West Jordan Council Ignores its Citizens

I live in West Jordan, Utah which is historically a very politically conservative suburb of Salt Lake City.

Here is “democracy in action” in West Jordan:
Yesterday the West Jordan City Council approved a settlement with Utah Power, that will allow a controversial power substation to be built where neighbors don’t want it.

Despite the fact that the land for the proposed substation is near two elementary schools, a park, a church and the planned site of a private religious school, and that this issue has long been opposed by citizens, the council voted 6-1 to approve it. In exchange for the vote to approve the substation, Utah Power has agreed to implement “optimum enhancements” (trees, walls, etc.). But that does not satisfy residents who do not want the substation at all.

The lone dissenter, newbie council member Mike Kellermeyer,has sated that he is willing to pursue this to the supreme court if necessary.
“As long as there’s a little bit of hope, we should fight this and we should take it all the way,” he said. “Until it has gone before the Supreme Court, I don’t think we can look our citizens in the eye and say we’ve done our best.”

The other council members gave excuses as to why they voted for the substation, including a lot of “what-ifs” if they decided to vote “no”.

This is yet another example of representatives not listening to their constituents or voting the way their constituents want them to vote. That is not representative democracy. The influence, instead, is coming from the corporations that have a monopoly on services and manipulate their cases in such ways as to create the perception that there are no other choices.

Bull.
Mike Kellermeyer, kudos for standing up for your consituents and raising your fist to this issue.