Normally I wouldn’t spend much time trying to “justify” comments taken out of context OR misquoted in the local newspaper.  I guess I expected more out of Caleb Warnock of the Daily Herald…he’s usually quite good.  Link HERE.

Unfortunately, print media doesn’t come with a laugh track or the previous three sentences before the quote taken out of context.

Caleb mentions I made a statement about focusing on SR-92 as a transportation priority…the implication was that because I had recently purchased a lot and plan to start building a home there early next year in The Cedars development at the mouth of American Fork Canyon, that I have a personal interest in making sure I had a clear path to I-15 from my new home.

What was missed in Caleb’s newspaper account was my facial expression and tone of my voice directed at the city council members as I made that statement and the accompanying chuckles coming from the council bench.  It was tongue-in-cheek…  I’ll give Caleb the benefit of the doubt…afterall…as I was standing at the podium addressing the council, Caleb was facing my backside.

First, no single Legislator has the POWER to unilaterally appropriate the money to “fix” a State Road (remember 38-15-1 ?!)…and certainly not me (still down the food chain a bit).  SR-92 has long been on the radar of MAG (Mountainland Association of Governments), the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) governing and making recommendations to the Legislature by prioritizing critical transportation projects in a certain geographic area.  SR-92 is a choke point for thousands of commuters in northeast Utah County every day.  Transportation projects in our state are prioritized.  Which brings me to the next point.

Representative John Dougall (R-Highland), President John Valentine (R-Orem), Senator Howard Stephenson (R-Draper), and I, represent all those good people who daily experience the constant congestion occurring on that highway.  We are all concerned about the way our constituents are able to safely move about on one of our more dangerous (higher speed, narrower) roads.  This highway is NOT a NEW problem and certainly NOT a NEW priority.  Caleb’s a pretty smart guy…I think he already knows this.  (Link HERE for March 2005 Daily Herald article addressing this issue.)  These are our neighbors and we have a responsibllity to keep them safe and moving.  One of the fastest population growth rates has occurred in one of the fastest growing cities in Utah–Cedar Hills.  Add Highland, Alpine, and the north end of American Fork and Pleasant Grove, and what do you get?…a transportation problem.

So, as an elected representative and commuter in northeast Utah County do I have a conflict of interest…you’re damn right!