Constituents came from Draper, Sandy, Bluffdale, Riverton, Provo, Murray and Salt Lake City. They sought answers and they wanted to be heard. They filled the council chambers at Draper City Hall on a February Saturday for a mid-session townhall with Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, Sen. Dan McCay and Rep. Cal Roberts, who is in his first legislative term and previously served on the Draper City Council.

McCay came late, so Cullimore and Roberts got things started. Some attendees sat quietly, but many raised their hands with questions or comments. Some held signs that said “I disagree” to silently express themselves and others vocalized concerns. The predominant tone from the crowd was one of dissatisfaction and frustration with their legislative representatives.

“How are we supposed to trust you when you are doing everything possible to limit our voices? Who do you work for? Are you trustworthy? Your actions say otherwise,” a woman in the crowd said. 

“I won the primary (Roberts ran unopposed) with 72% of the vote. I hope that would demonstrate to you that you can trust me. We might disagree. I understand the anger. We work really hard to listen to all perspectives,” Roberts replied. 

Cullimore said, “Participation is important this day and age, and doing that at the local and state level can be super impactful.” He’s in his seventh session as a legislator representing District 9 including Sandy and Draper.

Asked by the legislators what they most wanted to talk about by a show of hands, attendees indicated the bill banning public sector unions from collective bargaining was their first concern. That bill was signed into law Feb. 14 by Gov. Spencer Cox despite strong opposition from teachers, firefighters and other public employees. 

A woman asked the legislators if they tallied who they heard from the most, those in favor or those opposed. Cullimore said he’d mostly heard from people against the bill. Roberts said that was the first vote he took after being in the legislature two days, and after he’d reached out to a firefighter friend and a school administrator. 

A man wearing a firefighters union T-shirt told the legislators Salt Lake Mayor Erin Mendenhall is his boss and she can’t sit down with everyone, so that union voice is what his fellow firefighters rely on. “We represent them,” he said. “Who have you heard from against collective bargaining? You couldn’t answer.” 

Cullimore responded, “Union heads will still have a seat at the table, all it disallows is they can’t be the exclusive voice for whatever union it might be,” 

Roberts said, “I think the cities will ultimately care for their public safety people.” 

Education funding and school vouchers were the second topic addressed. Last year, the legislature approved the Utah Fits All Scholarship. “Vouchers are welfare for the rich,” shouted a woman. A new bill this legislative session aims to put “guardrails” in place because some scholarship recipients have not used the funds as intended, including misusing them to buy ski passes. 

Cullimore said 95% of K-12 students in Utah participate in public education, higher than the 85% national rate. Cullimore said he’s “tired of culture war bills.” He said “offended Utahns” who are asking for these types of bills can choose something else via vouchers and that might lead to less of the state dictating to public educators what they can and cannot do. Cullimore said the $8,000 scholarship amount may be decreased. 

Roberts defended vouchers as a marketplace solution and said, “Competition rises all boats.” Roberts cited Draper’s Juan Diego Catholic High School which he said serves a certain demographic where some of those vouchers are being used. “For Utah Fits All, that money is going to some of the least privileged in our state,” Roberts said. A man replied, “Meanwhile, my son’s public school teacher is still buying their classroom supplies out of their own pocket and you’re worried about vouchers?” A woman asked, “Isn’t it better to upgrade our public schools rather than vouchers?” and a man indicated Utah was last in the nation in 2022 for per-student public school spending.

McCay arrived during the education funding and voucher discussion. “Some of you I’m happy to be here with,” he said and began to field questions. McCay said the legislature primarily spends their budget to “educate, medicate and incarcerate.” He learned during Covid that parents wanted educational options and referred to “the Covid experience which some may still be enjoying,” a statement aimed at those who wore masks to the Town Hall. Several people said they did so because it was the height of cold and flu season. McCay then backpedaled and said mocking was not his intent. 

Judicial reform was the third topic discussed. The state system resembles the federal structure with an intentional balance and check of powers among the legislative, judicial and executive branches. In recent years, there has been tension between the state legislature and Utah’s Supreme Court, particularly over voter initiatives the Supreme Court has tried to defend. “Now you’re proposing a bill to undo what the people said and what the courts said…it’s like you’re saying ‘we don’t care, we want more power.’ That’s a constitutional crisis,” said history teacher Michelle Kimball Curtis. 

Utah ballots ask voters whether judges should be retained or dismissed and judge reviews can be found on an unbiased online source cited in voter guides so voters can make informed decisions. This session, the legislature proposed they be allowed to put their opinion of various judges on voter’s ballots. McCay said the “check” on the legislative branch happens through elections, but he said, “I don’t know how to make a decision on how a judge is doing a good job or not.” Several in the crowd replied, “Just look it up online!” Curtis told the legislators their opinion doesn’t have a place on the ballot. 

Toni Lee Peterson voiced concern over redistricting which she feels was improperly handled or gerrymandered to perpetuate the state’s Republican majority. “It’s not fair. I really don’t think you listen and do the will of the people,” she said.  

Draper Mayor Troy Walker said the Town Hall needed to end by the scheduled time so he could let police officers, there to keep the peace, return to work. “We’re being peaceful,” said a man. Because of time constraints, other legislative bills including one aimed at public records and GRAMA weren’t addressed. 

At the conclusion, attendees stayed to talk with one another and legislators. Brad Tilt had come primarily out of concern for the “union buster” bill and judicial reforms being proposed. “I feel like we got a lot of double talk and no real answers, no genuine concern to answer,” Tilt said.

Shelly Anderson came from Salt Lake City where she teaches and runs a reading intervention program at a 100% poverty level Title 1 school. A recent legislative law requires teachers at her school and across the state to increase literacy outcomes, something she supports. That law was accompanied by funding toward that outcome, including paraprofessionals who assist teachers by working with students in smaller reading groups to meet that goal. But Anderson just learned that her school lost $140,000 in federal funds under the Trump administration. 

“That is going to impact our ability to provide those services under that law. There’s a good chance we’ll continue to lose federal funding, and I want to know how the state is going to make up that shortfall. We’re probably going to have to fire six paraprofessionals. They don’t have protections so they’re the first to go. I’m sad because they were really instrumental in the classrooms this year and we were able to provide that reading help,” Anderson said.  

Draper resident Teinamarrie Scuderi said, “I’ve always been one to be active. I know so many who don’t vote because they feel their vote doesn’t count and the representatives don’t listen anyway.” Scuderi said bills aimed at LGBTQ people and bathrooms they can and can’t use are a waste of taxpayer dollars. She said senators who have served 10 years have their health insurance paid for by taxpayers until they die, “so they benefit a lot.” 

Scuderi wants legislators to listen to their constituents and do the people’s will. “I saw a photo of a rally at the Capitol. That entire rotunda was packed (in opposition to) the union bill, but they say they’re listening to the citizens,” she said.  λ