2022 Primary Election: Q&A with Washington County candidates Gil Almquist and Allen Davis
All three seats on the Washington County Commission are up for election this election cycle but only one is showing up on voters' ballots this month for the primary election — the competition between Republicans Gil Almquist, the incumbent, and Allen Davis, his challenger for Seat A on the commission.
Almquist is seeking his second term and trying to build on what has already been a long career in local politics. Before his time on the commission, Almquist was on the St. George planning commission for 16 years and was a member of the St. George City Council for eight years. His professional career outside of government revolved around landscaping.
This year marks the second time Davis has challenged Almquist from within the GOP, having lost to Almquist in the 2018 primary after Almquist won 66% of the vote. Outside of politics, Davis works for the Energy Services Department with the City of St. George.
At the Republican county convention this year, Davis received just over 43% of the delegate vote to Almquist's 57%, enough to get past the convention and force the primary.
The winner between Almquist and Davis will face Robert Davis, a Democrat, in the November general election.
The two other county commissioners were able to avoid to a primary but will have to face off against Democratic challengers. Incumbent Commissioner Victor Iverson will be against Chuck Goode and Commissioner Adam Snow, who was appointed to the post in a special party election last year, faces Rebecca Winsor for a limited two-year term.
The Spectrum sent Almquist and Davis questions on their candidacy and issues about Washington County. Here are their responses.
Water continues to be a scrutinized resource during this ongoing drought. What would you do as an elected official to protect this resource in the future?
Almquist: I would first build reservoirs. There are four in the works and another I have suggested inside Washington City limits. To protect our natural water resource means we can also use it over and over. If we construct a re-use system that can process and store water, we otherwise let go down the river, then we get the benefit of multiple uses before we lose it. Right now, we cannot retain all the water from storms or heavy run-off. We also cannot store everything we could from a fully operating reuse system. Therefore, the reservoirs are critical. Next, the infrastructure to re-use and distribute water across the county water is essential going into the future. The role of Commissioners is to help bring everyone together in planning, development and usage of water.
Davis: Most of the big, easy water projects have been developed. We need to develop a master plan with regards to water and prioritize the different projects. We need to reuse water; the Warner Valley Reservoir would allow us to store water from the Virgin River that would normally go to Lake Mead at high runoff because we have no other place to put it and start using the water we have better and more efficiently. Part of the problem is how we bill for water. Water is heavily subsidized; about 2/3 the true cost of water is from subsidy of taxes in one form or another and 1/3 is billed to the end user. Water is too cheap, someone else is paying for 2/3, there is little financial incentive to conserve, if we reduce the taxes that’s used to subsidize water and increase the cost to reflect the real cost of the water it would do more for the conservation of water than anything else. I would not be in favor of raising the cost of water to punish the end user to promote conservation but that would be up to the individual water company and how they price their water.
What needs to happen for Washington County if the Lake Powell Pipeline isn’t built?
Almquist: The first answer about water gets a big ditto here. If there isn’t a pipeline in the near future, then all of the reservoirs and reuse system will enable us to manage water needs for the foreseeable future.
Davis: As time goes by, it looks less and less likely that the Lake Powell Pipeline will come to pass. It is irrelevant to the problem of growth outpacing our ability to supply water at the current rate of new building and the time it takes to get new water resources developed. We need some automatic stops that would limit building permits when it is likely that we could not supply water to new construction until new water resources are put in to supply water. Each city is responsible for issuing building permits, but as a commissioner I would have some influence on permits that are being issued within those cities. At some point, with or without the pipeline, we are going to get too built out. We as a county need to decide what criteria will cause us to stop issuing new building permits; hopefully being proactive instead of reactive.
What are the most pressing issues for you for this election?
Almquist: Water, Transportation, Public Safety, Election Integrity, Housing, Land Use Planning and Federal Overreach into our lives. Not to understate my focus on jobs and wages.
Davis:
Rights & Liberties: Other than water, we have lost rights and liberties because of government overreach on a federal, state, and local level. Our own commissioners have taken our rights and liberties.
Election Integrity: we as a people need to believe that our elections are safe, fair, and secure. There is a lot we can do as a county to help with that along with encouraging our state representatives to make changes on a state level.
5-Member Commission: change the form of county government from a 3-commissioner commission to a 5-commissioner form of government.
How should nature conservation play into the development of southwest Utah?
Almquist: Our natural surroundings are what attract people here as tourists and provides our residents with a beautiful opportunity to get outside and have fun. I am all for reasonable protections of public lands. I am not in favor of denying access by the feds to our publicly owned spaces for hiking, fishing, hunting or any other general recreation.
Davis: Conservation of the natural resources is an important part of growth. I think that we can all agree that natural resources improve the quality of life for us in Washington county. The Red Cliff Reserve is playing a big role in conservation in the county. As a county commissioner I would be in favor of better management of our wildlands. For example, small control burns on the Pine Valley to reduce fuel that would help prevent large catastrophic fires from happening. However, with increased population there will be increased pressure on our wildlands and natural resources, and it needs to be managed to the best of our ability.
Do you support the Northern Corridor being built through the Red Cliffs Conservation Area?
Almquist: I do for several reasons. Congestion on our roads for east-west commuters would be minimized. Idling cars create pollution. The corridor is a way to by-pass lights and intersections where traffic builds up and fumes cause pollution. It has no commercial or residential properties along the route. The tortoise will have access to both sides of the road and have other protections in place to insure their survival.
Davis: I support a Northern Corridor of some kind. It is my understanding that it has already been approved and is in the designing/engineering stage with construction to soon start. I believe that it should be constructed in as environmentally friendly manner as we can, but the time to make changes would have been before approval.
What does ‘smart growth’ look like to you?
Almquist: Well-planned subdivisions with common areas, higher density with proper design and lighting. Water wise appliances, thoughtful landscapes, and covered pools will assist in so many ways. Well placed and walkable residential areas located near shopping and services to avoid long travel distances. Multiple transportation modes will also need to be planned for.
Davis: It doesn’t look like double digit growth; it is not just water that we are having trouble keeping up with. Roads, power grids, grocery stores, gas stations, everything is having trouble keeping up with double digit growth. A good master plan would go a long way to helping it turn out the way we want it to.
How would you describe yourself politically?
Almquist: I am a life-long conservative Republican who stands by the state and national party platforms as well as the United States and Utah Constitutions.
Davis: Constitutional Conservative. Less government is better.
What could Republicans in Utah be doing better?
Almquist: Study the Party Platform and become united under its principles.
Davis: Better access to the candidates, more debates and more opportunities to vet the candidates.
Should the government be doing more to create affordable housing? (Yes or No) What steps would you take around housing affordability if you are elected?
Almquist: Yes, by planning and zoning assistance. No, by saying the government should build it. This is a market issue, but I am willing to do anything to assist from the resources of the county and its excellent employees.
Well-planned and designed housing units clustered to lower costs. I have always said that “Design trumps Density.” There are some great projects around the country and a few here locally that meet this standard. We can work with cities about zoning and design. We are a great resource for anyone who wishes for some direction.
Davis: I am against any kind of subsidization of housing. Subsidization is a socialist/communist principle and subsidization never works, taking from one person and giving to another. One thing that would work is higher density housing. This would help but affordable housing is more of a city issue than a county issue. We are going to have to start paying more money to the people who do the work in Washington County but that is up to the free market.
Sean Hemmersmeier covers local government, growth and development in Southwestern Utah. Follow on Twitter @seanhemmers34. Our work depends on subscribers so if you want more coverage on these issues you can subscribe here: http://www.thespectrum.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: 2022 Primary Election: Q&A with Washington County candidates
