concessions to allow leafleting on part of the plaza," notwithstanding that the property owner, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opposes leafleting on its property.4

Rocky Anderson

Mayor Anderson worked hard to take into account the views of all sides on the Main Street Plaza controversy. After his first proposal was rejected, he developed another creative proposal, which has been enthusiastically supported by six of seven members of the City Council, the Alliance for Unity, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. LaVarr Webb wrote of the proposal: "Inasmuch as I have been highly critical of Mayor Anderson on this issue, I have to give credit where credit is due. Congratulations, mayor. . . . appears this proposal is going to hold together, and the mayor deserves credit for initiating it. . . Anderson has . . . been very consistent in his passion to help young people, and this proposal furthers that cause. I believe he could see the damage being done by the divisiveness, felt it needed to end and wanted to turn all the anger and bitterness into something very positive."5 President Gordon B. Hinckley stated: "We commend the Mayor . . . for all that he's done to bring about a resolution to that very difficult and serious problem."6


4The Salt Lake Tribune, November 19, 2002
5Ted Wilson and LaVarr Webb, "Congrats, mayor – there's peace on plaza," Deseret News, December 22, 2002
6Deseret News, July 1, 2003

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Sprawl Development

Frank Pignanelli

Pignanelli has no record of fighting sprawl. He has criticized Mayor Anderson for helping to stop the sprawl- and pollution-inducing Legacy Highway. He has also advocated in favor of the "sprawl mall" – a proposed 1.2 million square foot mega-mall west of the Airport.7

Rocky Anderson

With the enthusiastic support of Downtown merchants and other retailers, Mayor Anderson fought tenaciously and effectively to stop the "sprawl mall." He has also fought vigorously for better growth and land-use planning, as well as for cleaner air and improved public health, in helping to stop the sprawl- and traffic-inducing Legacy Highway.


7Deseret News, November 29, 2002

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Hazardous Waste Transportation Disposal

Frank Pignanelli

While in the Utah Legislature, Pignanelli was an outspoken opponent of higher fees for hazardous waste. In support of that opposition, which he admitted was politically driven,8 Pignanelli argued that "we don?t want the rates so high that these (hazardous-waste) fees drive private disposal companies out of business."9 The higher fees would have been applied to a waste disposal company represented by Pignanelli?s lobbyist partner and campaign supporter Doug Foxley.

Years later, after Foxley was unable to start a radioactive waste business in Tooele County, Foxley and Pignanelli pushed a failed citizen's initiative that would have radically raised fees on another company.10 Conservationists in southern Utah were "concerned that the initiative, if passed, make it financially impossible to clean up the Atlas uranium mill site, which is currently leaching toxic chemical and radioactivity into the Colorado River near Moa."11 Also, the initiative would have exempted International Uranium's White Mesa mill near Blanding from the increased fees, although the company accepts the same kinds of wastes disposed of by the company targeted by Foxley and Pignanelli. In fact, under the Foxley/Pignanelli initiative, the tax previously imposed on the materials going to White Mesa would have been removed altogether.12 When asked why his initiative would pass, Pignanelli replied, "Let's face it. have a crappy client and a horrible message."

After Pignanelli and his colleagues failed to obtain the desired number of petition signatures for the initiative, he stated, "After we got that Idaho ruling , we started mumbling to ourselves about what jerks the opponents had been . . .,"said Pignanelli. "We decided, 'what the hell,' and filed the lawsuit challenging the 20-county rule just to tweak them back."13 The Foxley/Pignanelli initiative failed 2-to-1.

Rocky Anderson

No one ever has to wonder where Rocky Anderson stands on the transportation and disposal of hazardous waste – or about his motives. As with his stands on transportation issues, particularly mass transit and Legacy Highway; land-use planning; and urban development, Mayor Anderson has taken a consistent, vigorous stand against (1) the storage of out-of-state Class B and C radioactive waste in the west desert, (2) the transportation and storage of nuclear waste at the Goshute Reservation, and (3) the transportation and storage of high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. He has testified at public hearings on these matters, including his highly-publicized testimony before the United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and has worked closely with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and US Senator Harry Reid in working against the Yucca Mountain proposal – and in favor of safe, long-term solutions regarding nuclear energy and disposal of the highly lethal materials resulting from its production.14


