The Utah Valley Chamber is pleased to support Proposition 9. This proposition will change Utah County’s form of government from the current three-commissioner model to an executive-council form of government, which provides a separation between the executive and legislative branches and regional representation, both of which do not exist with the current form of government.
Utah County is growing rapidly. Recent studies show that our county will grow from a current population of 650,000 to over 1.6 million by 2065, adding more people than any other county in the state. This growth requires a government that is responsive to the diverse needs of the various regions of the county, and one that can advocate for the necessary infrastructure to prepare for growth. With the three-commissioner model we have three CEOs leading our county government, which creates challenges when advocating on behalf of Utah County. There is a lack of accountability and understanding on who is responsible for ensuring the needs of our county are being addressed. Moving to an executive-council form of government creates a separate legislative and executive branch, with a part-time legislature responsible for creating policy and adopting a budget, and a full-time executive responsible for implementing that policy and advocating for Utah County. This form of government is already in place within other counties in Utah and has the same separation of powers that exist within our city and state governments. It does not require a tax increase as the current budget allocated to three full-time commissioners is sufficient to cover the proposed full-time executive and five-part time council members.
With the growth we are experiencing, it is more important than ever to have a form of government that provides greater accountability, greater transparency, and better representation. As business leaders throughout the county, we understand that it is essential our county prepare now for future growth in a way that keeps Utah County a desirable place to work and live. We believe that Proposition 9 provides a better form of government that is equipped to address the current and future needs of Utah County.