Stephen Otterstrom

Stephen Otterstrom was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He earned a high school diploma from West High School, an associate degree from Salt Lake Community College in 2003, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah in 2008. His career experience includes working as a management consultant.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am running for House District 21 because I believe that underfunding public programs is oppression. Our state’s economy has grown tremendously, but the budgets for our schools and other public services have shrunk. At the same time, our state government gives hundreds of millions of dollars to billionaires to build private stadiums and data centers. Our government has prioritized serving the rich at the expense of the many, and I’m running to fix that. We have the ability to properly fund our schools, save the Great Salt Lake, and fix the housing affordability crisis. It takes sending leaders who aren’t bought by corporate or billionaire interests to Capitol Hill to fight for the issues our community cares about. I am that leader.

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?

Utah’s Constitution requires that income tax revenue be used only for public education and services for the disabled. But every session, the legislature goes out of its way to make an income tax cut. These cuts are too small to make a difference for working-class taxpayers, but they represent enormous losses for education and services for the disabled. Educational spending leads to better social outcomes that we all enjoy. So how do we make meaningful new investments in education and services for the disabled? We adopt a progressive tax structure. Today, every dollar of taxable income in Utah is taxed at a flat rate of 4.45%. A progressive tax would add an additional percentage for portions of income above certain thresholds.The Great Salt Lake is in crisis, and Utah’s strategic plan indicates that approximately 355,000 additional acre-feet of water per year must reach the lake to prevent further decline. Until we begin returning water to the lake itself, we are not solving the problem. The quickest way to get water into the lake is by leasing water shares. Allocating approximately $100 million per year specifically for the leasing of water shares would be an immediate step to stabilize the lake. Potential funding sources could include dedicated appropriations, water-use fees, federal grants, or other funding streams, but we cannot be paralyzed seeking the perfect funding source. Waiting will only make the solution more expensive and more difficult.When housing is as unaffordable as it is today, the burden falls mostly on vulnerable people and working families. While strengthening renters’ rights is important, helping renters become owners will be transformative. Cooperative housing is the best way to do this. Cooperative housing allows residents to collectively own the building where they live. Instead of paying rent to a landlord, residents are the sole shareholders in the cooperative that owns their unit. At the state level, we could promote cooperative housing through Tenant Opportunity to Purchase legislation. This gives renters and cooperatives the first right of refusal when landlords sell the properties they live in, and renters can organize and bid on the property themselves.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am incredibly passionate about funding public education and keeping public dollars in public services. More information on my policy positions can be found at StephenForSLC.com/platform

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Utah Education Association PAC

Salt Lake County Democratic Labor Caucus

Salt Lake County Democratic Veterans Caucus

Nick Mitchell — South Salt Lake Councilmember

Alisa Van Langeveld — North Salt Lake Councilmember

Tenille Taggart — Activist

Mustafa Khader — Activist

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

The Westside is the heart and soul of Salt Lake City. We have the closest families, work the hardest, and are the most resourceful. We prioritize each other, but it does not feel like the city government prioritizes us. The greatest example of this is the current City Council's unanimous decision to raise sales tax to give $900 million to Smith Entertainment Group. We are paying every cent of the Delta Center renovation and gaining no ownership or share in its revenue. It is simply a handout, and residents will be paying for the next 30 years. Our current Council is representing the interests of the well-connected and ultra-wealthy. I am running to represent the rest of us.

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?

Housing — More and more Salt Lake residents are priced out of housing because of out-of-control rent and purchase prices. State law forbids rent control ordinances, and as the price of real estate climbs, property taxes increases place seniors on fixed incomes in danger of losing their housing. If we want to stabilize our housing market, we need to try something different. Cooperative Housing gives renters the ability to collectively purchase their building, allowing them to gain equity by signing a lease. Additional ordinances could give renters the first right of refusal when a building is sold. Community Land Trusts reduce the cost of housing with the city purchasing the land and the owner purchasing the structure on top of it.Homelessness — Unhoused people are, first and foremost, people. Currently, more than 4,500 Utahns are experiencing homelessness. We are not okay with this scale of suffering. In the short-term, the city needs to open up its properties during deadly extreme heat and cold to provide relief, and we must partner with churches and non-profits who already engage in this life-saving work. In the long-term, the city must prioritize buying and converting existing structures to provide housing, resources, and support to help those in need. Sanctioned camp sites often become permanent, expensive programs that don’t effectively help those experiencing homelessness, so we should focus on converting existing structures instead.Public Money Used for Public Benefit — The city’s priorities are apparent in what it allocates funds for. Our public dollars should be used to support the people, not billionaire handouts or vanity projects. The current Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously to create a new sales tax to benefit a Provo billionaire. For the next 30 years, you will be paying to renovate a privately-owned arena. In the best-case scenario, Salt Lake City can expect to get back half of what is given to this project. With this vote, the Council has decided to give nearly one in every three sales tax dollars the city collects to this project. It’s bad enough when billionaires don’t pay taxes—it’s even worse when we are forced to pay taxes to a billionaire.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing policy

Alternative housing ownership models

Homelessness

Roads and transportation

City budget

Using public funds for public good

Mental health resources

Civil rights

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Curiosity — A good city councilperson recognizes they don’t have all the answers and will proactively, and with genuine curiosity, look for the best solutions.

Proactive — A good councilperson doesn’t wait to be approached, but instead approaches them. A good city councilperson proactively seeks the ideas and concerns of their constituents.

Vulnerablity — A good city councilperson is willing to stand alone in order to benefit their constituents. They share their honest perspectives and thought process instead of hiding behind closed door meetings.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like Salt Lake to be a city with opportunities for all. Specifically, I want every resident to have the ability to own the place where they live. I want the city to be welcoming to visitors, and for residents, I want it to be a place where they feel a true sense of belonging— in a place that belongs to them. I envision cooperative housing replacing the rental model so that housing stability and the communities it fosters become the rule rather than the exception. I would like to see city leaders make community the ultimate goal and the destination of all city initiatives.