8"Leaders of Waste-Tax Initiative Have Interesting Histories," The Salt Lake Tribune, May 26, 2002 ("Ten years ago, then state Rep. Frank Pignanelli gave an impassioned speech on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to a bill to impose stringent state fees on hazardous waste storage companies in Utah. . . . Pignanelli admits his metamorphosis is partially motivated by political intrigue. The Salt Lake City Democrat . . . worked against hiking taxes for hazardous waste because of who the tax proponents were. 'Craig Moody was speaker of the House and was planning to run for Congress that year,' Pignanelli said. . . . 'That bugged me. Part of my motivation was to mess him up.'. . . Now, he acknowledges, part of his motivation was his animosity toward Envirocare, one of the largest hazardous-waste storage companies in the nation . . ." See also Deseret News, March 1, 1992; Deseret News, February 18, 1992
9Deseret News, February 18, 1992
10Deseret News, October 27, 2002
11Deseret News, October 27, 2002
12Deseret News, October 27, 2002
13The Salt Lake Tribune, September 1, 2002
14See text of Mayor Anderson's testimony before the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, www.slcgov.com/mayor/speeches/052002yuccamountaintest_final_2.htm.

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Insurance Coverage for Mental Illness and Family Planning

Frank Pignanelli

For four years, Rep. Judy Ann Buffmire proposed state legislation requiring businesses to provide comparable coverage for mental and physical illness. Also, some legislators have urged insurance coverage for family planning. Frank Pignanelli has opposed a requirement of comparable coverage for mental illness or for family planning under the call to "Leave the market alone."15

Rocky Anderson

Rocky Anderson has, for many years, fought for the rights of people with mental illness, including his campaign for more humane treatment of mentally ill people in our jails and prisons. He believes insurance that provides coverage for physical illnesses should also provide coverage for mental illness.


15"Utah Taxpayers Association Revels in Helping Prevent Health Plans From Broadening Benefits," The Salt Lake Tribune, April 27, 1999; Deseret News, January 25, 2000

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Smoking and Public Health

Frank Pignanelli

While in the Utah Legislature, Pignanelli strongly opposed a bill that would require businesses to separate smoking and nonsmoking sections and to provide separate ventilation systems, calling such a proposal "draconian." He also rejected national studies on the danger of second-hand smoke, saying that it would be "criminal" to require nonsmoking sections without conducting local studies.16


Rocky Anderson

While Frank Pignanelli was opposing the separation of smoking and nonsmoking sections in public businesses, Rocky provided legal representation (without charge) for a man with a congenital respiratory disease, who could not enter public buildings where people were smoking. For many years, Rocky has advocated in favor of better public health and education. Mayor Anderson has been a long-time supporter of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), which fought successfully for a ban on smoking in airplanes and other public places. Mayor Anderson has consistently supported the designation of nonsmoking areas and, as mayor, has worked to educate young people of the dangers of smoking.


16"Fire Goes Out of Smoking Bill," Deseret News, February 16, 1993. See also Deseret News, February 23, 1993 ("House Minority Leader Frank Pignanelli, D-Salt Lake, pleaded with colleagues not to change the public smoking laws. 'The goal is worthy, but your actions will have tremendous impact on our business community.'")

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Choice

Frank Pignanelli

Frank Pignanelli "declines to take a pro-choice stand."17

Rocky Anderson

Rocky Anderson, a former member of the Board of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and a founding member of Utahns for Choice, has always maintained a compassionate view that the difficult decision regarding abortion must be between a woman, her family, and her physician.


17Deseret News, December 12, 1989. See also The Salt Lake Tribune, November 15, 1998 ("he pro-choice faction saw Pignanelli's movement as 'anti-woman.'")

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Infliction of Physical Punishment on Children in Schools

Frank Pignanelli

Frank Pignanelli voted against a ban on corporal punishment of children, citing Solomon in the Old Testament: "He that spareth the rod, hateth his son."18 Under the bill opposed by Pignanelli, "corporal punishment" was defined as the "intentional infliction of physical pain upon the body of a minor child as a disciplinary measure." A year later, he voted for a bill relating to the same topic, but only after it included exceptions for parochial and private schools and for instances where parents agreed to the infliction of physical pain on their children for purposes of discipline.

