Here are the opinions R candidates: UT Ct commission, Ct Attorney, Ct Sherriff

These are notes I took last night at Republican candidate night. I’m a bad typist so any mistakes are my fault. It has taken several hours to fix this. I’ve tried to be as accurate as possible. Ask questions of the candidates for any areas of confusion.

The event was sponsored by Cspoa.org. the Facebook page is Hillcrest meetings

County commission:

Tom Sakeivich (UT county commissioner candidate)

Lived in Utah 20 yrs. I remember when highway I15 was two lanes. Served in the marine core 35 yr. wife and me. Responsibilities were overseeing peacetime training, stopping drugs.
I was in marine core’s executive board. I was responsible for several regions (over several states and global responsibilities. My responsibility was to streamline efforts. Counterdrug operations. 2001 involved with forces in Iraq.
I know how to restructure an organization, what can be improved and what does needs to stay as is.
Collecting agency> giving tax subsites. 35 yrs. deferring tax. We use tax incentives to bring economic developments for areas that need help.
Need to do three things.
Our population is growing faster than the infrastructure like roads. Currently, the time to drive from UT ct to SL is 30 min. in the yr. 2025 it is expected to be 90 minutes. Utah CT will be like Salt Lake county in 30 yrs.
We need to call and involve state representatives.
Look at UT county budget. Currently, it is $85 million. Sherriff office needs 51 million. We are losing deputies because of pay. We need to restructure how much state sends to the county we work on. What do we do with the money we currently have? Needed for infrastructure, sewer, water
Take care of problem issues.
I’ve worked with city mayors and city councils on a regular basis.
Q: What are your duties? Has legislative and executive authority to work zoning laws. The focus is on land. As the executive, I oversee land use and make sure the infrastructure needs are met.
Q: Do we need five commissioners? UT count has three full-time commissioners. If commissioner works with cities they don’t need a big staff. Work on land development outside of the city.
Q: What are your feelings of BRT? Rapid transit: worried that BRT. Thought there was a better way that it would not be so expensive. Need mass transit system due to expected growth. Like smaller UTA buses, uber and other solutions. The government should concentrate on services that private citizens could not provide.
Q: what do you know of Ut County owning the FBI $2 million? I am unaware of it.
Q: when you take the oath for County commission who do you give it to? Take an oath to the 4th district judge. And to the people.

Tanner Ainge: (UT county commissioner candidate)

Live in Alpine. Married for 13 yrs. and have five kids. Worked in venture capital. Help business project finance future and law school.
I love UT County. We have all the ingredients for a long-term success.
Campaign: with everything going so well I don’t want to do any harm. Our success is influenced by strong families and education, churches and non-profits have a strong influence.
We need to invest in our infrastructure. If we wait we can’t take advantage of our growth
Second; make sure we do all we can to get people to sober and back on their feet. Saves lives and save dollars.
Q: what do you know of Ut County owning the FBI $2 million? I am unaware of it.
Q: what is the proper role of county government? Central functions for government work well. Public safety, criminal justice, planner transportation.
Should the UT county commission expand to 5 members? I support it. Utah county will surpass grown of SL. Having five commissioners, we can diverse by representing different areas of the county
Q: what are your feelings of rapid transit verse private sector solutions? I want to have BRT be as successful as possible. It can take congestion off the roads. It’s right and fair to have competition. If one bus system runs lower cost than county bus system, we need to have an explanation why they charge higher. There is lot of interest in Utah County from out of state employers. We are going to have a lot of growth. My goal is that to make BRT as efficient as possible.
Q: Why did you join so late as a candidate for the 3^rd district representative? He had not heard about Chavez plan to resign until late.
Q: What are you feelings of world government agencies using Agenda 21 policy to control condensing citizens into living into high population areas? We need to preserve our green space. We need to plan for that higher population.
Q: How to protect external influences on politicians. I’ve never felt any external influence.
Q: what are you feelings about taking Federal money? We take federal dollars to accomplish things in our county. We take money for county health department. A lot comes from state and federal funds. Want to use those funds as effectively as possible.

County attorney:

David Leavitt:

I grew up in cedar city. I am fifth of six boys, attended BYU in English and then law. Have seven kids, practice law for 27 years
I’ve been a city and county attorney, criminal attorney private and in public practice spent eight yrs. I was an elected prosecutor 10-12 yrs. Had a private practice for citizens against government burocery.
Levitt institute: created geared to education: (http://leavittinstitute.org/)
1991: first criminal case. I am concerned for the mentally ill. Finding solutions that help society and the individual is not a cookie cutter approach. It is important to understand the criminal process toward the mentally ill.
I was county attorney in Juab County. One case, I saw photos of a beaten woman. Something did not feel right. I investigated it further. Found out that the woman beat herself. Why: because you won’t stop husband for internal beating so I created the external beating.
Once case was of a theft in the desert. Guy dismantled a crane (there for 30 yrs.). The client thought it was abandoned. Told thief to pay money made from sell to the owner of the crane.
Need the backbone to tell police no.
Run because there has been too much of abuse(?) between police officers and attorney.
Want to distinguish with victims of crime. We need to distinguish between crime influenced by society and an individual criminal.
We need to look more closely at the individual doing the crime. For example: 18 yr. old caught with drugs. Could have had him labeled with a felony. Asked what he wanted to do with his life? He wanted to join the coast guard. I had him join them. Give pay stubs to your father. Paystubs at week 28 the guy became a sergeant. After 38 paystubs the crime will be dropped.
Bully in one town with long term and multiple offense of abuse and crime. Attorney will see him in prison.
We don’t need another county attorney. We need is a prosecutor who has experience, reasoning, judgment, who is not looking for just a remedy. Train the other attorneys.
There is an insensitivity of individual cases. Need to treat each case with what each individual deserves.

