Patrick Belmont

Patrick Belmont was born in Chicago, Illinois. Belmont's career experience includes working as a professor. He has also served as vice-chair of the Logan City Renewable Energy and Sustainability Advisory Board.[1] Belmont earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University in 2000, a graduate degree from Lehigh University in 2007, and a Ph.D. from Lehigh University in 2007.[2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Patrick Belmont is a water and climate scientist, university educator, vice-chair of Logan City's clean energy board, and dad. Throughout his 20+ year professional career he has been known for asking the right questions to get to the heart of matters, listening and doing the hard work needed to understand all sides of complex issues, and bringing people together around common values.

Our land, water, and air resources are the backbone of our economy and the key to our quality of life here in Utah. As one of the only legislators with expertise in water, agriculture, energy, and ecology, Patrick Belmont will bring critical, constructive perspective to conversations about how to ensure Utah grows in smarter ways in the future.

Patrick has been leading efforts to solve many of the biggest challenges of our time and will bring his rigorous research capabilities, deep-thinking skills, compassion, and practical problem-solving attitude to work for Utah.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We need a water scientist in Utah Legislature. The legislature wastes a tremendous amount of our time and money NOT fixing our water problems because special interests (and not science and the best interests of individual citizens) are driving policy decisions. I will advocate everyday for science-based decision-making because it is effective, fiscally responsible, and protects our health, economy, and resources.Utah is going to continue to grow. We need to do it MUCH smarter. 85% of future growth is expected to be our own kids. We need to make sure we grow in ways that maintain or improve our quality of life, which means protecting our open space (agriculture, trails, greenspace), utilizing smart zoning principles, being good stewards of our environment.Patrick will work to ensure Utah's economy works for -- everyone --, not just the wealthy few. Far too many people are being left behind by inflation, the out-of-control housing market, stagnant wages, and inflated healthcare costs. I will work everyday to create high paying jobs and ensure every worker in Utah is paid a living wage.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Economy, water, housing, energy, education, natural resources, recreation.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Patrick Belmont is a thoughtful leader, a listener, someone who is willing to have hard conversations, and a person who prioritizes kindness, compassion, and service to others. In a world where it seems extremists are often the ones with the loudest microphones, Patrick Belmont seeks to bring people together around common values to do the hard work required to move us all forward.

A common thread in his life has been service to others in pursuit of building a better world for today and future generations. Throughout his 20+ year professional career he has been known for asking the right questions to get to the heart of matters, listening and doing the hard work needed to understand all sides of complex issues, and bringing people together around common values. As a researcher, educator, and communicator he has been working to solve many of the biggest challenges of our time, protecting water resources, making a rapid and just transition to clean energy, reducing risks related to wildfire, improving air quality, and solving climate change so we can leave our children a better world than the one we inhabit today.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe it is essential that we have diversity of opinions and perspectives in government. We have seen the damage that has been done by the Republican supermajority. A lot of bills get passed without sufficient discussion or scrutiny. And the governor has essentially decided to stop vetoing bills because the supermajority in the legislature can simply over-rule his veto. That's a recipe for a dysfunctional government. I believe we need proper checks and balances in government, which means a balanced and less partisan legislature and a governor who is willing to stand up to the legislature when bills are passed that are clearly damaging to Utah's economy and/or are infringing on personal freedoms.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Water, energy, and managing growth are three of the biggest challenges we face here in Utah. Unfortunately, many of the changes made by the legislature in these areas over the past decade have taken us in the wrong direction.

For example, while the rest of the world is innovating new clean energy technologies, the Utah Legislature passed a bill requiring that state taxpayer money be used to purchase and operate coal plants even after the power industry has deemed them obsolete...it's a bad deal for Utahns. As your representative I'll work to ensure Utah incentivizes energy conservation, upgrades our energy infrastructure, and becomes a leader in the clean energy economy.

Utah is going to continue to grow, but we are all feeling the pains of poor growth management. As your representative, I will work to ensure Utah grows in ways that reduce traffic and transportation-related pollution, makes home ownership a reality for many more Utahns, and minimizes damage to the unique and wonderful environmental amenities that make Utah such a great place to live.

Water is one of our most precious resources here in Utah. Poor stewardship of our water resources has left many of our water bodies at risk, including Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Bear Lake and thousands of others. As your representative in the Utah Legislature I'll work to ensure we are using smart market-based solutions, education and incentives, and proper oversight to ensure our water resources are restored and protected for today and future generations.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

For a list of organizations and individuals that have endorsed my campaign, please see belmont4utah.org

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Dr. Patrick Belmont is a nationally renown water scientist, university educator, and dad. Throughout his 20+ year professional career he has been known for asking the right questions to get to the heart of matters, listening and doing the hard work needed to understand all sides of complex issues, and bringing people together around common values.

Water is vital to our economy and quality of life here in Utah. As Utah's -- only water scientist -- in the legislature, Dr. Belmont will work to ensure we protect our water resources and we do not waste billions of taxpayer dollars on boondoggles like the Lake Powell Pipeline, the Pacific Ocean pipeline, or building artificial islands in Utah Lake.

Patrick has been leading efforts to solve many of the biggest challenges of our time and will bring his rigorous research capabilities, deep-thinking skills, compassion, and practical problem-solving attitude to work for Utah.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We need a water scientist in Utah Legislature. The legislature wastes a tremendous amount of our time and money NOT fixing our water problems because special interests (and not science and the best interests of individual citizens) are driving policy decisions. I will advocate everyday for science-based decision-making because it is effective, fiscally responsible, and protects our health, economy, and resources.Utah is going to continue to grow. We need to do it MUCH smarter. 85% of future growth is expected to be our own kids. We need to make sure we grow in ways that maintain or improve our quality of life, which means protecting our open space (agriculture, trails, greenspace), utilizing smart zoning principles, being good stewards of our environment.We need the economy to work for -- everyone --, not just the wealthy few. Far too many people are being left behind by inflation, the out-of-control housing market, stagnant wages, and inflated healthcare costs. I will work everyday to create high paying jobs and ensure every worker in Utah is paid a living wage.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Beyond water, Dr. Belmont will work everyday to:

-- support families and those who have been hit hardest by inflation

-- update and improve our infrastructure

-- advocate for smarter development in rural, sub-urban, and urban areas

-- fix major problems in our rental and real estate housing market

-- clean our air by:

-- creating high-paying, clean energy jobs,

-- incentivizing use of clean energy resources,

-- supporting research and development of new clean energy technology

-- repeal the gerrymandered legislative district maps passed in 2021 and support redistricting by a non-

partisan, independent commission moving forward

-- ensure Utah's economy works for -- everyone -- not just the wealthy few

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Patrick Belmont is a water scientist, educator, and dad. A common thread in his life has been service to others in pursuit of building a better world for today and future generations. Throughout his 20+ year professional career he has been known for asking the right questions to get to the heart of matters, listening and doing the hard work needed to understand all sides of complex issues, and bringing people together around common values. As a researcher, educator, and communicator he has been working to solve many of the biggest challenges of our time, protecting water resources, making a rapid and just transition to clean energy, reducing risks related to wildfire, improving air quality, and solving climate change so we can leave our children a better world than the one we inhabit today.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Water, energy, and managing growth are three of the biggest challenges we face here in Utah.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Utah deserves an independent process for redistricting. Voters chose an independent commission for redistricting and the legislature chose to ignore the will of the voters. The gerrymandering of our districts in 2022 in anti-democratic and I will work to have the gerrymandered maps repealed and replaced with non-partisan maps.

Voters should choose their representatives. Representatives should not be choosing their voters.