Rocky Anderson

A father of a 21-year old son, Rocky has always maintained that we should never use violence against children and that to do so sets a terrible example for them. Even with the consent of parents, schools should not be inflicting physical pain on children as a means of disciplining them. As The Salt Lake Tribune noted in an editorial on the matter, "Rep. Pignanelli failed to mention that Solomon's son, Rehoboam, grew into a violent ruler who inspired a popular revolt. He also overlooked New Testament passages extolling the virtues of children, love, forgiveness and peace."19


18"Kids Lost Punishment Fight," The Salt Lake Tribune, February 13, 1991 ("The House of Representatives' sanctimonious rejection of corporal punishment restrictions is a misguided blow to Utah children. . . . 'As it says in Proverbs,' Rep. Frank Pignanelli, D-Salt Lake City, preached, 'he that spareth the rod, hateth his son.' If this is the prevailing attitude among Utahns, why not do away with the state's child abuse laws?")
19"Utah Schools Should Spare Rod for Sake of Students, Society," The Salt Lake Tribune, February 4, 1992

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Economic Development

Frank Pignanelli

Then-Governor Bangerter wanted to set up a $10 million loan fund as an incentive for McDonnell Douglas Corp. to double its industrial presence in Utah. Under the proposal, McDonnell Douglas would receive a credit on the loan for contracts with Utah companies. "The new lines would increase employment at the Salt Lake City plant from 600 to up to 1,600 and increase state and local tax revenues from the current $62 million level to about $118 million."20 Although Utah was one of only five states without some sort of funding pools to assist in business expansion, Frank Pignanelli complained to McDonnell Douglas, "Why can't you get a loan from a bank? Why do you have to come to the state for the $10 million?"

Rocky Anderson

Mayor Anderson understands the important role local and state government has in attracting new businesses – and expansions of businesses – to Salt Lake City. For instance, Rocky worked hard to bring the world headquarters of Alpha Graphics to Salt Lake City. He also worked hard to help Alpha Graphics take over the Brooks Arcade Building (which had been mostly vacant for decades) and to renovate it as the beautiful addition to our City it is today. As his welcome to Alpha Graphics, Frank Pignanelli helped lead a picket outside the Brooks Arcade, protesting against the renovation project. Mayor Anderson also initiated the RDA grant project that recently brought five new locally-owned businesses to Main Street. (Frank Pignanelli has said he opposes a renewal of that tremendously successful grant project.)


20The Salt Lake Tribune, February 20, 1991; "Let Aircraft Loan Fly," The Salt Lake Tribune, February 27, 1991 ("he money is not so much a loan as it is an incentive that could bring a return of more than $100 million in future tax revenue.")

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Youth Programs

Frank Pignanelli

Frank Pignanelli is opposed to the YouthCity programs developed during the Anderson Administration, calling the programs "inefficient."21

Rocky Anderson

Mayor Anderson and members of his staff have passionately and tenaciously worked to build a city-wide youth after-school and summer program, which has served thousands of children in our community. Mayor Anderson's youth initiative includes art, film-making, computer technology, athletic, and mentoring programs. Mayor Anderson has worked effectively to leverage the relatively small City contribution of $150,000 per year for YouthCity into millions of dollars in federal, foundation, corporate, and individual contributions to the youth programs, which are supported by 89% of Salt Lake City residents. YouthCity now serves more than 4,500 Salt Lake City children.


21"Hopefuls say where they stand," The Salt Lake Tribune, September 21, 2003 (" has one city service in mind to trim: YouthCity, a program that Anderson created that includes after-school and summer-school classes. The city spends $150,000 a year on the program, said the director of youth and family programs. It also has received or will be getting $2.1 million in federal grants and $317,500 in private funds. Pignanelli said he would divert some of that funding to existing community youth programs. 'YouthCity is a very inefficient use of tax dollars,' he said.")

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Pioneer Park

Frank Pignanelli

Frank Pignanelli opposes a major renovation of Pioneer Park, saying, "We need to take baby steps in Pioneer Park to get people down there."22

Rocky Anderson

Mayor Anderson has enthusiastically supported proposals for an exciting, major renovation of Pioneer Park, which will provide a safe, welcoming environment for everyone, including families and children. According to Mayor Anderson, Pioneer Park should be a jewel in our City, much like Liberty Park. Its central, urban setting should provide opportunities for people from throughout the community. Mayor Anderson would like to see an improved setting for Farmers Market; a staging area for concerts, plays, and festivals; an off-leash dog area; and a major ice skating rink and magnificent water feature that will help make Pioneer Park a memorable destination place for residents and visitors alike.