County attorney:

Chad Grunander:

Worked in criminal with chiefly 35 attorneys and 28 prosecutors with 6 in the civil division. Worked in the instigations bureau, with paralegals. I oversee 85 % of the office.
Worked Dr Mrneill(sp) case as the prosecution. The case was highly profiled in the media.
520 population and we’ve had up to 14 homicides.
Grew up Spanish fork lived in UT county whole life.
Have support Federal order of police,
I’m trying to create a division of civil abuse court.
Focus on special victims unit.
My goal is getting serious about drug offenders. 70% of crimes are drug-related in some fashion. Many thefts occure to support a drug addiction. We need to give them help sooner.
Legislative outreach: priory to work with local leglators to get effective laws to be effective. There was a case of an assisted suicide. Person helped kill a 16 yr. old girl. Assisted suicide law created that assisted suicide is marked as manslaughter.
Community outreach: attorneys are passive in police investigation. Try to get in front of problems. Going to school and discuss cyber safety. Effects of drug use. Go to senior assistant homes> warn of internet homes. Don’t give out SS numbers.
Reach out to school superintendents for community outreach and school visits.
Q: Is the seat belt law constitutional: yes it is constitutional?
Q: Do you support jury notification: don’t support. It already exists (jury already has the ability to convict) If the jury decides to throw the case out. Juries can do this if they like the criminal because he or she dresses nice.
Q: How many cases have you’ve prosecuted. 3 K felony and 2 K misdemeanors. Special victim’s smaller in a smaller number.
Q: Are you comfortable to support prosecute a federal official who breaks the laws? I don’t recal the answer. I assume yes.
Overseen 28 attorneys, 35 additional support staff. Chief Deputy. > 70 staff
Victims’ rights are very important. Keep them informed.
Each case goes through a screening process until to see if it meets standards of proof with unreasonable doubt of a crime. Good faith belief that jury will convict. If there is insufficient proof will not press charges.
Need healthy relationships with law enforcement with attorneys. 35K cases each yr. many decanted on a frequent basis due to lack of evidence.
Q: How would community outreach funded? It would require little finances requirements other than refreshments. Attorneys already assigned to a departments. We are salaried employees and already work over 40 hours a week.

Office of sheriff:

Jim Phelps:

Don’t want SL issues to come down to UT County. Know about drug problems. Sexual predators. Traffickers.
I will protect your rights. I have a proven records. I know the limit and rights of other federal agencies. I’ve stood up. Sherriff is the only elected office in the country.
I’m a firm constitutional.
I don’t agree with civil forfeiture (to take lands).
Q: what would you do if Thema came in to confiscate weapons during a disaster. I would arrest anyone who comes in to take weapons.
I objected to Blanding over reaction of crime that causes a doctor to commit suicide.
Q: What were you feeling of how the Bundy situation? I object to actions of BLM. The sherriff should have intervened on the Bundy case. He could have prevented an escalation. Help craft leglatition to strip BLM’s authority.
Take an oath to uphold the constitution: I make an oath to the people. That oath means everything to me. I don’t answer to the federal government.
Q: Is driving a right or a privilege? is more of a right than a privilege. Make sure that the individual is qualified to drive a car. If people abuse privilege should have that right removed.
Q: How handled a police officer who is out of control? They need to be stopped (I think he said this)
Q: What do you think of the csopa police organization. If I become sheriff, I will be a member.
Q: How to get UT county to not take more money from federal. Its goes as a bribe.
Q: What is different between you and your opponent? Most significant between me and opponent, I am more of a constitutional sheriff. My opponent objected to land acquisition. I know how to prevent real grand. Know how to fight against domestic terrorism:
I will preserve your rights.
Want to empower the citizens of the city. Want to have programs in place so that citizens feel empowered.
Victims of violence: want to provide some free training. Will use retired police officers are happy to work with citizens.
Q: What does protect and preserve means: preserve our constitution as it is written now. I don’t want an article 5.
Q: how do you feel about constitutional carry? I believe in constitutional carry.
Around the country: seen an increased militaristic of police departments.
Like police to interact with schools

Mike Smith:

18 yrs. on UT County swat team, Team leader and operational commander.
Spent six yrs. as a reserve deputy. Taking shift when officers were absent
Currently chief of police in pleasant grove.
Have a degree in criminal justice, graduate FBI national academy.
Interested in community oriented projects.
Due to the national increase of anti-police sentiment. We have less police applicants.
Safe city’s influence by community policing programs. Honorary citizens who are business people. Function as a booster club. They help fun raise to get needed equipment.
Citizens can help police officers.
Get citizens to help. Meets and greet.
Stream line arrest process so an officer is not spending over an hour booking someone so they can get back on the street sooner.
Who do you make an oath to as sheriff? I’m elected by the people.
An opinion of Bundy: if the Federal government is violating of citizens. I will stand up to them.
Q: If thema comes to confiscate weapons what would you do? Bush created a law that it wouldn’t happen again.
Q: How do you like http://cspoa.org? I like Sheriff Clark.
Q: Is the seat belt constitutional? wear a seatbelt
Q: What you do to an uncontrolled police officer. I worked in internal affairs. Officers are people when they make mistakes they need to be accountable. We need to be transparent.
Q: Is driving is a privilege? We lose it if our violate law.
Q: Would you take federal grant? A bullet vest cost $1K each. There is a grant that will get it at half the cost. Be careful of string attached. If I pay taxes, want some to come back.
Honor oath: preserve oath: to integrity. How to protect victims who could be abused. Uphold the constitution.
Q: School protection? We’ve been working with schools, walk through a program for a response.