We Define Utah.
Good lasting substantive policy is formed through collaboration and bipartisanship, bringing people together who can solve problems and get things done. I spent my career working in tech and the public sector, building a skillset of compromise and civility to solve problems. WE can build the future, NOW.
Education
Read my Education Op-Ed on Public Education & a community letter from education champions in House District 23, “A Vote for Jeff Howell is a Vote for your Children’s Education”.
Protecting our future starts with our kids in the classroom. Teachers are our heroes. Education is Jeff’s number one priority, he has a deep passion and successful track record of being a champion for students, teachers and parents. Jeff hopes to leave a legacy of championing education. We must increase our investment in our public education system. This includes allocating more funds to our children, classrooms, and teachers. Our children and students are our greatest asset, and Jeff believes we are all stakeholders in their success.
Where are we starting from? Utah spends on average $8,014 per student per year, which ranks us 49th in the nation. Utah’s public K-12 spending as a percentage of State Taxpayer income is 3.2%, this is unacceptable. Per pupil spending is an important factor in determining the quality and resources available in the education system. Higher spending per student often correlates with better educational outcomes, improved infrastructure, and access to a wider range of educational opportunities. I will amplify the efforts of the Salt Lake School District Strategic Plan for Student Achievement, specifically the efforts to have 80% of K-3 students reading on grade level by 2029. Jeff also enjoys spending time at his son’s local school, Bonneville Elementary, volunteering both in the classroom and as a member of the school’s Service Committee, helping to provide more opportunities for all kids.
Environment
Everyone deserves to breathe clean air, both outside and inside, and poor air quality is an existential threat. We need to build consensus as a state and set a goal for reducing emissions, then reach that goal by reducing emissions from the vehicle fleet, from new buildings, and from industrial sources. Also, The Great Salt Lake is drying up. Preserving its waters protects our health, its unique ecosystems, and ensures the future habitability of Utah State. Jeff supports The Save Our Great Salt Lake “to do list” which includes; Additional 1,000,000 acre feet per year and a minimum healthy elevation level of 4198+ ft and a healthy salinity level under 15% that allows for a thriving ecosystem. Jeff supports O₂ Utah’s legislative framework, Prosperity 2030, which aims to reduce emissions by 50% along the Wasatch Front by 2030.
Affordable Housing
Home prices and rents continue to rise, pricing hard working citizens out of the American Dream. Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the country. When it comes to the fastest growing states in terms of population, Utah leads the pack with a population growth rate of 15% in 2022, 23% growth since 2010). Jeff is driven to create opportunities for home buyers and renters including down payment assistance loans, rent assistance, and other programs that will create secure and long lasting places to live for Utah residents. It’s crucial to implement creative solutions for home buying that don’t impact the historic integrity found in pockets throughout our district.
Homelessness
Jeff served on the Board of Directors of The Inn Between and has been involved with the Pioneer Park and Capitol City Coalition for several years. Treating unsheltered individuals with compassion is important to Jeff, and he recognizes that mental health is often the chronic root of homelessness. While living wages, housing market issues and other factors are also to blame, addiction and mental illness are said to be the main culprits of this escalating situation. While the city and private foundations are beginning to address the gravity of the mental health crisis in Utah, far more needs doing. With one of the highest per capita rates of mental illness in the country, and demand for mental health care that far exceeds the supply, Jeff will work to provide more homeless individuals and those in danger of homelessness more access to the help they need.
LGBTQIA+
I am unequivocally an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, and being an ally is deeply personal for me. Through my life, I’ve witnessed the struggles and triumphs of those I love. We have marched together, cried together, and sought safety together. Throughout these powerful experiences, I continue to expand my paradigm of what being an ally truly means. The discrimination the community faces is unacceptable and I will continue to advocate for a more inclusive, loving and safe place for all.
Recently, legislation in Utah has threatened the rights and safety of LGBTQIA+ individuals, highlighting the urgent need for protective laws. It’s crucial we advocate for legislation that safeguards LGBTQIA+ marriage, promotes DEI in schools, ensures resources for LGBTQIA+ community members, and supports LGBTQIA+ businesses. True equality means fighting for everyone’s right to love, live, and thrive without fear. Together, WE can make our community such a place.
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS
An individual’s right to choose is incredibly important to me and our society. No one, regardless of their gender, political office, or party affiliation, should dictate reproductive choices. We need to lower the cost of birth control, promote gender equality in the healthcare system, make contraceptives more readily available, protect IVF access, and defend the right to an abortion in the state of Utah. Banning abortions does not prevent abortions and teaching abstinence only does not prevent “unwanted” pregnancies or the spread of STD’s. We need comprehensive and age-appropriate sex education across the state. These are the solutions that will lower the number of abortions, not attacking an individual’s right to choose.