22"Hopefuls say where they stand," The Salt Lake Tribune, September 21, 2003

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Drug Prevention


Frank Pignanelli

Frank Pignanelli has said he would restore funding of DARE officers in our schools.23 He has been consistently harsh in his criticism of Mayor Anderson?s decision to end the ineffective DARE program and to focus on better, effective drug prevention programs.

Rocky Anderson

Although DARE has been very successful in its public relations campaigns, the truth is that every peer-reviewed published study demonstrates that it does not work. Having studied the issue for several years, Mayor Anderson had the courage and integrity to terminate the DARE program and to urge the Salt Lake School District Board to implement drug prevention programs that really work. Mayor Anderson introduced the highly-effective ATLAS program to Salt Lake City schools and he provided School Board members with extensive research materials concerning drug-prevention programs that have demonstrated effectiveness. Here?s what Salt Lake City's two major daily newspapers have had to say about the issue:


Many roundly criticized Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson for his temerity in dumping the popular DARE anti-drug program last year, but it turns out the mayor was right to do so. No less an authority than DARE officials themselves agree.
While all of Anderson's critics should be eating crow, those among his most vituperative ought to carefully consider the propriety of apologizing to the mayor. It turns out his only gaffe with respect to DARE was having the guts to pull the city off a horse that simply would not run.

"DARE's Rocky Road," The Salt Lake Tribune, February 18, 2001.

After months of criticism, here and elsewhere, the people who head the DARE program nationwide have admitted their program is a failure. . . . Now the program?s critics, including Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson, who last year withdrew support from DARE in the Salt Lake School District, have gained a good measure of credibility. . . .
Utah's schools can't afford to hang onto a program that doesn't work. Too much is at stake. From now on, school districts should demand accountability from any drug-resistance program they use.

"DARE's sorry admission," Deseret News, February 20, 2001.


Particularly on issues as important as drug abuse prevention, we need more honest, competent leadership and less political pandering.


23"Hopefuls say where they stand," The Salt Lake Tribune, September 21, 2003

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Public Accountability/Political Reform

Frank Pignanelli

In 1996, Frank Pignanelli urged all legislative candidates not to answer the questionnaire issued by Project Vote Smart, a national organization working for greater political accountability.24

Rocky Anderson

Rocky Anderson has never been afraid to voice his position on the issues, regardless of the political implications. In 1996, while Pignanelli was encouraging others to boycott Project Vote Smart, Rocky provided answers to all the Project Vote Smart questions, which were then posted on the Project Vote Smart web site. Rocky believes Project Vote Smart is a great way to better inform voters – and to make candidates accountable.


24Deseret News, September 7, 1996

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Political Courage

Frank Pignanelli

When the Utah Legislature was called into special session in 1996, legislators were called upon to vote regarding the controversial gay-straight high school club issue. Rather than vote on the bill, Frank Pignanelli walked off the floor of the House of Representatives. Likewise, when the Legislature was considering the elimination of minimum mandatory sentencing for sex offenders, Pignanelli walked off the floor of the House so he wouldn't have to vote on the bill – and talked other legislators into doing the same.25 Then, after the bill passed, Pignanelli played politics with the situation, calling publicly for the repeal of the bill regarding which he had earlier refused to vote.26 (Minimum-mandatory sentencing requirements – which Governor Leavitt called "a law that?s not working" – were ultimately repealed.)

When then-Governor Norm Bangerter proposed greater funding for academic and career education for prison inmates, Pignanelli played politics with the issue in the most cynical manner. In an editorial, the Salt Lake Tribune stated that Pignanelli was "trying to make political hay by pitting prison medical and education programs against the health and schooling of children." The Tribune concluded: "It's a clear case of demagogy unworthy of a party traditionally committed to solving social ills."27

Rocky Anderson

Rocky has always been willing to take courageous stands, even when they might not be popular. While Pignanelli was walking off the floor of the House to avoid votes, Rocky was standing up for the rights of all, regardless of their sexual orientation, for reform of our criminal justice system, for the rights of crime victims, and for better inmate education to stop the prison revolving door. Rocky demonstrated his courage on these issues before he was Mayor. And that?s how he has provided leadership with integrity as our Mayor.


