Jeff Garbett, Candidate, Salt Lake City Council District 3

Living almost in the center of it all has drawn Jeff Garbett to make his home in the Capital Hill area on and for for 60 years and permanently the last two; what with being able to walk from his front door to Salt Lake City’s finest restaurants, shops, the theater, political seat of power, Memory Grove, mountain canyons and in those three blocks also being offered for sale a buffet of illicit drugs.

Caras – “Drugs? Almost at your front door.”

Candidate Garbett – “My district (District 3) is just two to three blocks away from the most lawless area in the state. You can’t get to where you want to shop, go to dinner or the theater without being approached right in the open during daylight and offered your choice of drugs to buy!”

Caras – “I’m supposing ‘’tis might be one of the issues as to why you are running for Salt Lake City Council?”

Candidate Garbett – “That would be the understatement of the year. I waited to sign up to run, but then I had to do it because I wanted to see stronger stands taken on the issues of homelessness, reducing crime, clean air, and not just someone who is for the status quo. That’s not me and when my district is right at the edge of ground zero I felt it was time to run.”

Caras – “Garbett is a name many Utahans connect to one of the state’s well known home builders and those more familiar with politics there’s a background in both Republican and Democrat parties.”

Candidate Garbett – “Some people might remember when my mother, Jan, ran as Vaughn Cook’s lieutenant governor running mate—she was actually a Republican. And my father, Bryson, served two terms as a Republican in the Utah State House of Representatives in the 1980’s.

I was able to help in a number of dad’s campaigns. For me and running, it just felt like now was the right time. And I like the fact the council is not partisan and allows for all viewpoints.”

Caras—“When you talk about the homeless issue I can hear a great deal of passion and urgency in your voice. What ideas would you put forward, seeing as how it’s right on your doorstep?”

Candidate Garbett – “The focus that’s going on is all wrong. Fifty-six percent of the homeless downtown are from out of state. We need to be tracking who is coming in and out of the area. If all they are doing is coming in to sell drugs then we need to know who they are and arrest them.

In Salt Lake City we had 100 homeless die last year in our city of 200,000. By contrast, in New York City last year, a city of 9 million, there were 200 homeless who died. We have an open drug market on 4th and 3rd! ID’s would help. Having programs set up for people as they come into the city and addressing their specific circumstances.

It’s nice to say we want to help them; but it’s one thing to say it and another to do it in a way that is smart.”

Caras – “You mentioned the Other Side Academy as being an example of a good program? It’s located at 667 East 100 South and as a vocational school.”

Candidate Garbett – “The Other Side Academy helps chronic homelessness. You get in and you work everyday. It’s not rehab, but vocational training. You’re allowed to stay two years and when you leave you leave with money you have earned by the work you do.

Right now there are 10 people in the program, and they could take 200 more. And yet the city wants to tear it down. Everyone talks REHAB, when they should be talking vocational training. There is success here and it’s done with no government money. With this the city is in the way.

Both Speaker Greg Hughes and Mayor Ben McAdams toured the Other Side and they liked what they saw. It’s time we get help from other cities and see what they are doing.

And we need to realize this is a Wasatch Front problem not just Salt Lake.”

For more information about Candidate Garbett go to www.JeffreyGarbett.vote