25Deseret News, March 2, 1995 ("House Democrats were so gun-shy they left the floor rather than vote on the bill. House Minority Leader Frank Pignanelli, D-Salt Lake, said later he had called Democrats off the floor 'for a quick caucus to talk about our bills before the Senate.' But why call a caucus with only 10 minutes left in the session? While Pignanelli wouldn't say, other Democrats said Pignanelli, an attorney who used to practice criminal law, knew about the major change in sentencing sex offenders. But for tactical reasons, Pignanelli didn?t want House Democrats questioning or even voting on Beattie?s bill.") See also Deseret News, March 17, 1995; Deseret News, March 30, 1995.
26The Salt Lake Tribune, March 22, 1995; The Salt Lake Tribune, April 20, 1995; Deseret News, April 19, 1995; Deseret News, April 20, 1995
27"Democrats Reduce Demagoguery Regarding Prison to New Low," The Salt Lake Tribune, January 14, 1992

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Career

Frank Pignanelli

Lobbyist; Legislator; Lawyer (rated B by colleagues (as reported in Martindale-Hubbell) after more than two decades of legal practice). Currently works as a lobbyist.28

Rocky Anderson

After years of work as a roofer, waiter, fence-builder, cab driver, construction worker, truck driver, and methadone-clinic worker, Rocky worked for over 20 years as a lawyer (listed in Best Lawyers in America and rated with the highest A rating by his colleagues). He has served as Mayor of Salt Lake City for almost four years, with important positions with the US Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. His work as Mayor has led to endorsements from such national figures as Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.


28On Pignanelli's recent lobbying jobs: "Cassie Dippo, state issues coordinator for Common Cause of Utah, a governmental conflict of interest watchdog group, said the cases (of Pignanelli's lobbying) are troubling. 'It's a personal ethics issue, but there's no statute that makes it illegal. I wouldn't do it,' she said. 'It's interesting (Pignanelli) doesn't see a conflict between running for mayor and representing interests that have conflicting issues with the city.'" "Lobbyists eye Rocky's job," Deseret News, February 20, 2003

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Views on the Role of Government – Reactive or Proactive?

Frank Pignanelli

"Pignanelli says the Legislature is a reactive, not proactive, body. "We don't initiate much, we react to what others are doing. If the media hits us again on lobbyist disclosure or whatever in 1995, we'll probably pass something. If they don't push reform, we probably won't do anything."29

Rocky Anderson

Rocky Anderson has always been proactive, in his legal practice, in his extensive non-profit community service, and as Mayor. He made important law in the areas of securities fraud (successfully representing depositors in a failed local thrift and loan company) and civil rights. During his first term as Mayor, Rocky Anderson implemented unprecedented youth programs, internationally-renowned environmental initiatives (earning him the EPA Climate Protection Award and the Sierra Club's Distinguished Service Award), and pedestrian safety projects (earning Salt Lake City the ranking as one of the nation's ten most livable big cities). As he has demonstrated with middle-of-the-street parking, the youth mural program, pedestrian measures, and many other initiatives, Mayor Anderson is creative, effective, and proactive.


29Deseret News, July 10, 1994.

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Partisanship

Frank Pignanelli

While in the Utah Legislature, Pignanelli refused to participate in Governor Leavitt's Growth Summit unless unreasonable, highly-partisan conditions were met. He insisted there must be an equal number of Democrats and Republicans on summit panels or Democrats must have a veto vote on the summit's decisions. As Senate President Lane Beattie said, "It's too bad that some people want to turn everything into politics."30

Pignanelli's partisanship took a very nasty turn when he stated: "We've bailed this guy (Governor Norm Bangerter) out before. I personally have taken his crap for six years. We're tired of it."31 He also lambasted the GOP-controlled Legislature as "those right-wing extremist wackos"32 – not exactly the stuff of relationship-building.

Rocky Anderson

Mayor Anderson addresses issues in a nonpartisan fashion. Providing strong leadership, he has worked effectively with City Council members and others to bring about positive changes for our City, including our renowned hosting of the Olympic Winter Games; the revival of the University light rail line; the redesign of Library Square to provide for open space, water features, and public art on the east side of the block; the most progressive environmental initiatives in the country; and widely-acclaimed pedestrian innovations. He is supported by many Republicans, Democrats, Green Party members, and Independents alike.


30Deseret News, August 24, 1995
31Deseret News, February 27, 1992 (Governor Bangerter's response was as follows: "(Pignanelli's) a boy in a mans world, and some day he may grow up to be a real legislator." )
32"Demos Hope PR Professional Will Give Life to the Party," The Salt Lake Tribune, May 21, 1995